Oregon ban on hard-to-trace ghost guns goes into effect Sunday

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — So-called ghost guns, privately made firearms that don’t have serial numbers and are largely untraceable, will be banned across Oregon starting Sunday after a federal judge denied a legal challenge that tried to block the prohibition.

Ghost guns differ from weapons manufactured by licensed companies in that the latter are generally required to have serial numbers — usually displayed on the frame of the gun — that allow officials to trace them back to the manufacturer, the dealer and the original purchaser.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported recovering 25,785 ghost guns in domestic seizures in 2022.

In the Oregon case, Stephen Duvernay, a lawyer for the Oregon Firearms Federation and the Firearms Policy Coalition Inc., argued in federal court this month that self-made guns without serial numbers are common in the U.S., The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

Duvernay also said requiring his clients to add serial numbers to their guns or gun parts would be impractical, adding that about 1 million people own such weapons in state and would be affected by the new law.

In 2023 the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2005 banning ghost guns. State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, had pushed for the legislation for years, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

“Unserialized guns are bad for everyone except criminals who don’t want to get caught,” she said at the time.

When the ban takes effect, firearms made after Oct. 22, 1968, must have a serial number, and violating the law could result in a $1,000 fine. Repeat offenders could face higher fines and potentially incarceration.

Under the law, people with firearms that currently do not have serial numbers can have numbers put on them by federally licensed gun dealers so they comply with the statute.

Since July 2023, Oregon has also barred the sale, transfer and import of unserialized firearms and the possession, sale and manufacturing of firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or X-ray machines.

“Responsible gun ownership means respecting the gun laws of our state, and that now includes a ban on unserialized and undetectable ‘ghost guns,’” Rosenblum, who is not running for reelection, said in a statement. “For the safety of your families and communities, please make sure you understand our new law and that you are in compliance.”

Oregon joins at least a dozen states including California, Washington and Nevada in regulating ghost guns.