Jim Watson
New member
You say "recently."
I fear this is a case of government employees not knowing the law they are supposed to enforce. Or perhaps what you thought was implicit was not what they meant to convey.
What if you found a Thompson submachine gun?
- Thread starter aarondhgraham
- Start date
You say "recently."
I fear this is a case of government employees not knowing the law they are supposed to enforce. Or perhaps what you thought was implicit was not what they meant to convey.
Redbullitt
New member
Depends on how said individual would handle finding such a gem. I could see it going alright, or totally terribly.
silvercorvette
New member
Out of the 3 F/A guns I own and all the F/A guns I ever hope to own I have a special place in my heart for the Thompson because owning one has bee a dream of mine since I was a kid. I hope I never find one because I would be tempted to put it in a safe place untouched in he hope that someday the law may change.
Back in the early '90's, I worked at a chemical plant that originally a WWII government owned plant. After the war, the government sold the plant. There was a small arsenal for protecting the plant during the war. When the plant was sold, the weapons were left there but the government retain ownership of the weapons. On a yearly basis, the plant has to inventory the weapons and account for every weapon and round of ammo there. There was probably about a dozen P17 rifles and Model 12 riot shotguns, about a half dozen BAR's and Thompsons, and a couple of water cooled machine guns (Model 1919's?). The Plant Security Officer showing me the stash remarked that they had been trying for some time to get the government to come get their "toys" with no success. I've always wonder if the weapons were ever turned back to the government, would they be scrapped or saved in some way. To the best of my knowledge, the weapons are still there.
First off,I'd have to probably drink a beer to relax my face muscles from smiling so much.
Then I'd simply call the police and tell them what I found and to come pick it up.
With the express statement that I want to claim it if no one else does.
Even if I have to have a FFL holder hold it for me while I get the necessary paperwork to own it.
Then I'd simply call the police and tell them what I found and to come pick it up.
With the express statement that I want to claim it if no one else does.
Even if I have to have a FFL holder hold it for me while I get the necessary paperwork to own it.
Jim Watson
New member
Sorry B.N. there IS no paperwork that can legitimize a FOP submachinegun.
SVO, my old agency (TVA) had an arsenal of legacy guns left over from guarding dams, power plants, and other sensitive installations during WW II, Korea, and the Cold War. I saw TVA stamped Reisings and Thompsons, along with M97 and M12 riot or trench guns and the usual assortment of .38 revolvers for daily duty. There was a Dukes Mixture of shotguns they had confiscated from hunters straying or trespassing on the reservation. I don't know whether the lever action rifles were agency purchase or takeaways.
Any road, they decided to modernize and found a way to sell off all that stuff to a FFL, the SMGs to a "class 3" operator. The collector's value bought them a full outfit of Remington 870 Riot and Ruger AC556. The instructor said the Ruger was a false economy for $50 less than an M16; that it was a sporting rifle and did not hold up to regular full auto.
SVO, my old agency (TVA) had an arsenal of legacy guns left over from guarding dams, power plants, and other sensitive installations during WW II, Korea, and the Cold War. I saw TVA stamped Reisings and Thompsons, along with M97 and M12 riot or trench guns and the usual assortment of .38 revolvers for daily duty. There was a Dukes Mixture of shotguns they had confiscated from hunters straying or trespassing on the reservation. I don't know whether the lever action rifles were agency purchase or takeaways.
Any road, they decided to modernize and found a way to sell off all that stuff to a FFL, the SMGs to a "class 3" operator. The collector's value bought them a full outfit of Remington 870 Riot and Ruger AC556. The instructor said the Ruger was a false economy for $50 less than an M16; that it was a sporting rifle and did not hold up to regular full auto.
lefteyedom
New member
A secret....
There is only one way a secret can be kept between only two people...
To be kept it requires a Murder Suicide pack inside of a burning house 100 miles from the nearest human.
There is only one way a secret can be kept between only two people...
To be kept it requires a Murder Suicide pack inside of a burning house 100 miles from the nearest human.
Thompson
My saying was: the best way to keep a secret among three people, was to kill two of them.
Is it worthy having something that you can never show to anyone or shoot?
You could dig a hole into the dirt touching your basement and shoot it into the hole that is two long. But, that would not be much fun, especially on full auto.
However, to hold a piece of steel and wood that is so famous would be so great. It will never happen!
My saying was: the best way to keep a secret among three people, was to kill two of them.
Is it worthy having something that you can never show to anyone or shoot?
You could dig a hole into the dirt touching your basement and shoot it into the hole that is two long. But, that would not be much fun, especially on full auto.
However, to hold a piece of steel and wood that is so famous would be so great. It will never happen!
CPTMurdoc30
New member
If I happened to find a full auto Thompson. I sure as hell would not be cutting anything up. it is called put it up and shut up. You never know there may come a day you need that sucker. If AHBL having a full auto might be a tad useful. JUST SAYING....
If no one knows you have it and you don't go on a shooting rampage who is it hurting to keep a piece of history?
I am not advocating anyone break the law in any ways shape or form.
If no one knows you have it and you don't go on a shooting rampage who is it hurting to keep a piece of history?
I am not advocating anyone break the law in any ways shape or form.
My Dad brought one of these Belgian made BARs back from France in 1945. My Grandpa dewatted it by soldering a small brass plug in the breech, then Dad got a registration paper of some kind from the FBI (No BATFE in those days).
I used to play Army with it when kids could do those kinds of activities.
My brother donated it to a National Guard WWII museum a few years ago.
I used to play Army with it when kids could do those kinds of activities.
My brother donated it to a National Guard WWII museum a few years ago.
While I understand that I couldn't legally keep it, is there any way I could at least make sure that it went to a museum or something of that nature rather than going under a saw or torch? Honestly the biggest temptation to put it back where I found it and never tell anyone would come from knowing what the ATF might do to a historical artifact if I told them.
Willie Lowman
New member
What are the current rules on reactivating a registered DEWAT?
We are all talking about finding fully functional TSMGs... What if uncle Fritz had a few M1A1s that had been registered as Deactivated War Trophies? Can they still be brought back to full function as a transferable or would they be post samples?
We are all talking about finding fully functional TSMGs... What if uncle Fritz had a few M1A1s that had been registered as Deactivated War Trophies? Can they still be brought back to full function as a transferable or would they be post samples?
seansean1444
New member
keep it real real quiet that you have it lol