semi auto sten

geochris · October 15, 2013, 05:11 AM

I found in a local gun shop an open bolt semi auto sten made by skywalker arms. I have not bought it because i have never heard of open bolt stens nor skywalker arms. It has the short sten barrel extended with a welded piece of tube to make it 16ish long. Any info from my highly knowelagable friends here

Skans · October 15, 2013, 11:50 AM

I've never heard of skywalker arms either. I would want to know more about the manufacturer and when it was made before buying it as well.

The open-bolt guns that were made pre '82 or thereabout, were not as easily convertible to full-auto as most would have you believe. For example, on the Demro/Wasp carbines, the fire control mechanism is sealed off and can't be modified without cutting the metal housing. On the open bolt Mac's the fire control parts can't be replaced with full-auto parts without milling/drilling the receiver.

The problem was that folks figured out how to jam up the mechanisms to make the gun fire full-auto only. My point in saying this is that IF the Sten was made around the time that the open bolt guns were being manufactured, I'd look for something done by the maker to make it difficult for someone to simply swap out a few parts to make it go full-auto. And, I'd ask over on Sturmgewehr.com (if you don't get a good answer here) about the manufacturer. Lots of those guys know "who's who" in the NFA world going back into the '70's.

geochris · October 15, 2013, 01:54 PM

I absolutly agree. I dont want to buy it untill i find out for sure who made it and when. Trying to google search skywalker arms is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles(saving private ryan) there are 100 billion hits that are for star wars and i just dont have the time to look page after page to get to them. The mechanisms are welded into semi auto and the cover is welded on so it would be a huge pain to make it full auto. I appriciate your help and hope others can shed some light for me on it. It is a jewel if i buy it, but its not worth the problems if it is not legit

James K · October 15, 2013, 04:05 PM

The only way to get a real answer (but one you may not like and won't win friends at the gun shop) is to contact BATFE. They will know the maker and will be able to tell you if the gun is a legal semi-auto. But if they say it isn't, then they can seize it (no compensation) which won't make the shop happy.

Jim

Skans · October 15, 2013, 04:35 PM

Quote:

The mechanisms are welded into semi auto and the cover is welded on so it would be a huge pain to make it full auto.

This is important information, and I am inclined to think that it very well could be a legal open bolt gun. I wouldn't just go contacting BATFE. Post this question in the NFA Semi-Auto section of Sturmgewehr.com. I would be interested in knowing if anyone over there has heard of the manufacturer. You don't have to be registered to post on that board.

lcpiper · October 15, 2013, 04:42 PM

I find it curious actually. Skywalker Arms in conjunction with a Sten replica.

In the Star Wars movies, the first three, the "Blasters" that the Imperial Storm troopers used were slightly modified version of the Sten/Sterling SMGs. During this same time frame there were semi-auto rifle versions of these guns just like the old semi-auto Uzis with 16" barrels. I just wonder if someone in Hollywood decided it would be easy and cheap to convert some of these rifles to SBRs for the movie and then wield a barrel extesion back on for resale. If you did this as a Company called Skywalker Arms, would that not be the name that would have to be added to the weapon per NFA?

James K · October 15, 2013, 06:29 PM

Heck, if they can paint Lewis guns white, they can do anything!

Jim

lcpiper · October 16, 2013, 10:16 AM

Geochris, just to be sure, it's definitely a Sten and not a Sterling?

geochris · October 17, 2013, 11:34 AM

It is absolutly a sten. No mistake. Stens can be made into sterlings i wonder how much cut amd welding would be permissable to make a sterling? I know the batf specifies how much you can do before it is just considered a new firearm. If nothing else changing it to use a sterling mag would improve it 1000%.sturmgeweher.com has not yet provided any insoght yet but it did give me the opportunity to post for sale a bergman mag and loader, so not a total loss

Erno86 · October 17, 2013, 02:09 PM

I heard a warning on the Internet {google: Sterling's}.... about the danger and possibility of a premature detonation, if somebody uses a Sterling magazine in a Sten gun.

lcpiper · October 18, 2013, 04:57 PM

I was in the Army and we were out working with the Canadians and they took us to the range and let us fire their FALs and L2A3s. I missed out on the FAL but the Sterling L2A3 was fun.

October 15, 2013, 05:11 AM	#1
geochris Junior Member Join Date: October 14, 2013 Posts: 3	semi auto sten I found in a local gun shop an open bolt semi auto sten made by skywalker arms. I have not bought it because i have never heard of open bolt stens nor skywalker arms. It has the short sten barrel extended with a welded piece of tube to make it 16ish long. Any info from my highly knowelagable friends here

October 15, 2013, 04:42 PM	#6
lcpiper Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2011 Posts: 1,405	I find it curious actually. Skywalker Arms in conjunction with a Sten replica. In the Star Wars movies, the first three, the "Blasters" that the Imperial Storm troopers used were slightly modified version of the Sten/Sterling SMGs. During this same time frame there were semi-auto rifle versions of these guns just like the old semi-auto Uzis with 16" barrels. I just wonder if someone in Hollywood decided it would be easy and cheap to convert some of these rifles to SBRs for the movie and then wield a barrel extesion back on for resale. If you did this as a Company called Skywalker Arms, would that not be the name that would have to be added to the weapon per NFA? __________________ Colt M1911, AR-15 \| S&W Model 19, Model 27\| SIG P238 \| Berreta 85B Cheetah \| Ruger Blackhawk .357MAG, Bearcat "Shopkeeper" .22LR\| Remington Marine Magnum SP 12GA., Model 700 SPS .223

October 16, 2013, 10:16 AM	#8
lcpiper Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2011 Posts: 1,405	Geochris, just to be sure, it's definitely a Sten and not a Sterling? __________________ Colt M1911, AR-15 \| S&W Model 19, Model 27\| SIG P238 \| Berreta 85B Cheetah \| Ruger Blackhawk .357MAG, Bearcat "Shopkeeper" .22LR\| Remington Marine Magnum SP 12GA., Model 700 SPS .223

October 17, 2013, 11:34 AM	#9
geochris Junior Member Join Date: October 14, 2013 Posts: 3	definatly a sten It is absolutly a sten. No mistake. Stens can be made into sterlings i wonder how much cut amd welding would be permissable to make a sterling? I know the batf specifies how much you can do before it is just considered a new firearm. If nothing else changing it to use a sterling mag would improve it 1000%.sturmgeweher.com has not yet provided any insoght yet but it did give me the opportunity to post for sale a bergman mag and loader, so not a total loss

October 17, 2013, 02:09 PM	#10
Erno86 Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2012 Location: Marriottsville, Maryland Posts: 1,739	I heard a warning on the Internet {google: Sterling's}.... about the danger and possibility of a premature detonation, if somebody uses a Sterling magazine in a Sten gun. __________________ That rifle hanging on the wall of the working class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." --- George Orwell

October 15, 2013, 11:50 AM	#2
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	I've never heard of skywalker arms either. I would want to know more about the manufacturer and when it was made before buying it as well. The open-bolt guns that were made pre '82 or thereabout, were not as easily convertible to full-auto as most would have you believe. For example, on the Demro/Wasp carbines, the fire control mechanism is sealed off and can't be modified without cutting the metal housing. On the open bolt Mac's the fire control parts can't be replaced with full-auto parts without milling/drilling the receiver. The problem was that folks figured out how to jam up the mechanisms to make the gun fire full-auto only. My point in saying this is that IF the Sten was made around the time that the open bolt guns were being manufactured, I'd look for something done by the maker to make it difficult for someone to simply swap out a few parts to make it go full-auto. And, I'd ask over on Sturmgewehr.com (if you don't get a good answer here) about the manufacturer. Lots of those guys know "who's who" in the NFA world going back into the '70's.

October 15, 2013, 01:54 PM	#3
geochris Junior Member Join Date: October 14, 2013 Posts: 3	I absolutly agree. I dont want to buy it untill i find out for sure who made it and when. Trying to google search skywalker arms is like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles(saving private ryan) there are 100 billion hits that are for star wars and i just dont have the time to look page after page to get to them. The mechanisms are welded into semi auto and the cover is welded on so it would be a huge pain to make it full auto. I appriciate your help and hope others can shed some light for me on it. It is a jewel if i buy it, but its not worth the problems if it is not legit

October 15, 2013, 04:05 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The only way to get a real answer (but one you may not like and won't win friends at the gun shop) is to contact BATFE. They will know the maker and will be able to tell you if the gun is a legal semi-auto. But if they say it isn't, then they can seize it (no compensation) which won't make the shop happy. Jim

October 15, 2013, 06:29 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Heck, if they can paint Lewis guns white, they can do anything! Jim

October 18, 2013, 04:57 PM	#11
lcpiper Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2011 Posts: 1,405	I was in the Army and we were out working with the Canadians and they took us to the range and let us fire their FALs and L2A3s. I missed out on the FAL but the Sterling L2A3 was fun. __________________ Colt M1911, AR-15 \| S&W Model 19, Model 27\| SIG P238 \| Berreta 85B Cheetah \| Ruger Blackhawk .357MAG, Bearcat "Shopkeeper" .22LR\| Remington Marine Magnum SP 12GA., Model 700 SPS .223