FG42 ground found

[Ben]

Gene,

where this piece resides at the moment it's actually legal to own and trade it.

[RobertE]

Understood. Just for clarification, this rifle is legally owned in Germany, and is as legitimate as any being offered on Estand by our European colleagues to others in the EU for sale - or any on-line site, for that matter. I'm not facilitating a back-door drug deal for any party, but do want to help find a buyer for this fine weapon for my buddy. I've physically looked this piece over, and he does want to sell it, but dewatted according to European rules, not American ones (cut up in a box!).

Any interested parties, please let me know. I'll probably help him post this rifle on estand after we get some better pictures - the digital pictures taken from hard copy prints don't help very much. Thanks for all of your advice - Regards, Robert

Both actually. Let's not get any "authorities" involved in this issue. I'd hate to see it get cut up or butchered, so any talk of where this amazing piece of history ends up should be done privately. Just a heartfelt request.

[Simon O.]

Thanks for showing us the pics. Looks like he's done a good job in preserving and stabilizing it. The dream weapon for any of us to find!

[Over_Heer]

Curio and Relic?

I was just wondering, since this rifle is over 60 years old, and obviously non-functional, wouldn't it qualify for US import on a curio and relic permit? I'm not 100% sure but I think that the condition alone would qualify it as a "non-gun" under federal law.

[Mike Steves]

dug fg42

A story relating to a dug FG42- a friend here in the states has a ground dug FG42, in much the same condition, however it has a grenade launcher cup attached to the front (wow!)- anyway, he dug it up in Germany years ago while in the service, prior to the 1968 amnesty. When the amnesty law came about, he decided it would be a good idea to take his ground dug guns to the local BATF office to register them (he has MG42, MP44, FG42)- upon taking the guns out of the box, that agent in charge told him to get out of there with that junk, and no registration was necessary for them! He displays them often on racks- I have a picture somewhere of them- I will try to dig it out.

[WalterB]

A story relating to a dug FG42- a friend here in the states has a ground dug FG42, in much the same condition, however it has a grenade launcher cup attached to the front (wow!)- anyway, he dug it up in Germany years ago while in the service, prior to the 1968 amnesty. When the amnesty law came about, he decided it would be a good idea to take his ground dug guns to the local BATF office to register them (he has MG42, MP44, FG42)- upon taking the guns out of the box, that agent in charge told him to get out of there with that junk, and no registration was necessary for them! He displays them often on racks- I have a picture somewhere of them- I will try to dig it out.

I would have insisted that the agent state that in writing. A charge of illegal firearm possession is nothing to laugh about. I believe Peter Suciu recently contacted ATF to see if his dewats were legal. Perhaps the same should be done in regard to this FG42. I am sure that if it turns out it is OK to bring into the US, that the selling price of this FG42 will increase dramatically.

[gew98]

I was just wondering, since this rifle is over 60 years old, and obviously non-functional, wouldn't it qualify for US import on a curio and relic permit? I'm not 100% sure but I think that the condition alone would qualify it as a "non-gun" under federal law.

No - as stated before the May 1986 Dole amendment permanently stopped the registering of ANY machineguns except those of the government and police agencies be they state or federal.
There was a loophole in the pre may86 laws in that any MG could have it's receiver cut in two , then the paperwork submitted to the ATF for the manufacture of a class 3 arm.Manufacture in that you would with the proper paperwork have the receiver welded back together to make a functional and a legal machinegun - and using it's original serial. But this loophole that allowed previously illegal MG's to become legal was stopped by the bull**** dole amendment of may 1986.
So unless the receiver is raggedly torch cut three times it can NEVER be legally imported into the US ...but of course a federal agency could get it in legally...but then it would forever be federal property.

[RobertE]

Hello again folks,

We are working on the (better) digital pictures of the rifle, and he wants 4000.00 EUR for the beast. I'll post the pictures as soon as I get them - sorry to drag this out. As our colleague points out, it can't be imported into the US, regardless of it's condition, unless the receiver has been cut - and my partner doesn't want to do that. Regards, Robert

No - as stated before the May 1986 Dole amendment permanently stopped the registering of ANY machineguns except those of the government and police agencies be they state or federal.
There was a loophole in the pre may86 laws in that any MG could have it's receiver cut in two , then the paperwork submitted to the ATF for the manufacture of a class 3 arm.Manufacture in that you would with the proper paperwork have the receiver welded back together to make a functional and a legal machinegun - and using it's original serial. But this loophole that allowed previously illegal MG's to become legal was stopped by the bull**** dole amendment of may 1986.
So unless the receiver is raggedly torch cut three times it can NEVER be legally imported into the US ...but of course a federal agency could get it in legally...but then it would forever be federal property.

[grovb]

nice relic even though I can not afford and let alone the fact that I live in the U.S.

[RobertE]

The pics have arrived, thanks for your patience. Here is the result of 60 years in a weapons pit - still a neat piece considering we mortals chances of finding an FG42 in the wild. I can't attach them, however, they are too big, so please send me an email to ensley6@msn.com if you'd like them - thanks! Regards, Robert

[August von Mackensen]

Ten years ago i read in a German weaponsmagazin "Visier" an offer from a man who find two FG42 in an old recovered Westwallbunker in a good condition.
Price for each in 1995

2500 Mark

Mathias

[RobertE]

Hello Mathias,
Very interesting! Were they in nice condition? mfg Robert

Ten years ago i read in a German weaponsmagazin "Visier" an offer from a man who find two FG42 in an old recovered Westwallbunker in a good condition.
Price for each in 1995

2500 Mark

Mathias

[August von Mackensen]

Hi Robert,
i have to take a look in my Archive for better Informations about it

Mathias

[Jean-Loup]

It sounds like you have got some pretty strange laws over there. You can legaly buy functioning full auto weapons, but can not import this rusty old FG42.

JL

[Peter Wiking]

Jean-Loup
That is one cool guy and nice photo

Cheers.
Peter