museum and machine guns

steveno · October 22, 2016, 12:30 PM

when a museum has some machine guns and they are posted as de-activated does the atf still keep track of them? I don't know what was done to de-activate them other than removing a firing pin or some part of the fire control has been removed. none of these guns have been welded on that I can see. there is a Thompson , BAR and a number of world war 2 machine guns. there is even a 37 mm anti-tank cannon but since you might not be able to get ammo for it that is probably de-activating by itself. these machine guns have been there for over 50 years

if you happen to be traveling through Hastings , Nebraska they have a pretty decent gun display including the mentioned machine guns.

just curious

Hawg · October 22, 2016, 12:57 PM

There was a guy in my hometown that had a little hands on museum where you could go in and pick stuff up, work the actions etc. He had 10 BAR's on display, a few Thompson's and a few MP-40's. he claimed to have a lot more of them in storage that he bought after WWII for less than a dollar each. He said they were still active and that the ATF came by and did a monthly check. I have no idea what became of them after he died. There are still two small artillery pieces in front of the building.

Old Bill Dibble · October 22, 2016, 11:52 PM

I know of two museums that have full auto weapons on display that are on loan from the military. They are fully functioning weapons. The military is required to inventory them monthly.

Skans · October 24, 2016, 08:16 AM

If they are DWAT's then they are still in the NFA registry.

James K · October 26, 2016, 06:28 PM

Depending on who does the work, deactivating a machinegun can be done in such a way as to be both permanent and invisible. Before 1968, many MGs were deactivated by removing the firing pins, welding a plug into the barrel or deactivated in other ways that were not visible. After 1968, all machineguns had to be registered, whether functional or not (which is why most of us with "DEWATs" opened them up and registered them as live guns, state or local law permitting).

AFAIK, those guns that were deactivated with BATFE (ATTD) approval and left deactivated are still considered properly deactivated and legal if registered. In fact, the legal owner of a registered but deactivated MG can apply for permission to open up the gun and restore it to functionality, state or local law permitting.

Jim

**Mike Irwin** · October 27, 2016, 11:42 AM

Pennsylvania Museum & Historical Commission has a HUGE load of fully auto firearms, from pistols all the way to aircraft cannon...

Everyone that I saw had been deactivated by welding plugs in the barrel at the breech end and drilling the underside of the barrel/receiver junction with a pretty large hole.

steveno · October 27, 2016, 12:48 PM

if the machine guns in the museum are de-activated by plugging the barrel or some other way besides removing the firing pins they at least didn't hack them too much. they don't look like they have been touched

October 22, 2016, 12:30 PM	#1
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	museum and machine guns when a museum has some machine guns and they are posted as de-activated does the atf still keep track of them? I don't know what was done to de-activate them other than removing a firing pin or some part of the fire control has been removed. none of these guns have been welded on that I can see. there is a Thompson , BAR and a number of world war 2 machine guns. there is even a 37 mm anti-tank cannon but since you might not be able to get ammo for it that is probably de-activating by itself. these machine guns have been there for over 50 years if you happen to be traveling through Hastings , Nebraska they have a pretty decent gun display including the mentioned machine guns. just curious

October 22, 2016, 11:52 PM	#3
Old Bill Dibble Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2016 Posts: 802	I know of two museums that have full auto weapons on display that are on loan from the military. They are fully functioning weapons. The military is required to inventory them monthly. __________________ "Tragedy has been and will always be with us. Somewhere right now, evil people are planning evil things. All of us will do everything meaningful, everything we can do to prevent it, but each horrible act can’t become an axe for opportunists to cleave the very Bill of Rights that binds us."

October 27, 2016, 11:42 AM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,389	Pennsylvania Museum & Historical Commission has a HUGE load of fully auto firearms, from pistols all the way to aircraft cannon... Everyone that I saw had been deactivated by welding plugs in the barrel at the breech end and drilling the underside of the barrel/receiver junction with a pretty large hole. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

October 22, 2016, 12:57 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	There was a guy in my hometown that had a little hands on museum where you could go in and pick stuff up, work the actions etc. He had 10 BAR's on display, a few Thompson's and a few MP-40's. he claimed to have a lot more of them in storage that he bought after WWII for less than a dollar each. He said they were still active and that the ATF came by and did a monthly check. I have no idea what became of them after he died. There are still two small artillery pieces in front of the building.

October 24, 2016, 08:16 AM	#4
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	If they are DWAT's then they are still in the NFA registry.

October 26, 2016, 06:28 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Depending on who does the work, deactivating a machinegun can be done in such a way as to be both permanent and invisible. Before 1968, many MGs were deactivated by removing the firing pins, welding a plug into the barrel or deactivated in other ways that were not visible. After 1968, all machineguns had to be registered, whether functional or not (which is why most of us with "DEWATs" opened them up and registered them as live guns, state or local law permitting). AFAIK, those guns that were deactivated with BATFE (ATTD) approval and left deactivated are still considered properly deactivated and legal if registered. In fact, the legal owner of a registered but deactivated MG can apply for permission to open up the gun and restore it to functionality, state or local law permitting. Jim

October 27, 2016, 12:48 PM	#7
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	if the machine guns in the museum are de-activated by plugging the barrel or some other way besides removing the firing pins they at least didn't hack them too much. they don't look like they have been touched