Can deactivated thompsons be reactivated?

[JohnnyRingo12]

I'm an SOT and am curious if these could be, "reactivated" with replacing parts with old stock or doing some machining/welding?

 

https://www.real-gun.com/thompson.html

[HHollow]

Notice the price in pounds sterling.

 

The deactivation laws in England, Europe, and Canada have evolved over the years. Early on the deactivation consisted or removal of a couple of parts but now much of the gun is welded together. In any even, very little of a newly deactivated Tommy gun would likely be of interest to an American NFA collector except for some Colt wood.

 

 

[TennesseeTaylor95]

Due to my lack of knowledge on the subject, wouldn't this still have to get demilled to the ATF's current standards of demilling for importation in order for it to come in the states at all? In the end, a "double" demilled parts kit seems like extra work. Wouldn't it be easier to either reweld a demilled receiver sourced in the states, or purchase and finish a 80% receiver like what Philadelphia Ordnance sells for your purposes?

[signal_4]

I have contacted that company before. They wont ship to the US. Its sad because those are so nice and so cheap compared to anything for sale in the US. Its even cheaper than reconbobs part kits. Edited August 1, 2022 by signal_4

[signal_4]

You would have to have an acquaintance in the UK buy it and personally ship it I guess 😂 Edited August 1, 2022 by signal_4

[Got Uzi]

Then enjoy your stay at club fed for importing a machine gun.....that receiver hasnt been cut. Did you notice the heat transfer along the sides of the receiver? Im gonna bet there are denial bars welded on the inside....but thats still a live receiver by the regs here in the US.

[signal_4]

Ya but if one has the proper SOT license to make machine guns like the poster has stated, why couldnt this be plausible. I guess it wouldnt hurt to contact and ask. Of course you could prob contact 5 different people there and get 5 different answers. So do it in email form lol. Edited August 1, 2022 by signal_4

[BRMCII]

Import as a "kit", which is now the only way to import vintage MGs, requires import destruction procedures. Import destruction requirements are three diagonal torch cuts evenly spaced along the receiver with 1/4" of metal removed per cut.
An FFL07 SOT2 can weld the parts back together to build and register a live MG but it is restricted to FFL/SOT possession.

Just the way it is........GWIW

[Ryo]

Import as a "kit", which is now the only way to import vintage MGs, requires import destruction procedures. Import destruction requirements are three diagonal torch cuts evenly spaced along the receiver with 1/4" of metal removed per cut.

An FFL07 SOT2 can weld the parts back together to build and register a live MG but it is restricted to FFL/SOT possession.

Just the way it is........GWIW

 

Only exception to this is if they build it to be semi auto.. but lots of work need to be done.. though there are FFL's out there that do the work for a price.

Can't be open bolt, has to have a blocking bar to stop the use of F/A parts, etc. Weapon's Guild forum does a better job describing building semi autos from part kits.

[JohnnyRingo12]

Notice the price in pounds sterling. The deactivation laws in England, Europe, and Canada have evolved over the years. Early on the deactivation consisted or removal of a couple of parts but now much of the gun is welded together. In any even, very little of a newly deactivated Tommy gun would likely be of interest to an American NFA collector except for some Colt wood.

As an SOT it would be a post sample for me. So the value as a collectable is moot as I couldnt't sell it to civilians. If they would ship to US that is a steal compared to most prices on parts kits in the US. If the receiver has bars welded in then it should be a simple job. Just remove the bars and do a little finishing work.

[Got Uzi]

I would bet that you wouldnt be able to get it imported as by definition its still an active receiver via ATF regs. Being an SOT doesnt mean you can import. You need to have an importation license. Its not worth the hassle for an easy build just buy a receiver from Phila Ord and do the final machine work and take some pride in doing it.

[JohnnyRingo12]

I've tried contacting him a few times and I can never get ahold of him. If I do i never get a response back after confirming he still does x type of receivers.

I would bet that you wouldnt be able to get it imported as by definition its still an active receiver via ATF regs. Being an SOT doesnt mean you can import. You need to have an importation license. Its not worth the hassle for an easy build just buy a receiver from Phila Ord and do the final machine work and take some pride in doing it.

[Countryboy77]

Just wait till the NFA disappears and im sure those prices will shoot up on the deacts ,somone will reactivate them

[Buickman58]

I have bought many good things from overseas and Canada. You have found a good start to the source I also use the different eBay programs for other countries, they are in the language but still can figure it out. Of course you have to read the laws and figure out different ways to speak to people, but that is the fun part. For the companys in the UK and Canada on line they will not play ball with you in the US. I have had a few great conversations with quite a few and they are good people. Convincing them to cut a gun in half is insulting to many of them as the receivers are perfectly legal for themNow the illegal part for many of them is to take that receiver off the gun and cut it. They have a certificate for the gun and when they start undoing the spot welds to break down the piece it could get them in problems. Yes people over there do it, and more often than you think. As they destroy the bolt in many of these(cut bolt head sideways) some will cut through the top and through the bolt as well leaving a half usually the front. They will also take the barrel off as the barrel in many countries is holed and can not be shipped back anyway. They they will ship the other cut half to another addressMany rare parts that help make display guns in perfect shape and responsible prices are out there.

[Got Uzi]

Ive had no issues with getting hold of him, just knowing that he is pretty busy. If you tell him you want an "80%" Recevier and that you are an SOT who intends to make it into a post sample, he will cut the Blish lock slots and extractor notch too. I need to get on his list for another "Colt" receiver for a project I wanna work on this winter.

[reconbob]

To import one of these UK de-acts you would first have to destroy the receiver as mentioned by torching it to the satisfaction of ATF. You can no longer import the barrel.

 

If you weld the cut pieces of an MG back together, the ATF considers it a machine gun even if no machining is done to finish the gun so it works. So you cant make a semi auto using a machine gun receiver.

 

Bob

[rpbcps]

A good few years ago, I was doing some work with a UK-based arms dealer who bought a lot of surplus weapons from the Bosnian Govt. His intention was to sell them onto the US market as parts kits, but as Bob says, he had to cut all the receivers and remove the barrels. He had thousands of them and it was cheaper and simpler to deactivate them and sell them to dealers of deactivated weapons around Europe.

In the deal, he also bought thousands of AK mags, as well as some former Soviet armor, including a couple of T34 tanks and some Yugo APC's, and a helicopter. The mags were an easier sell, many of the magazines going to the US DoD for onward shipment to the New Afghan Army.

[maxfaxdude]

Getting that "deactivated" Thompson out of the UK and into the US in that condition legally is darn near impossible. Forget it -- it won't happen unless it would be going to the Smithsonian or some government entity etc.

 

On the US side, the ATF would not authorize the Form 6 for importation - for multiple reasons.

 

Additionally, you would have to obtain a UK export permit - which is also very unlikely.

 

I imported a genuine MG34 Patronentrommel double drum magazine (pictured below) from the England 2 years ago and it was an absolute nightmare.

 

Expensive, time consuming (it took over 13 months) and a huge hassle that involved the ATF, UK Border Force, Dan Shea and Greg Felton -- a very prominent arms UK imported/exporter.

 

Best to find something state side.