Mg 42

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If it is not registered, you can't legally cut it up. You can't legally "demil" it. You can't legally dump it in a lake. You can't make a kit out of it, because it is illegal for you to have it in the first place.

The only thing you can legally do is to surrender it to the police or BATFE. They can, at their option, transfer it to a museum, but you can't tell them to do that.

In theory, you can abandon (surrender) it to a government museum, and some people claim to have done so. But you could just as easily be arrested trying.

I would call an attorney and have him set up a meeting with BATFE to abandon the gun. The reason for using an attorney is that they are less likely to hassle you if it is all taken care of in the presence of your attorney.

So why can't you just cut it up or dump it? Because possession is a felony and doing that would be destroying evidence of a felony, which is a felony itself.

Some people say to remove the parts and surrender just the receiver. OK, if BATFE agrees but if you are an innocent party trying to comply with the law in a reasonable time, how would you explain taking a week or so to dismantle the gun?

Jim
 
after the receiver is destroyed it's just parts. The same parts any 12 year old you can buy through the mail if he saves his paper route and grass cutting money. Parts are not controlled unless there is some evidence of intent to manufacture.

I have a AK47 parts kit that I bought a while back. If I had an AKM-47 and decided later that I was taking too much of a chance by owning it and cut up the receiver, there'd be no difference between the two kits.
 
The serial number and a thirty second call to (304) 616-4500 from a pay phone would answer A LOT of questions. They will either ask for your name or say "No record for that number". I've done it dozens of times while waiting for Form 4s to get into the system. It's really no big deal. If they ask for your name you can just make one up and they'll say "I don't have that weapon under that name at this time." That means they have it under someone elses name (probably your grandfather) and you're in business.

FWIW, the ATF guidebook says to contact them to arrange for disposal of an illegal weapon.

Many rare machine guns were registered during the amnesty period. There is as good of a chance it was registered as it wasn't. SAR magazine has an awesome belt fed that was registered during the amnesty in this months issue.
 
I see a payphone every time I check my mail.
This sounds like a big can of worms, and unfortunately there isn't an answer that will let you walk away with that gun.
 
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I know what I wouldn't do. I wouldn't drive to Mexico and try to sell it to one of those wealthy drug lords in a big mansion for a few thousand dollars. I trust the ATF to do what is right and allow it to go into a museum and not cut it up.
What ever happened to that Alvin York gun?
 
I trust the ATF to do what is right and allow it to go into a museum and not cut it up.
Click to expand...

Actually, if it's forfeited and as described, the ATF would probably put it in THEIR collection.
 
SHHHHH, you didn't find anything, and i didn't read that you did either. find some ammo and take it to a place with alot of land and blast away with it.
 
SHHHHH, you didn't find anything, and i didn't read that you did either. find some ammo and take it to a place with alot of land and blast away with it.
Click to expand...

The only problem is that automatic gunfire has a strange way of attracting lots of attention. Just a thought.
 
To those of you telling him to keep it and hide it, are you willing to serve his 10 years in prison when he gets caught with it? I didn't think so.

Don't take the advice of those who have nothing to loose in giving you extremely bad advice.

Surrender the weapon to the BATF. Trust me, there is NOTHING worth the time you'll serve in prison after being caught with it. You posted on a public forum where any LEO can easily track who you are that you're in possession of a likely illegal MG.

If it's not in your possession, don't take it into your possession. Whoever is in possession of it needs to surrender it immediately.
 
Thanks

Thanks Stagger Lee, I can't believe that this idocy now consumes two pages. I do all of my trolling for Salmon.
 
A CAUTION and WARNING:

Let’s give it the benefit of a doubt and say this topic is on the up-and-up.

There’s been some good advice about how to safely surrender or otherwise dispose of an illegal machine gun. Likewise, there’s an off chance that it is a legally held, registered item. There’s only one way to find out, but in any case, unless it IS legally registered and transferable, there’s no legal way you can keep such a piece.

On the other hand, let me remind everyone here: It is against TFL policy and rules to advocate, encourage, or further any illegal activity. Besides, to do so is just plain stupid. I seriously doubt any board member would be dumb enough to take such advice, but if he did, you’d be partly responsible for getting someone into bad trouble. Besides, such posts aren’t that clever in the first place.

Let’s be clear here: Next time there’s a “It’s worth a lotta money -- sell it illegally” post, or a “Hide it and shoot it” post, the member posting same WILL be banned. No PM, no e-mail, no warning. THIS is the warning.

People, look - - I don’t like the way MANY laws are structured. I hold no brief for regulatory agencies who create penal laws by simply publishing a memo. It sucks, okay? But this is the system under which we operate. TFL will NOT tolerate members advocating violation of the law. Now, please, don’t send me a PM saying, “Hey, I was just joking.” Just let it pass and go on to other matters.

If this posting offends anyone, too bad. If you’re so miffed you leave in a huff, good riddance.

Please, friends - - Don’t test this. It would be unrewarding.

This topic is plumb wore out. CLOSED.

Johnny Guest
TFL Staff
 
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