Couldn't figure out where else to put this ...

[Machodoc]

Just an interesting story. I ran into the "high sheriff" of the county where I live yesterday, and he told me that they recently had a guy of my generation drop by the office with a box full of parts.

The guy was about my age, and a Vietnam veteran. While in 'Nam he relieved an enemy soldier of an AK-47 that he was no longer using, then quietly shipped it home a piece or two at a time. His family saved the parts for him. When he got home, he kept the box under his bed -- never assembled or shot the gun.

Unfortunately, nor did he register the gun during the amnesty for full-auto firearms.

He told the sheriff that he was getting ready to move out of state, had sold his house, and didn't want to break any further laws. The sheriff called the NRA museum first, and asked if they wanted it. They told him that he couldn't transfer it as it was an illegal gun. He called BATFE, explained the situation to them, and they said they didn't even care to know the name of the guy who turned it in -- he did, after all, turn it in and it wasn't used in a crime, etc. (interesting ... I think that could have gone a different direction with another agent). Then they explained the situation to him.

Their department can keep it and they can shoot it. They can also destroy it. But they can't transfer it to anyone. So they are sitting on a gun worth 30-45K and can only use it for "training".

 

[protegeV]

Very interesting story. Can see that going a whole different direction elsewhere....

 

[shootin the breeze]

I hope they have a hell of a lot of fun "training" with it.

If one were to have that though...that'd be something to shoot by yourself on your acreage in the middle of no where.

 

[Allium]

reminds me of my friend Walter O'Reilly who shipped a jeep one piece at a time home while he was in Korea.

 

[Abulg1972]

Was his name David Gregory?

That stuff would never happen in Maryland.

 

[yellowsled]

Wish I could have a AK like that...

 

[Bullfrog]

reminds me of my friend Walter O'Reilly who shipped a jeep one piece at a time home while he was in Korea.

Obligatory post.

 

[A1Uni]

You guys would cry a river if you knew the huge number of FA-unlicensed guns that show up at SOTs, only to be turned over to the ATF and subsequently destroyed....

 

[protegeV]

You guys would cry a river if you knew the huge number of FA-unlicensed guns that show up at SOTs, only to be turned over to the ATF and subsequently destroyed....

spare us

 

[Vile Shadow]

I was wondering about a hypothetical situation such as this lately.

So if one were to, say, inherit this thing, they couldn't paper it?

 

[toolness1]

This guy I know *cough*, his Grandpa brought home a MG42 from WWII

He tried to find a way to get it to a museum or collector, or something similar. Didn't have any luck, nobody would touch it. He eventually got paranoid and destroyed it.

Sad...

 

[Machodoc]

I was wondering about a hypothetical situation such as this lately.

So if one were to, say, inherit this thing, they couldn't paper it?

Nope. I'm not well-versed on these laws, so I can't give you details off the top of my head, but there was an "amnesty" period several years ago during which Class III firearms could be registered, taxed, and legally owned. Since then, if one turns up that is not on the registry it's illegal and the owner is in violation of federal (and probably state) law. They can't be legally kept, sold, or given away to anyone other than law enforcement (or, I guess, the military if it's something they'd want). These are usually destroyed when they show up.

I do know of one WWI aircraft machine gun that was "hidden in plain sight" for over 90 years, then someone checked on it (long story) and learned it was illegal. In that case, since it was an exceptionally historic piece, some arrangement was made to transfer it to the National Air & Space Museum. I don't think it was de-watted, but it may have been.

I know of another case where a widow was trying to sell a full-auto firearm, but didn't know anything about it. She just knew that her husband had owned it, and he'd told her it was worth some money. She offered it to a friend of mine who had an attorney check with BATFE to see if the serial number was on the registry (without revealing his client's name). As luck would have it, it was ... so the widow's hubby had registered it during the amnesty and she was able to legally sell it. She was happy that it brought her about $18K then (more like $25K for the same gun now). Had it not shown up on the registry, the would-be buyer would have told her what the situation was, then stepped away from the whole thing.

 

[rico903]

Can't remember exactly when but I think the amnesty was in 1968 and only good for something like 90 days. W/O the vast communication networks we have today all too many people had no idea it was taking place so way too many of these fine guns are now worthless. Of course there are still 100's if not 1,000's in attics but as people age these too will be destroyed
I have a friend with a Maxim who's uncle was an LEO and was savvy enough for him to get it registered with about a week to spare.

 

[JamesH]

An episode of Gun Stories was on last night lamenting how many Maxim Silencers are in grandparents' attics, most unregistered and uninheritable.

 

[Biggfoot44]

It's only worth the hypothetical $25K + if it were transferable. As is it is potentially a parts kit.

That said, there is nothing prohibiting another Amnesty period someday. *Supposedly* there were discussions between Class III industry people and NFA Branch people in '07 and early '08 about another Amnesty during the early part of McCain administration. *Supposedly* there was strong concencus for actual vetran bringbacks, more up in the air for other things. But there was no McCain administration, and no Amnesty on present horizon.

 

[toolness1]

It's only worth the hypothetical $25K + if it were transferable. As is it is potentially a parts kit.

That said, there is nothing prohibiting another Amnesty period someday. *Supposedly* there were discussions between Class III industry people and NFA Branch people in '07 and early '08 about another Amnesty during the early part of McCain administration. *Supposedly* there was strong concencus for actual vetran bringbacks, more up in the air for other things. But there was no McCain administration, and no Amnesty on present horizon.

I don't see this ever happening unfortunately. No matter who owns them, how they are registered, etc. the liberals view stuff like this as a weapon of mass destruction.

The way the ATF can be, you're better off cutting one into pieces yourself and burying it than trying to somehow donate it or turn it in. This story ended up OK, but I could see it going much worse.

 

[rico903]

An episode of Gun Stories was on last night lamenting how many Maxim Silencers are in grandparents' attics, most unregistered and uninheritable.

What channel is Gun Stories on?

 

[TrotskysRevenge]

Outdoor Channel

 

[engineerbrian]

Saw something similar on TV a while back. Grandma turned in an MP40 bring back to the local PD after her husband died. Luckily the officers that received the gun were gun guys and now the PD owns the MP 40 and "trains" with it.

 

[bpm32]

An episode of Gun Stories was on last night lamenting how many Maxim Silencers are in grandparents' attics, most unregistered and uninheritable.

I hadn't thought of this. Of course MGs can't be registered because the registry is closed, but is there no process to put a serial number on an old suppressor and register it?