old-timer

[ltcajh]

I was told about an elderly man who brought back a MP40 from Germany, maybe WW2? Made me wonder if he could ever sell the thing since it's an unknown gun? No, I don't have it, and I don't even know his name, but he might be in a pickle!

 

I did some looking, and saw he really screwed up not registering it in 68. That's a pity for him, or whoever get hold of the thing because they could get prison. Maybe the judge is nicer to old people.

Edited September 24, 2020 by ltcajh

[1gewehr]

Three choices:

1) Cut a chunk out of the center of the receiver and sell it as a parts kit.

2) Turn it over to the BATF.

3) Hide it and hope the law changes or Trump declares an Amnesty before he leaves office.

 

I would advise someone like that to look REALLY hard for any kind of paperwork he may have gotten when he acquired it from an officer acknowledging it as a war trophy. BATF has admitted guns to the Registry IF the owner (or descendants) can prove that the owner had a paper showing it was a War Trophy. If they find such a document, contact a really good firearms attorney to petition the BATF to register the gun.

[ltcajh]

Good idea. I never heard of WW2 vets being able to bring back fully automatic guns though. Did they? Maybe he just snuck it back?

[DZelenka]

I had to turn in the receiver of an all matching MP40 a few years ago that we found in the collection of an FFL/SOT who also happened to be the Chief of Police of a small town. Since the police department had closed, we also gave ATF all of the post samples. Sad.

 

Dan

[1gewehr]

Most of the C&R WWII weapons in the registry came back with veterans. See the following from Notes of Eric Larson:

"Soldiers were authorized to bring or send machine guns back to the United States until the practice was prohibited by Section VI of Circular 155, effective May 28, 1945. A predecessor Circular 353 (Section III), effective August 31, 1944, authorized bringing or sending back virtually anything under the sun. Concerns were subsequently expressed by military and civilian authorities, about machine guns, so Circular 155 was issued, in part (these Circulars typically address multiple things), to rescind Section III of Circular 353. Circular 155 is apparently the first published regulation by the War Department prohibiting soldiers from bringing or sending machine guns back to the United States. "

[ltcajh]

Thank you for the information. I've always wanted to shoot a machinegun, but never have.

[DougStump]

Allow me to add another wrinkle here, bringing something back legally depended a lot on where you were and who needed to sign the papers. My Dad was in the Signal Corp, and picked up a pre-war P-35 Hi Power while in Belgium. After the war was over, he inquired in the Orderly Room several times if he could ship it back. He was told no guns, no way. He griped about it one day in the chow line and someone tapped him on the shoulder. The new Company Commander asked him what he was talking about! Seems the previous Commander didn't like guns and would not sign the papers, the new Commander had a different opinion. That afternoon the papers for the Hi Power were signed and it was in the mail heading home. Unfortunately, Dad couldn't send back the shoulder stock! The Browning still has an honored place in my safe.

 

As far as sneaking things back, Dad said that for most of the war (at least where he was) boxes were not inspected while all letters were opened and read. You could ship back almost anything without worry, unless it was something obvious. Why, oh why, didn't Dad mail back the MP-40 ( AKA "German Burp Gun") he had! As soon as the war was over, they didn't care about letters, but every box was opened and checked. Of course this is just a snapshot of happened in one unit at that time.

 

I think I'll drag the Browning out this weekend and put some rounds downrange.

Edited September 30, 2020 by DougStump

[laurencen]

my father sailed on the Queen Mary bringing GIs back to New York, close to the US it was announced all bags will be checked and said it was a continuous dumping over the side, said in the end nothing was checked, he had a Luger in his pack, as kids we would play with it until he cut it up

[kp31]

Most of the C&R WWII weapons in the registry came back with veterans. See the following from Notes of Eric Larson:

"Soldiers were authorized to bring or send machine guns back to the United States until the practice was prohibited by Section VI of Circular 155, effective May 28, 1945. A predecessor Circular 353 (Section III), effective August 31, 1944, authorized bringing or sending back virtually anything under the sun. Concerns were subsequently expressed by military and civilian authorities, about machine guns, so Circular 155 was issued, in part (these Circulars typically address multiple things), to rescind Section III of Circular 353. Circular 155 is apparently the first published regulation by the War Department prohibiting soldiers from bringing or sending machine guns back to the United States. "

I don't know if "most" is accurate as companies like Interarms brought many thousands of C&R WWII machine guns and DDs back in the 1950's and early 1960s.