7 replies to this topic

[kyle]

Other than a few amnesty guns, is it an almost certainity that any currrently transferable WW2-era TSMG must have initially been transferred to a law enforcement organization following the war? How else would they have been released by the military authorities? There was no other route, right? Thanks!

[kyle]

Where I'm heading with this concerns dewatts. I've been told that half the current transferrable TSMGs in circulation now were originally dewatts that got rewatted before 1986. Could that be true? Did the government sell off huge stashes of unwanted guns to some surpluser who dewatted them prior to sale to the general public? I'm just trying to get a sense of how these guns got from point A to to Z. Thanks!

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

QUOTE

My understanding is that many full-auto guns were legally imported from all over the world before the 1986 ban and that previous law enforcement ownership, the 1968 amnesty

It was the 1968 NFA law tht restricted importation of new machine guns into the U.S. The 1986 law concerned new manufacture of machine guns in the United States. So any SMG/MG slipping into the U.S. after 1968 would be persona non gratia.

[Bob]

After the 1968 GCA they would return as dealer samples after May 1986 they would be post dealer samples.

[21 smoker]

PhilOhio,
I agree with your take on this,... I have a dewat Savage 28 early serial number that I`m rewatting... the plugged up barrel does indeed have a pointed steel plug welded in it and welded to the receiver...with British proof marks..so that whole scenario you remember from the 60s plays out. I`m just grateful that 28 parts and PK are readily affordable,my .02.out.

[gijive]

PhilOhio,

Good historical description of the process whereby the Thompsons sold post WWII came back home in the 1950's and '60's. I remember those days also. I didn't purchase then, (wish I had) but remember seeing several Dewat guns like you describe at gun shows in the 1970's.

[kyle]

Phil...

Thank you so much for a very informative synopsis.

[SecondAmend]

Phil,
You left out the dewats that just had a lead plug in the barrel. The plugs often fell out and those that didn't could easily be "hot wired" out. I never saw one but heard they were around back in the 60's.