MP44, attic find

[MikeW]

Superb relic condition on that MP44! I would leave it as is but it should also clean up quite nicely, by the looks of it the pitting wouldn't be all that bad.

A good friends father is a retired police officer and has some stories to tell. We've had pretty regular nation wide weapon amnesties in Sweden, the last one was last year. What is usually handed in are rusted hunting rifles and the odd handgun. During the amnesty hand-in in the 80's (what year fails me) my friends father was taking his shift at the reception desk for amnesty weapons. Business had been slow when an old gentleman walks in with something long wrapped in an old blanket. At the counter he unwraps an ... MG34 with a loaded belt of ammo, out the door he goes only to return with two cans of belted MG ammo. The third time he comes back he puts down a crate of potato masher hand grenades with a P38 on top. The fourth and last time the old gent comes back in he has yet another box of hand grenades, he tips his hat and leaves ...

After a frozen moment my friends father locks the front door by remote and reaches for the intercom, slowly and clearly saying "- Ehh ...guys, drop the donuts ... I need EOD in here ... NOW!"

Pictures from last years amnesty:

http://www.polisen.se/mediaarchive/1...amnesti300.jpg

http://www.polisen.se/mediaarchive/1...nesti300_4.jpg

http://www.polisen.se/mediaarchive/1...mnesi300_2.jpg

http://www.polisen.se/mediaarchive/1...mnesti_300.jpg

Makes me sick that some people percieve simple, non-automatic firearms as a threat

[Barry G]

Yes, usually the people who want it their way, yours doesn't matter.

[paddywhack]

what happens to all the guns do they get melted down?seems a shame if there are some really rare stuff in there!!! but yeah as for the pistol and rifle rounds im SURE they were to be given to the police for free back in 1916 but without the cases!!!

[paddywhack]

oops double post my bad!!!

[Ben R]

while we are on the subject...

Lots of guys from different countries talking here, so I have to ask: how do you feel about these amnesties or police confiscations, or whatever you want to call them?
in the US, constitutionally speaking, the people have (or had) the right to be armed as well as the government ("the people should be armed little if at all inferior to the national army"-A. Hamilton ; "the strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect against tyranny in government" T. Jefferson) of course our politicians dont read or regard the constitution any more, so we have various totalitarian gun laws too.

When I taught school in England in 1996, many proud and nationalistic englishmen I talked to were pissed off about the state of gun laws in their country, and of course I'm not trying to provoke anybody who might believe in the merits of a police state (dont think I'd find any here anyway), but I thought this might be a good chance to hear some international opinions on the subject.
thanks

[r_hufschmied]

what happens to all the guns do they get melted down?seems a shame if there are some really rare stuff in there!!! but yeah as for the pistol and rifle rounds im SURE they were to be given to the police for free back in 1916 but without the cases!!!

From what I know Swedish Police keep the rare stuff for their pattern room. The issue made the news as a mint very valuable Borchardt complete with presentation case was handed in last year.

On the issue of amnesties. It's a good thought but rather toothless as a tool to keep illegal weapons off the streets; SMG:s, Assault Rifles and MG:s are just not handed in. What you mostly get is the mix you see on the pictures, mostly old hunting rifles and old bolt action military rifles and the odd old handgun. From my point of view an unattended, unsecured weapon (even if old) is better of handed in during an amnesty or confiscated even. Better that than rusting to crap in a basement or attic or worse.

[jambobbyb]

what happens to all the guns do they get melted down?seems a shame if there are some really rare stuff in there!!! but yeah as for the pistol and rifle rounds im SURE they were to be given to the police for free back in 1916 but without the cases!!!

Paddy i used to work for Corus (British steel) about 5 years ago down at stocksbridge when they still made steel and once every couple of months the cops would turn up at the melting shop and chop that months confiscated firerms up with a still saw and the remaining bits were chucked into the melting pot.

[dect]

Here in Poland there was no amnesty yet, and to be honest, we don't expect to have one anytime soon.

In contrast to your countries (USA, Ireland, UK, Sweden) we have a "problem" with relic weapons that are found every year in great quantities. Usually (I'd say - 98%) they are just a pile of rust but Police consider them as fully operational firearms and raise charges against its owners.

Every confiscated (including rusty relics) gun is being examined and in most cases destroyed. Sometimes they are passed to the museums but I recall single specimens being passed within last 5 years.

This particular MP44 is still being examined and if "the expert" says this rusty relic is a weapon it will be destroyed. I keep an eye on it.

Cheers,
Jacek

[Johnny R]

That gun is not operable, I hope they return it but if someone wants it maybe not. We found an MP-40 in a flooded building foundation in Germany and the Police took it away. It would not fire but one of them wanted to keep it.

[paddywhack]

well its good to hear in some countries that the rare weapons are kept!here in ireland a few years ago they were charging a guy who had (die-activated mind) rifles form the 1916 rising!they would NEVER fire again but it didnt matter to the cops! never did hear what happened but nothing good i shouldnt wonder!!!!!

[norge]

Based from the pics i would say this MP44 is worth a restoration when you
can get it. You will need a few springs and a lot of time but i am sure
it will look very nice for a display

Agree! What a cool discover found! Wood can be replaced! Thanks for showing! Best, norge

[Johnny R]

well its good to hear in some countries that the rare weapons are kept!here in ireland a few years ago they were charging a guy who had (die-activated mind) rifles form the 1916 rising!they would NEVER fire again but it didnt matter to the cops! never did hear what happened but nothing good i shouldnt wonder!!!!!

You still also find machine guns in the US, they were not illegal until 1968. When I worked for a Military museum about once a year we would get a call of a widow and someone had something small usually like a PPSH or MP-40. We found came across live grenades and artillery shells every so often as well. I had a friend who went to a garage sale in the early 60s for the Estate of a WWI Col. who had died, he had several 08 maxims with only the feed claws broken and a boxed light trench motar he sent back from France. Ah the golden days,

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Even if the MP44 won't fire the police will probably say it "could" be made to fire and not return it.

Wilhelm

[Lasse L]

About the swedish weapons amnesty I saw a movie clip of items that they had recived. Amongst them, that as I understood it would go to scrap metal, was a very nice Mauser broomhandel with the matching holster/stock.

[Cincylance]

You still also find machine guns in the US, they were not illegal until 1968.

Please get your facts straight. Registered machineguns are still LEGAL to own in the US and fall under one of three categories depending on the transferable status:

– pre '86 dealer sample (transferable only to C3 dealers, govt and law enforcement)
– post '86 dealer sample (transferable only to C3 dealers, govt and law enforcement)
– transferable (may be owned by individuals)

Transferable (to an individual) machineguns haven't been manufactured since 1986 after the 1986 GCA (Gun Control Act) was signed into law by Ronald Reagan which, among other things, banned the manufacture of any machineguns for personal ownership. This is partly why transferable machineguns in the US continue to soar in price. There are only so many in the Registry and every year the population goes up. Supply and demand.

So, in a nutshell, machineguns are still legal to own and enjoy in the US.

Cincylance