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L.E. machineguns on NFA Registry?


halftrack
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New to posting but hanging out in the shadows for a few years.

 

Quick question. Are L.E. machineguns currently being possessed by a department on the NFA registry. For example, lets say police department X finds some Thompson rotting away in their safe. Department X wants to sell them in order to get some much needed cash for their department to buy newer gear. Could they do so legally thus adding more weapons to the "fixed number" of pre-86 transferable machineguns?. As I understand it, if a police department bought a new machinegun (post-86) then no. But what about the other pre-86 stuff. Were they required to register their NFA weapons years ago or is this the only exception to adding machineguns to the "fixed" registry?

 

 

 

 

Edited by halftrack
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It isn't "when" they purchased it, it is "IF" they ever added it to the registry as a transferable NFA item. Some departments have sold Thompsons, with some 1921As being registered and transferable, and other 1921As on Form 10s and not in a transferable status.

 

The Department can call the NFA Section to determine if the Serial Numbers they have are Transferable to Civilians. Many departments do not have records going back that far, and have to rely on the NFA Branch to determine the correct status.

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Along the way, a lot of Seized or "found" MGs were registered by the departments on a Form 10, which pretty much prevents it from being sold to anyone other than another dept or a museum with govt. backing. While they are in the registry, they cannot be sold to the general public. I know of a number of COLT Thomspons residing in LE vaults that are form 10 guns. They come out to shoot every so often. The departments just blast away, and put them back. Been to many shoots that way. St Paul MN has a several, Brainerd MN has a NICE 21 they haul out every so often . There are 10 sitting in a special spot here in MN I am not allowed to really say where - with all the riot gear, webbing , shot mags etc. Been there since the mid 30s when the US govt provided them for riot control.

 

To the point of your question, yes, LE MGs are in the registry if they are registered. Yes, if a transferable or Pre may sample , they can be sold .

Edited by MG08
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The knowledge on this board is awesome. Thanks!

 

That leads me to the next question. As I understand it, certain museums can receive ownership of machineguns on Form 10s saving them from the torch? Along with that, could bring backs from WW2 or any other War that have never been registered be donated to a museum and put on a form 10? Could this be a way of preserving a bring back of historical value without someone going to jail? No, I don't have grandpas M3 laying around from WW2. However, over the years I have come across individuals with historic weapons where ownership was questionable.

 

BTW, the armory at my Marine Corps Reserve unit has all WW2 manufactured M2 .50 cals. They are still around. I would hate to see them destroyed before being donated to a museum. All the M3 tripods are WW2 manufactured along with the M122 (M2 Tripods) that were overstamped M122.

Edited by halftrack
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Only government entities can use the F10. You can find commentary citing numerous formulas and percentages of taxpayer money in the museum budget but the regulation (27 CFR 479.104) makes no allowances for such formulas - it has to be a government museum. One registration exemption that applies is firearms in possession of the USG - so Springfield Armory (NPS, Springfield MA, not Geneseo IL), any branch of the military, and any federal agency are not required to register firearms although some of their inventory is registered due to being possessed by non-USG entities prior to acquisition.

 

F10 is a method to register the unregistered and any transfers afterward are via F5. These forms are supposed to be marked "OFFICIAL USE ONLY" which will give them up as not being eligible to enter commercial trade.

Edited by The Lone Ranger
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The sad part is in Liberal area's that some police depts cut up registered FA's rather than sell to the public...

 

the registry shrinks every year

 

3 of my FA's are police/prison guns.....all 3 in excellent-above average condition

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