Sten Mk2

[Steve123]

Hi,

 

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction for working out what year a Sten was made or are the records available?

It would have been the early 40s. It's an E&CO one with the serial number B120XXX

 

Also, do they have any value or not? I know there were millions made so I assumed not, it still works fine.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Sandman1957]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Not sure about the date of manufacture but others will chime in. If it is a Curio and Relic (C&R) original and not a remanufactured reciever like an ERB, or Wilson. Then it should be worth around 12k depending on condition. Tube guns, original parts on a remanufactured receiver, go for around 7K.

 

Post good photos and you will get alot of input. Is it a MK 1, II, III or Mk V?

 

Welcome,

Sandman1957

[Steve123]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Not sure about the date of manufacture but others will chime in. If it is a Curio and Relic (C&R) original and not a remanufactured reciever like an ERB, or Wilson. Then it should be worth around 12k depending on condition. Tube guns, original parts on a remanufactured receiver, go for around 7K.

 

Post good photos and you will get alot of input. Is it a MK 1, II, III or Mk V?

 

Welcome,

Sandman1957

 

Thanks Sandman1957, it's a MII, no idea on if it's original but I would say so. I will post some pics now. Not sure how the condition compares to others but these were taken before any cleaning. I think a lot of the rust looking colour is very superficial, some of it is actually not rust but parts of the orange fabric it was wrapped in which had deteriorated a bit.

[Steve123]

Pics attached

[Black River Militaria CII]

Is this Sten registered under ATF/NFA regs? Curious.

[Steve123]

Is this Sten registered under ATF/NFA regs? Curious.

No idea what those are but apologies, I should have mentioned it is in the UK. Posting here as there are not as many collectors in the UK to ask for information. Although I am interested in the value its probably irrelevant as it will most likely get deactivated. I have no idea if it is legal to export but as it was my Grandad's I don't want to anyway. Just curios, that is all. We found it in his attic where it has most likely been since WW2.

[G-Man1006]

With the B prefix in-front of the serial number the Sten was manufactured/assembled by the Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Company Limited.

[Sandman1957]

I know there are folks on the Forum from the UK who should be able to assist you in getting the gun legally demilled. Its not worth going to jail for. Not sure if there is a Museum you could donate it to. I am only familiar with Rules in the USA. By chance was this a gun issued to your Grandfather. If so, his unit information and places he served would make this an interesting display item.

Good luck, and get it LEGAL!!

[Steve123]

I know there are folks on the Forum from the UK who should be able to assist you in getting the gun legally demilled. Its not worth going to jail for. Not sure if there is a Museum you could donate it to. I am only familiar with Rules in the USA. By chance was this a gun issued to your Grandfather. If so, his unit information and places he served would make this an interesting display item.

Good luck, and get it LEGAL!!

Thanks Sandman1957, it's fine at the moment as the police are storing it so no laws have been broken. I can also have it stored at a dealer with the appropriate licence. I don't know if it was issued to my Grandfather or not, he did have the webbing with the Sten ammo pouches. He definitely brought it back with him but I think it may have been one he acquired some other way rather than being issued to him.

 

I would still like to know what it's worth in a working condition if someone doesn't mind telling me, purely for curiosity. I appreciate this varies in different countries. It will eventually get demilled, probably in the next few months. I read a lot on sites about Stens being made from kits? Why is this, is it a legal thing or just for a hobby? Are there not thousands of working ones already out there to buy?

 

Cheers

[NFA amnesty]

In the United States, folks are building semi-auto stens from parts kits. Prior to May of 1986, machine guns were legal to manufacture, registered and sell to private individuals as long as they paid a 200 dollar tax stamp and passed the background check from ATF. I believe most STENS in the US are registered tube guns with original STEN parts welded onto the newly manufactured tubes. Depending on the Gun Smith, some were put together rather well and others not. Only machine guns that were registered prior to May of 1986 can be sold to private individuals so demand outstrips supply. About 175k machine guns are registered in the United States with a current population of 350 million. The prices continue to soar and that is why at this point an original STEN can sell between 10 to 12 thousand US dollars.

 

I also thought you were either from the UK or Canada from your first post. You signed off with Cheers, which I actually like, but usually a dead giveaway the person is not from the United States but from our neighbor to the North.

 

Cheers my friend.

 

Mac

Edited February 16, 2021 by NFA amnesty

[pitfighter]

As you are curious about price (totally approximate) in the US:

a demilled one (parts kit, receiver cut in three places)) is about $200-$400 (MKII,III, IV vary)

Made into a dummy, about the same value as the demilled (parts kit)

Made into a semi about $1200-1500 (MKII,III, IV vary)

A legal MG - for dealers only (from a parts kit) - $500-1000

A legal MG - for civilians (pre-1986 manufacture + register) - $5000-$10,000 or more, depending on determining factors.

[Steve123]

Gents,

 

Thank you very much for the info! When googling the Sten and looking at videos it often leads me to the US sites, which makes sense as we can't fire them over here!

 

I had seen lots of talk of the kit builds and wondered why, but that answers my question! So I guess any of the full auto ones I have seen in videos will have been registered before 1986. I also couldn't understand why they were selling for so much, but again makes perfect sense now if there is a restricted supply that won't ever increase.

 

Shame this is going to be deactivated but at least I can hang it on my wall. As you mentioned Canada, my Grandad also had a Canadian 1911 made in 1914 hiding under some paperwork in his house! Also now with the police but a lovely looking gun.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[m3bobby]

In the Uk the Mk2 prices will vary depending on when it was deactivated. An old spec used to be worth upto about £800 and a new spec was about £200 to £300. Since the EU got their claws in, old spec can no longer be sold so there is technically no value in them. I have a feeling that the cost of having a section 5 dealer collect (with an escort) the gun, transport it to their premises for deactivation, deactivate, transport to the proof house etc. will cost more than it would to just purchase one from a dealer. However, should you wish to go ahead and you cant find anyone, I know of a few dealers who would likely do it for a charge.

[m3bobby]

Oh, I could also say its a 1942 gun that likely ....had left the service before 1944. Its not been modified for the Mk5 handle and has the screw on tmh cover.

 

E&Co is the mag housing manufacturer, the parts were made all over the Uk and were pooled before being sent to the factory that needed it. Because of this its only a serial number and more often than not, the welding style that give away the factory that assembled it.

 

The Colt 1911 has more value as it could be put on a Licence and used if the condition is good. Contrary to popular belief, Not all handguns have been banned in the U.K.

 

Under section 7, a gun of this vintage could be legally possessed and if I recall correctly, kept at home due to its age. You may even have a good reason to apply for a sect. 7 yourself. The police and a dealer will (or should have) more information available. The police will likely not give you the answer on a plate and you may need to work on it.

[Steve123]

Oh, I could also say its a 1942 gun that likely ....had left the service before 1944. Its not been modified for the Mk5 handle and has the screw on tmh cover.

 

E&Co is the mag housing manufacturer, the parts were made all over the Uk and were pooled before being sent to the factory that needed it. Because of this its only a serial number and more often than not, the welding style that give away the factory that assembled it.

 

The Colt 1911 has more value as it could be put on a Licence and used if the condition is good. Contrary to popular belief, Not all handguns have been banned in the U.K.

 

Under section 7, a gun of this vintage could be legally possessed and if I recall correctly, kept at home due to its age. You may even have a good reason to apply for a sect. 7 yourself. The police and a dealer will (or should have) more information available. The police will likely not give you the answer on a plate and you may need to work on it.

 

 

Thanks for all the info. I will keep the Sten even if the cost to deac is more than the value as it was my Grandfathers. The police have kindly offered to drop it to an RFD for me free of charge which helps, although I think that partly ties in with your last sentence where they would prefer them to be deactivated as soon as possible.

 

I knew nothing about licensing before finding them but have done a lot of reading since and am going to try the section 7. I don't think this would fall into the category that would be allowed at home due to it being a really available calibre, but may be able to get the 7.3 where it stays at a designated site. I will keep working on it but understandably nothing is moving fast at the moment due to the Covid.

 

Cheers