The 50 year rule for C&R's?

A

Andy Griffith

New member
Got a question on the 50 year rule for C&R's...

Does the gun have to be 50, or over 50?

For instance, a gun made in 1963...would a C&R holder have to wait until 2014 to buy it on a C&R, or would it be ok in 2013?
 
Does the gun have to be 50, or over 50?

For instance, a gun made in 1963...would a C&R holder have to wait until 2014 to buy it on a C&R, or would it be ok in 2013?
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The rule for C&Rs is 50 years or greater which is also written as at least 50 years old. Kind of like antiques, sometimes written as pre 1899 or 1898 or older. Often its semantics that causes confusion.
 
Got a question on the 50 year rule for C&R's...

Does the gun have to be 50, or over 50?

For instance, a gun made in 1963...would a C&R holder have to wait until 2014 to buy it on a C&R, or would it be ok in 2013?
Click to expand...

The gun must be exactly 50 years old or older.

Although my example is a bit ridiculous, you would have to know when the gun was made on in 1963 before you could buy it in 2013, according to the letter of the law. For example, if the gun was accompanied by a numbered test target dated, say, March 1, 1963 , any time after March 1, 2013 the gun would be considered a C&R since the gun was obviously made "on or before that date."

Some foreign guns have the date of test firing or acceptance stamped clearly on the gun; This is also useful in determining if the gun is a C&R.
 
Then, per the letter of the law, not every firearm of a particular make and model would qualify at the same time, i. e. a firearm manufactured in 1962 would qualify, but its younger sibling (same make and model) manufactured in 1963 would not. That must play havoc with a model that had a long manufacturing run.
 
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It's impossible on guns without serial numbers that also don't have date markings for manufacture. Once the end-of-production date passes 50 years, they are guaranteed to be C&R's.
 
Then, per the letter of the law, not every firearm of a particular make and model would qualify at the same time, i. e. a firearm manufactured in 1962 would qualify, but it's younger sibling (same make and model) manufactured in 1963 would not.
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That's a general rule of thumb, but, like I said, if you had evidence that the 1963 gun was made prior to the current date in 2013, it would be a C&R.

Another example: You're looking at a P.38 or P.1 with an acceptance date of 2/63 clearly stamped on it, and this is in March of 2013; The gun would be a C&R.
 
Q: What is a firearm curio or relic?
Firearm curios or relics include firearms which have special value to collectors because they possess some qualities not ordinarily associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons. To be recognized as curios or relics, firearms must fall within one of the following categories:

1.Have been manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but not including replicas thereof; or

2.Be certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; or

3.Derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or from the fact of their association with some historical figure, period, or event.

[27 CFR 478.11]
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http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/curios-relics.html#definition
 
Then how do you explain the CZ 82 under C&R rules? Mine was made in 1987.
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Makes and models not 50+ years old can be petitioned to be included in the BATFE registry as a C&R - for instance, a lot of firearms manufactured by former Eastern European countries have been included because the country no longer exists. The Cz-82 was manufactured in Czechoslovakia, which no longer exists; in 2007, someone petitioned that it be considered a 'curio' firearm.
 
Then how do you explain the CZ 82 under C&R rules? Mine was made in 1987.
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Remember that there are 3 different criteria for C&Rs

1) Any firearm 50 yrs or older in its original chambering. Gun could have a sight change or something minor but many major alterations remove the C&R exemption.

2) Any firearm on the approved C&R list found on the ATF website. Remember - this list is not all inclusive. Most C&Rs are NOT on this list.

3) Any firearm connected to a historic place or event. This would need to be proven, and so paperwork with the gun would be needed.
 
Also, remember that the 50 year rule applies to individual guns, not model years or intrudctory years.

A gun made on Aug. 28, 1962 is a C&R today. A gun made on Aug. 29, 1962 won't be a C&R until tomorrow. Rarely, though, can a manufacture date be pinned down that close, so no one would really care if any gun made in 1962 was considered a C&R.

Jim
 
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