I've seen this gun and have the opportunity to buy it. The weapon has been deactived and is very nice. The person who has it originally purchased the gun at a gun show in 1964 and has been the owner ever since. It has the funky looking gothic stye stock and is in great shape and there is no magazine with it. My question is what would a piece like this be worth as I have no interest in keeping it should I decide to pick it up. Thanks for any help, Alex
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Alex,
The big issue here is whether this machinegun is federally registered to the guy who is now in possession of it. If so, then he can legally transfer it to you. If not registered to him, then it is contraband and there is currently no way to make it legal (the "deactivation" is irrelevant under US law, if the gun's receiver is intact - which it sounds like it is and that would be typical for a 1950's-1960's "dewat").
Ask him if by chance he registered it during the 1968 amnesty and/or whether he has any other registration "papers" for it.
If you provde me with the gun's full serial number, I can get a contact of mine at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Firearms Act Branch (the federal government agency who regulates machineguns) to look the gun up in their computerized database and see if it is registered.
Send me a PM if you need help on this. Also, don't call your local BATFE field office like another guy on this Board did for some unregistered guns, as they will simply confiscate the guns and sort things out later. If this happens someone could get in trouble and the guns will be destroyed. If it turns out the gun is not registered then, among other options, it can be donated to a museum and the owner take a nice tax deduction. The owner will not get the museum donation (or any other) option if you local BATFE field agents get involved and seize the gun.
Alan -
Mp-30
Thanks for the info Alan. I actually think the bolt has been cut as well. The guy who owns this thing is about 70 and has no idea of whether it's legal or illegal. In the long run it'll probably be better if I just walk away from it. Prison is not an option in any deal!! AlexComment
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I would not just give up and walk away without some investigation. Send me the SN and I'll find out if it is registered to someone. If so, then you can move forward at that point.
Lots of times the paperwork gets lost and/or the old timers forget about having registered it some 40+ years ago, so it is always worth checking on registration via the BATFE records.
I look forward to hearing from you.Comment
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Mp30
Next time he and I speak I'll ask him about paperwork and also try and get the serial number. thanks, AlexComment
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I had good results on a Beretta MP38/42 that was the same situation: the WWII vet had no papers for it when I first saw it and no recollection of having done anything to register it. A quick inquiry to my BATFE contact revealed it to have been registered in the 1968 Amnesty, so everything worked out.
Sometimes we win and these guns turn out to be registered; sometimes we loose (but it is sure worth trying to preserve these pieces of history).Comment
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