Since the invention of firearms, gun owners have been putting personal touches to their guns with decorative artwork and embellishments. In the 16th century, artistic efforts to label weapons made significant progress. According to the November 2003 issue of the Engravers Journal, Volume 29, No. 5:

“Before the mass production of firearms became commonplace, each gun was handmade and engraved with decorations or images on the metal of the lock, barrel and hardware of the gun. When Eli Whitney and Samuel Colt first began mass producing firearms, they continued the tradition by engraving the weapons with scenes such as stagecoach holdups and naval battles.

The second half of the 1800s is generally regarded as the 'Golden Age' of gun engraving. Almost all gun manufacturers created elegantly engraved firearms for their wealthier customers during this time. During this time period, American firearms engraving matured into a large flowing scroll work. The practice of engraving firearms continued until the twentieth century, when it began to decline. After WWII, the art of firearms engraving was revived, and some gun manufacturers, such as Smith & Wesson and Colt, still custom-produce firearms for those who want an individually engraved piece."

(The Engravers Journal Cover, 2020)

Well, nowadays, according to the ATF Guidebook - Importation & Verification of Firearms, Ammunition, and Implements of War, which was issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive of the Depart of Justice at the beginning of the 21st century, licensed manufacturers and importers are required to mark firearms manufactured or imported with specific identifying information. This information is set forth in and must be in accordance with 27 CFR 478.92 and 479.102.

This publication was prepared by ATF's Firearms and Explosives Imports Branch (FEIB) to assist importers and other firearms industry members in identifying firearms, ammunition, and defense articles that may be imported into the United States and to further clarify and facilitate the import process.

In short, the gun business is nowadays a highly monitored and regulated sector.

It involves intricate tracking and traceability systems to give deserving people the right to own firearms, while still ensuring that licensed guns do not end up in the wrong hands.

Then let’s catch a glimpse of what has been written in this ATF guidebook (see here at ATF official website):

Marking Requirements

Serial Number

For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1/16 inch

Name of Manufacturer

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

Country of Origin

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the country of origin must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

Model Designation (if assigned)

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the model designation must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

Caliber or Guage

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the caliber or gauge must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

Name of Importer

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer’s name must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

City & State of the Importer

Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer’s city and state must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch

Note: The importer must ensure that these marks of identification appear on each firearm. If the manufacturer did not mark them, the importer must place the required markings on the firearm within 15 days after their release from Customs and Border Protection custody.

Actually, this is not all. You can read the full text of this guidebook online or download it from here.

With the publication of this guidebook and the fact laser engraving systems can be used for serialization and customization of firearms, it has become big business in the manufacturing and retail markets. Especially with the stringent government rules on gun serialization, the firearms industry has found laser engraving technology to be a great solution for the decoration and identification of guns.

Large firearms manufacturers, as well as smaller firearms retailers and dealers, gun ranges, gun shows, and some jewelers and private businesses, all use laser systems.

Many who are not familiar with laser technology or laser industry may ask: what is gun engraving?

Gun engraving is a process that involves incising markings on a gun’s surface.

It is a high precision technology that requires clarity especially when engraving serial numbers and QR Codes.

A gun manufacturer is required to meet specific standards when engraving guns.

Engraving is done using either mechanical or laser engraving techniques.

Gun engraving machines are used to provide the technical regulatory requirements including gun serialization, clip tracking marks, traceability QR codes and hard coat anodized marking.

Other fancier stuff can be achieved with laser engraving for guns. These include names, logos, images, artwork and personal messages for a more personalized touch.

It is a sub-category of laser engraving technology in which laser beams are projected onto a surface to vaporize material and etch on the surface of a gun.

Gun laser engraving technology is a highly specialized sector, and the choice of purchasing a gun engraving machine should be anchored on in-depth product knowledge.

So, it is so important when selecting a laser engraving system for marking firearms to make sure it meets the ATF Guidelines for depth and size requirements. Selecting the wrong configuration can result in the inability to meet these requirements.

Whether you need a system for laser marking or laser engraving firearms, EM-Smart should be your provider of choice. Our systems are capable of performing the following types of markings or engravings on firearms:

Gun serialization
Deep engraving of serial numbers
Decorative barrel marking
Upper receiver marking
Deep etching of graphics on lower receivers
Alignment marking of gun scopes and sights
Tracking of clips
Logos and graphics
QR codes
Hard coat anodized marking

Our firearm laser engraving capabilities are also adept at producing precision marks on a wide variety of materials for a wide variety of industries, including the following:

Metals:

Stainless steel
Steel and hard metals
Aluminum and anodized aluminum
Precious metals
Gold
Silver
Brass
Copper
Iron
Titanium and titanium alloys

Plastics:

Poly amide (PA)
Polycarbonate (PC)
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS)
Other plastics

Other Materials:

Slate
Leather
Stone
Coated wood

Possibilities for Laser Engraving Firearms

If you've never done any gun laser engraving but have heard about it from other gun enthusiasts, know that our laser systems may be used in a variety of ways. You will be able to laser label your firearms, or those of a customer, in addition to the more technical marking applications outlined above, to give them a personal touch.

Some additional applications for laser engraving firearms include:

Graphics – If you’re looking to add interesting graphics to a gun to make it stand out, firearm laser engraving can be the perfect option
Logos – If you, or a customer, has a logo or insignia of a business, organization, gun club, or military branch that would be fitting for a firearm, laser marking is ideal for permanently engraving it on the piece
Artwork – Whether you want to incorporate popular images like a flag or eagle, or you want something a little different like a face or a cartoon character, or you want to incorporate your own custom artwork, performing laser engraving on your gun is the way to go
Names – Laser engraving your firearm with a name or initials is a great way to personalize it and mark it as your own, but it’s also useful if you’re looking to give a friend or relative a firearm as a gift and want to make it something truly special
Personal Messages – Much like laser marking your gun with a name, engraving a message for yourself or others can be a great option. This could include a slogan or motto, a quote that holds relevancy for you, an in-memoriam tribute, a significant date, or anything else

Why EM-Smart Should Be Your First Choice for Laser Engraving Firearms

All of our laser engraving machines are designed and manufactured at CDI Tech, with a 3500㎡factory and 24 years’ laser industry experience, as well as production supported by a team of industry management experts, engineers, software designers and skilled technical service professionals.

The specific features and advantages of our laser machines, which are utilized for gun laser engraving, like laser engraving pistols or rifles, include:

Portable & powerful
Top brand laser source
One-step installation
100,000 hours lifespan
High marking speed & precision
No consumables
Work on all common materials
2 years warranty
24*7 Service Support