I hear you, but it's 100% up to the seller, if it's really something you're worried about. To take it to an extreme, if he does not hand over the gun, the FFL has no serial number to record. You don't need the S/N to run the BGC.

New2aks, I'd also vote for selling off something else (you mentioned guns plural) before you sell anything your dad gave you, hipoint or not. Your call of course, but you can always make/save more money, but I'd save a father's gift for near last on the list of things to sell...

Heck if it comes down to it, I bet there's a few of us who could come up with some day-work for you if you needed to make up the couple hundred bucks to hold on to the gun.