Old .22 rifle: No Serial number?

[Martinjmpr]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that serial numbers were not required under Federal law until the Gun Control act of 1968.

So I have a question: My father passed away in March and before he died he gave me some of his guns. One of them is what I believe is the first gun he ever owned, a JC Higgins .22 single shot. It's about as simple as a gun can be, basically the entire action is contained in the barrel. Bolt action single shot. Doesn't even have a true "safety" (but it won't fire until you chamber a round and then pull back the plunger to set the striker.) Will fire (per the writing on the side of the integrated receiver/barrel) .22S, L and LR.

On the barrel it reads "JC Higgins 101.24" and "Sears, Roebuck & CO." Below the front sight are some patent numbers. On the left side of the receiver is the wording about the caliber.

But I can't find a serial number or anything that looks like a serial number. This rifle would have been purchased - likely by mail order - some time either during or after WWII (Dad was born in 1937 and grew up in the Panama Canal Zone until he turned 18, which was 1955.) Dad used this rifle to hunt small game in Panama.

My question is, was it normal for this type of rifle to not have a serial number? I've pulled the receiver/barrel off the stock and looked all over, there's no SN anywhere.

Photos for fun:



Close up of the action. As you may be able to see, the receiver is basically cut out of the barrel: