The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > The Harley Nolden Memorial Institute for Firearms Research

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 16, 2006, 03:18 PM   #1
Napper
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 8, 2002
Location: central michigan
Posts: 2
Masschinengewehr MG08 1908/7.92 ??

Have a question hope someone can help me out with. Does anyone know the value of this? My father has passed and kept this in his basement since I can remember. Of course it is non-functioning but is a complete unit. Not really sure what to do with it. I will be thankful for any info.

Napper
Napper is offline  
Old October 16, 2006, 05:22 PM   #2
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,453
About $25,000 and ten years in the federal slammer.
DEWATs are no longer unregulated.
I am not a lawyer or a collector but I recommend you maintain a low profile until you get some reliable information.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old October 17, 2006, 08:59 PM   #3
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
Do you know if the gun is registered? As Jim says, even non-functional machineguns had to be registered in 1968; if that was not done, the gun is illegal and you could be in trouble. Try to find the registration papers (Form 4 or Form 4467); your father should have kept them in his personal papers.

If you can't find the papers, the only legal thing you can do is contact BATFE. If the gun is registered, they will find out and help you with getting it transferred to your name. No, I am not being sarcastic; they really will help you on this. See their web site (www.atf.gov) for info on what to do on the death of the owner of a registered machinegun.

If the gun is not registered, the only sure legal alternative you have is to surrender ("abandon") it to BATFE. There will be no penalty or any further problem. They deal with this sort of thing all the time, and only get up tight if someone tries to play games with them to evade the law. Some folks will advise you to try some tricks, like giving it to a government museum; that might work sometimes, but could just make things worse if the museum calls BATFE and says you are trying to donate an illegal weapon.

Unless/until you have legal possession, don't try to sell it or even destroy it. Both would be crimes and would change you from an honest person in possession of contraband to a criminal who is trying to profit. It is just like illegal drugs. If you find a packet of heroin and turn it in, you are a good citizen; if you try to sell it, you become a bad guy.

Jim
James K is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:34 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.03707 seconds with 10 queries