I have to tell this story.

[Sniper X]

I went to answer an ad in the thrifty nickel one time. It was an estate sale and I allways go to them looking for guns even if they don;t list any in the ad. It was a elderly lady and she was very nice and pleasent and talkative. We got to talking about her late husbands being in WWII and that he was one of the guys who "Stormed the beaches of Normandy" and such. I get around to asking about guns and she says she has only 2 that he had, a pistol and a "rifly" she called it. I ask if they are for sale and she says I don;t know what they are worht but sure I'd sell them she tells me. I go into the bedroom with her and she pulls out a Government 1911 from very early WWII and a MP40 Smeischer sub machinegun! I freaked out! I am a stand up guy so I told he that the GI45 was worth a lot, and the MP40 was basically priceless because it was illegal to own...told her to donate the MP40 and probably the 1911 to some war musieum or something and not to sell either to anyone. I went home feeling very moral and machinegunless.....but legal.

 

[bruss01]

Sniper,

I am not that (excessively) moral. Once at Big 5 sports a new employee (I think) marked a large can of Break-Free with the price sticker for the small can. I eagerly bought a couple of cans for what I thought was a sweet price, and only when I came back for more did I realize the "steal" I had gotten. I kept my mouth shut. They've made plenty of money off me both before and after that transaction - no harm no foul - let the seller, as well as the buyer, beware.

But I hate to see people taken, too. By selling it to me she could get a few hundered dollars, by donating it to a museum she gets NOTHING. If I walk away happy, and she walks away happy, it is a fair transaction in my book. She MIGHT get a tax credit if she makes the donation, but if she's on retirement that probably means little to her RIGHT NOW. I would have tried to figure out what the next scoundrel would have given her, and offered a hundered or two more.

I would justify it to myself as Karma smiling on me for some other good deed I have done in the past, and by buying it, it will get a good home with lots of love and respect, instead of ending up in the hands of a stick-up artist in a back alley somewhere. Otherwise I can just picture her turning them in at the local police "gun buy-back" and getting $100 for it.

As for the machine gun.... hmmmm. That's risky business. At the very least I'd disassemble it and keep the parts at separate locations. Again, the other options are it ends up in the smelter or under a gangbanger's bed somewhere. Maybe we will be free again someday, or the laws will cease to matter. It'd be nice to know that MP was still around, and hopefully doing somebody decent some good. Tough call.

 

[JesseL]

What would be immoral about paying an old lady a fair price for an interesting antique?

I wonder though, how often do you think some old guy has a machinegun that is legally registered, but when he dies know one has any idea that it was legal or where the paperwork is? I hate to think how many machineguns might slip out of legal circulation that way.

 

[Travis McGee]

I'm getting this image of "granny" turning out to be an undercover BATFE agent, and as soon as a "lucky" shooter buys the Schmeisser....

"FREEZE! DON"T MOVE!" etc, as "granny" whips out her Glock, and the stormtroopers crash through every door and window.

 

[Bart Noir]

Is there still any sort of amnesty from ATF, for this sort of situation? (I mean the MP-40, not the 1911!) One that lets the lady sell to a licensed dealer, make a bunch of dinero, and put another full-auto weapon in the limited pool for legal ownership.

Bart Noir
Doing it all super legally, of course.

 

[bruss01]

Travis,

Don't they have to prove you KNEW it was a machine gun? It would be pretty easy to claim you thought it was converted to semi auto only, because who in their right mind would own an illegal full auto? Pretty easy to claim unless granny was blabbing on and on about "It's a machine gun, sonny! A real live full-auto class three weapon... huh,these have been illegal since Al Capone was wet behind the ears, I don't want it no more, but I'll sell it to you reeeeeel cheep...."

At that point I'd be backing slowly away and looking over my shoulder every step of the way out.

 

[Trebor]

Is there still any sort of amnesty from ATF, for this sort of situation? (I mean the MP-40, not the 1911!) One that lets the lady sell to a licensed dealer, make a bunch of dinero, and put another full-auto weapon in the limited pool for legal ownership.

No. The last amnesty was in 1968. If the vet didn't register the gun then, or before then, it's contraband. If it's unregistered it can't be legally possessed or transfered.

There is some provision that allows unregistered weapons to be donated to certain types of museums, but I'm not sure of the details. I do know that it can't be any old museum, and only certain museums apply. Maybe they have to be government owned museums?

Other than that though, it's contraband.

There has been talk of a new amnesty so war vets and their families can register their souvenious. Personally I don't see that happening though.

 

[Sniper X]

I don't think it was a sting as the guns were not listed or talked about in the ad. I do think I did the right thing, as she didn't need money, the dead husband was an Admiral in the Navy and retired and they make killer money and the house was about 5000sq ft. And FULL of beautiful expensive antiques. He even had what looked like a 1940s 18K Rolex she was selling....for $12,000.00! Anyway, I really really felt like buying the Schmeiser! An MP40 would have been a nice gun to have in the collection! But I didn't want to jepordize my ability to ever own guns again if I got caught with it.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I bet there'll be more cases like yours sniper as WW2 vets continue to pass away and attics get cleared out. Tons of people are CLUELESS as to what is legal and what isn't. i was in a store in Texas and this lady comes in with a P38 her grandfather brought back from WW2, she says in a whisper, "I don't have the permit for this? Am I going to jail?" Oh there were loud howls of laughter that day...

 

[Glockfan.45]

There has been talk of a new amnesty so war vets and their families can register their souvenious.

And if that were to happen you wouldnt be able to find a parts kit for years . I would have made her a fair offer on the 1911. As far as the MP went not with a 10 foot pole .

 

[Firehand]

I'd have offered her a fair price for the 1911, as pointed out above if she donates it she might get a tax credit, whereas I'd give her cash.

The MP40 I'd tell her to either give it to the museum or the police.

 

[scout26]

Sniper X,

If she's looking for a place that will take them, The 1st Infantry Division Muesum here in Wheaton, IL would be more then happy to take those items and put them on display. Especially since they are connected to the Normandy Invasion.

http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/geninfo.htm#contact

Mr Navritil in the collections department would be very helpful. 630-260-8220.

 

[rangerruck]

I would call this woman back, RIGHT NOW, and ask her what she has done with them. if nothing , then offer her a fair price for them. she may need the money , anyway.