FOI Request

[wcwarren]

I just sent off two FOI request for my 1942 M-1 Thompson SMG and my 1943 Reising M-50 SMG.  I requested all the information that they have on both firearms.  Just curious what experiences other have had in doing this.  

William 

[GUNGUY45]

I did it for my Reising M50, & my M76/45 Stemple.

I got 8, or 9 pages of heavily redacted info on the Reising.

There was some good info, as I found out it spent WW2 in Chambersburg, PA, with the "Chief of Guards", whoever that was.

The Stemple, not much info, but I did get it's "born on" date.

I did this in the early 2000's.

[Mojopin2010]

On 1/2/2024 at 6:58 AM, GUNGUY45 said:

I did it for my Reising M50, & my M76/45 Stemple.

I got 8, or 9 pages of heavily redacted info on the Reising.

There was some good info, as I found out it spent WW2 in Chambersburg, PA, with the "Chief of Guards", whoever that was.

The Stemple, not much info, but I did get it's "born on" date.

I did this in the early 2000's.

What if it was the cilvian guard force at Letterkenny depot

[brveagle]

On my 1928 thompson, i got 7 or 8 pages. the majority of those being the two transfers my thompson had seen in the 2000's-2010's. However it did have the original form 5 which was a pretty awesome landmine showing the police department that registered it. It's my understanding that is not typical.  

[GUNGUY45]

On 1/13/2024 at 11:01 AM, Mojopin2010 said:

What if it was the cilvian guard force at Letterkenny depot

That was pretty much my thought, but I couldn't find any info. to back up the hunch.

After it was transfered to chief of guards, the next form was to the dealer I got it from.

He gave up his license shortly after I got it, & I never contacted him about it.

[Mojopin2010]

That would had been interesting to see how long the depot used it for.  I know guys from the guard in the early to mid 1990's that said they still had M3 Grease Gun's in the arms room.  Talking some of the old timers from the few Depots and proving grounfa I worked at the WW2 and Korean Civilian Guard force was entertaining during the 50/60/70's.  The guys used to drink beer, smoke cigarettes  and play cards on night shift.  I was told they occasionally would go rabbit hunting on shift also along with other hijinks.  It is a lot more formal now in reguards to weapons, but I could see a Reising being issued there for a long time. 

Edited January 15 by Mojopin2010

[timkel]

FOIA is hit or miss. I sent a group in years ago. After 5+ years I've only received 2 back.

[MS Collector]

That is very interesting to hear that the FOIA response did not redact the name of the Police Deparment to whom the gun was once registered.  I find this very interesting because I've argued for years that a public entity (i.e. governmental subdivision) Registrant is not a "taxpayer" whose registration information is prohibited from disclosure under the relevant federal statute.  Nonetheless, BATFE seems to take the opposite position and contend that any Registrant identity information  - including that of federal/state/local governmental entities - is preclued from disclosure under the statute.  Again, my argument being that a governmental entiy is not a "taxpayer" with privacy rights.

This has been very frustrating to me, as I've got a PPsh 41 Korean war bring-back that was registered by the Cape Giraradeau, MO police department back in "July or August, 1958" as reflected in the "Date Firearm Acquired" box on the Form 1 dated 11/19/58.  So, my best guess is that the gun must have been "pinched" by the PD from a US veteran who had brought the gun back from Korea just a few years earlier.  Anyway, the heavily redacted Form 1 obtained via FOIA has the Registrant information blacked out . . . but I have it on very good information from a trusted source that the Form 1 Registrant was in fact the Cape Giraradeau, MO police department. 

In any event, I would sure like to have a less heavily redacted copy of the Form 1 that actualy reflects the PD registration.  At this point my only option is probably to try to convince the Cape Giraradeau PD to grant me a Limited Power of Attorney (w/ waiver of any taxpayer confidentiality rights) that would allow me to act for the PD in requesting an unredacted copy of the Form 1 and for same to be disclosed to me.   Oh well . . . maybe when I'm retired and have free time to spend on such matters I'll get around to taking a stab at this approach.