MajorKAP,
Your are right really. Serial #'s don't mean much. Anyone who has ever bought any gun and did the paperwork or has ever subscribed to G&A or Shotgun News or is a member of the NRA or anything like that is already on databases. Most are business databases for mailing lists and marketing and the like. The Goverment can get those databases very easily. But the Goverment also has it's own databases, for instance when an FFL dealer goes out of the business he must turn in all his paperwork to the BATF.
Now hopefully none of us will live to see the day when the mandatory turnins begin. But it will happen someday. It is called "creeping socialism". It started in the U.S. when our first Socialist president, F.D.R. got in office. Sure we have had a few victories lately with a lot of states passing "shall issue" conceiled carry legislation but we also have had loses. For instance the State of California passed a law that says that all 50BMG rifles must be registered under Calafornia's "Assault Weapon" law. Also when the owner dies the rifle can not be passed on to heirs. There are many NorthEastern and MidWestern states or big cities in those states that have some very Draconian gun laws.
I hope I have explaned things a little better. You state that you have been around a long while, and seen and done a lot of things. So, if you still have no idea what I am talking about then there is nothing I, or I believe anyone else, can do for you.
Mike