Buying a firearm with mismatched serial numbers?

[nickf829]

I found a deal locally on a XD that the owner says he bought with a slide showing one serial number but the frame showing another. The gun supposedly shoots great, so the fitment of the mismatched parts isn't an issue. I'm just worried about what kind of issues would come with mismatched serials wether it be issues of non-fitted parts, legalities of serials that have been traded, or issues of trying to resell it down the road. Sounds fishy to me. Should I run, or is it no big deal?

[RocKor]

From what I understand, the serial number on the frame (or receiver if it's a rifle or shotgun) is the one that counts as far as the law is concerned. You can buy lots of surplus and refurbished weapons that don't have matching numbers all the time, the matching number weapons just have more of a "collectors' value." If the weapon isn't a total frankengun (parts that are put together but probably shouldn't be) you should be fine from both a legal and mechanical standpoint.