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Sawed off pistol grip 12ga at a pawn shop once tried to give them a heads up and they got bitchy about it.
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Pretty sure a kids dad I grew up with had an MP5K under his bed. I saw it a couple of times and remember it clearly.
I doubt it was legit NFA item but I guess it could have been |
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Stolen guns, yeah.
A sawed off ancient pump shotgun (Winchester IIRC) with a Magpul VFG screwed into the receiver as a pistol grip. Serial number was ground off, so I'm sure it was stolen too. |
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My high school friends dad had a MP40 or 38 too. His dad brought it home from the war.
Sadly after the GCA it was thrown away in the garbage piece by piece. I never saw it it was gone for decades when the old man told me the story. |
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Years back a guy I knew for years and had worked with calls me out of the blue because he knew I was a 'gun guy'.
Said his daughter was helping her husband clean out the husbands' dads attic who had passed earlier that year and that they found a legit Sten gun. Was wondering WTF to do with it or if it was even legal, or if they'd get in trouble even if they called the police about it. I simply told him that they wouldn't, but also consider its a basically priceless item that noone knows about and left it at that. |
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When I worked a counter, yes; almost always AOWs or SBRs.
People brought in shitty hack jobs on a fairly regular basis. A few were guns with defaced serial numbers; sometimes it was S&Ws where folks thought the assembly # was the S/N, one time it was a guy who bought the story instead of the gun and claimed it was owned by some two-bit gangster (and failed to notice that the serial number was missing). Some of the folks didn't know about their items' questionable legal status, some folks absolutely knew. I definitely don't miss that aspect of the job. |
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Quoted: There are no illegal guns only undocumented ones... View Quote This. Well, I take that back. I consider the guns pointed at me in armed robberies to be illegal guns. Otherwise, yeah, undocumented. And there are far more undocumented guns in CA then there are undocumented people, by a large margin. |
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There was an Owen Gromme ( wildlife artist ) display, at the Waukesha County Historical Society.
They had his personal effects. A field case, with outdoor supplies. And in it, an absolutely MINT Auto and Burglar mini shotgun. I doubted it's legal status. |
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When I was a teenager, a friend's fer brother had a shortened 12ga break open in the celling. I'm not sure if it was short or prison short. I didn't care then, or now.
I heard of a cop who decided to put a full stock on his $5 AOW through my friend (a cop who didn't have the gun law knowledge I did at the time). I told my friend what the law was but neither of us cared. I just warned him in case he wanted a short 12ga one day. |
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Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law View Quote Yes. The one next to my best friends body after we were jumped and he was executed in the street 12 years ago. |
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Quoted: There was an Owen Gromme ( wildlife artist ) display, at the Waukesha County Historical Society. They had his personal effects. A field case, with outdoor supplies. And in it, an absolutely MINT Auto and Burglar mini shotgun. I doubted it's legal status. View Quote I think that's legal so long as they proved and got approval for the historical value of the firearm. |
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I can't say I'm 100% sure it was illegal, but years ago saw a STEN MKII "pistol". It was open bolt and the guy selling said it was ok because he tack welded the selector button so it couldn't be moved to the auto setting.
I regret not buying it. |
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Quoted: Yes. I was in a large gun store and range several years ago. In walks a sweating, pale, skinny white dude about age 25. He has a nice looking over and under shotgun that has been sawed off to about 12" that he is trying to sell to the store! They look at him like WTF!!! Then he turns to me and asks if I want to look at it. Nobody would even touch the thing and he left. View Quote Saw a nearly identical scenario when I worked in a LGS. One Sunday afternoon Mr Clean Cut I Just Got Hired Field Agent and Mr Cleaner Cut Field Agent Supervisor walk in with a nice aluminum case and ask about selling a gun. They get directed to the owner and explain that Mr Clean Cut I Just Got Hired Field Agent needs money for school. Opens up the case and there is a way too short 870 with birds head handle and non descript SxS that is also way too short. I also noticed that momentarily after they approached the owner another Mr Clean I’m A Field Agent With A Couple Years Under My Belt walks in and casually stands and eyefucks something in the case next to the aluminum case. I’m watching him, he is trying to appear aloof but you can tell he is listening in good detail as an investigator on a case would. The owner of the shop is pretty wise when it comes to this shit and sees it right off, looks at Mr Cleaner Cut Field Agent Supervisor and tells him: “It won’t work in my shop, I’m sorry but your going to have to tell your supervisor that it didn’t work here and it won’t work here, have a nice day and please leave my shop.” Neither said a word but they both had sheepish looks as they closed up the case and left. Their observer gave the owner a bit of a look and conveniently left about 30 seconds later. Y’all are obvious as fuck and easy to spot if you know what to look for. |
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I was in a gun dealership in PA around 1999 when a young guy brought in what looked like a chinese sub machinegun - korean war vintage. He asked the dealer - can you help me out with a magazine for this? The dealer said something to the effect "Can I see that, where did you get it?" Guy hands him the gun, "From my grandmas attic" Dealer is looking at the burp gun "This doesn't have a welded barrel or trunion, it's a machinegun. I don't have any magazines for it, and it's $25k fine for you to own it. I can't help you with this." The kid was like, so what, thanks for the feedback.
I've heard other people report guns in the family from the WWII and Korean War era that apparently missed the amnesty registration in the late 60's. Too bad. On a side note, a couple of years out of college around 2000 I was visiting an old room mate. He randomly asked me - what's this gun worth? The gun was a german 8mm bolt action sniper rifle, complete with serialized scope, that his elderly female neighbor had given to him after her WWII vet husband passed. I told him the truth - it's hard to value that gun, but I'll give you $1k for it right now. Sadly, he didn't take me up on it, and I don't know what happened to that gun, but knowing the guy he probably pawned it for $250 in the intervening years. |
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Just the ones on the news the Cartels got during Fast and Furious.
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Nope , but did have an NRA RO tell me my Suppressed 10.5 " AR would land me in jail if a cop saw me with it .
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Last time I did a thread like this, I was designated the hall monitor. Some people are paranoid and told me that the ATF is going to see my thread, go to the gun range I saw it at and take down license plates.. I made the thread later than night lol. Have fun!
https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/I_m_starting_to_see_more_illegal_unregistered_SBR_s_at_the_range__/5-1827472/&page=9&anc=bottom#bottom |
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I am of the opinion that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives should be a national 24/7 convenience store chain with stores located on every street corner in all all major cities across the United States.
But that's just me. |
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A girl I dated back in high school.
Her father was a very talented welder and machinist. He used to reweld and otherwise make operable parts kits ordered off of Shotgun News. AK47s, Uzis, MP5s, MG34/42s, Sten guns, you name it and he had it in multiples. He also made suppressors and explosives. He would proudly show off his projects to anybody who came by for a visit. Then one morning he was raided by the ATF. He built an Uzi for his neighbor. Unfortunately for him his neighbor ended up developing a coke habit and traded said Uzi for blow. The dealer he traded it to got busted and made a deal to give up the source of the gun for a lighter sentence. The neighbor ratted on the initial interrogation and one morning the builder goes out to his truck to leave for work and finds his street blocked by by a few dozen ATF and local cops. He was given ten years but I think he flipped because several other people in possession of weapons he built were busted and he ended up serving only 2.5 years of his 10. |
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I saw one in a gun store no less that had the serial no. completely ground off. It looked terrible, I said to myself I would never buy that shit and that was pretty much the last time I thought about it till now.
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Possibly an unpapered SBR when a bunch of people I knew and didn't know got together.
Guy had a blinged out AR pistol people were going gaga over. I went to check it out and saw the Strike Industries buttstock on a "pistol" with a 12.5" barrel. I asked if it was an SBR. He looked at me funny and said no. So I asked again but said short barreled rifle. Again with a funny look he said that it was a pistol. Ok, cool. I moved on. Maybe he was pulling my leg and was legal. Maybe he didn't know he had broken the law. No I did not get to check the side of the pistol. I didn't know him and I'm not the ATF (spit). Went about my business and had fun. SI Pit Stock |
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Yes.
My Dad bought an old house in the 1990's he was going to renovate and rent out. The house was owned by by well known old timer who had owned a bar for decades before he passed away. When were cleaning out the kitchen a sawed off double barrel shotgun fell out from behind the refrigerator. We were told some time later by a former employee that it was kept under the cash register at the bar under some dish towels. Even was pulled out on one occasion to stop a robbery. Dad threw the barrels away and kept the rest... I still have it. |
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Is that like an illegal drill or an illegal hammer?
Makes no sense. |
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Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law View Quote You were in high school and knew the NFA laws concerning weapons that were war trophy's. Also knew that the weapon wasn't papered prior to 1986 |
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I don't spend my days reading ATF documents. So unless it was really obvious, I wouldn't know. Unless it goes bangity bang, bang, real fast, and you don't whine about buying an stamp....
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Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law View Quote |
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Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law View Quote So you held a legit mp40 bring back as a high schooler and your first thought was "this is illegal." I bet your a blast at parties. Should have told the old man we have to go shoot this weekend! |
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One things for sure. If any foreign govt came on U.S. soil, armed, it would be amazing to see how fast questionable weapons would come out of the closet.
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I prefer to refer to them as under represented oppressed undocumented firearms.
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I have no recollection of ever seeing a prohibited gun.
I have encountered the opposite. A local gun show dealer yelled at me for asking if his stripped lowers were low shelf for use with a REGISTERED DIAS or certain aftermarket precision triggers. He must have thought I was either trying to entrap him or stupidly ask how to make an illegal machine gun. My best guess is that he had no clue about high vs low shelf, so I yelled back that he didn’t even know what he was selling. He handed me one to inspect. It was low shelf and a very good price. I’m still amazed his brain generated the power to remind him to breathe, let alone berate customers. Somehow he summoned enough motive force to lurch his gravy burning carcass from a tortured folding chair. He snatched my cash and angrily handed me a 4473 as his greed overcame the paranoia that’s made him well known to the locals. |
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Quoted: You were in high school and knew the NFA laws concerning weapons that were war trophy's. Also knew that the weapon wasn't papered prior to 1986 View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law You were in high school and knew the NFA laws concerning weapons that were war trophy's. Also knew that the weapon wasn't papered prior to 1986 I knew about NFA items in high school. Not that unbelievable. And 1986 had nothing to do with registering war trophies, there wouldn't have been a way to register that in the 1980s. The amnesty for those was back in 1968 I believe. |
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I've encountered two unregistered H&R .410 Handy-guns.
One of the owners is now dead, other one was a DEA agent |
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Yes, and I did absolutely nothing about it.
It's not my job to enforce unconstitutional laws, educate people, or be a rat fink for the Fed. |
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Yes. During the late ninetees a handful of us were hanging out in the pastures.
A local loudmouth druggie type pulled up in a white Pontiac grand am and takes out a mac type pistol from the trunk. Asks if anyone wants to shoot it. Of course cats did - this was the ban era. It was some sort of shitty MG conversion - it had a varying cycling rate. Probably removed or cut the disconnector in some way. He didn't tell anyone what was about to happen either. Same guy doesn't have any teeth and lives in a rv without power these days. Back in 2013 I was offered a aftermarket hard chromed 1911 for 200 dollars. Couldn't find the serial for the life of me. After looking up where it should be online, I noticed a very good job had been done of grinding and smoothing that portion down. Passed on that buy |
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Not too many years ago in Ohio, anything over a 30 round magazine inserted into a gun was classified as a machine gun.
Ridiculous law is ridiculous. Most gun stores sold 33 round glock mags and were commonly used at ranges. I don’t know if anyone was ever charged for violating that law. |
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Quoted: I knew about NFA items in high school. Not that unbelievable. And 1986 had nothing to do with registering war trophies, there wouldn't have been a way to register that in the 1980s. The amnesty for those was back in 1968 I believe. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: This was close to 20 years ago when I was at my buddy's house, and his dad opened up his safe and showed me a gun. The gun was a fully automatic MP40. It has swastikas on it. He said he got it from a family members family member and his impression was it was legal for him to own as long as it was taken apart. I informed him that if he could physically put it back together and make it operate that it was a huge felony. That is the only time I've ever come across a obviously illegal firearm. U I have not talked to that friend in over 10 years so I don't know if his dad still has it or buried it or whatever. But I held a legit ww2 full auto mp40 for about 30 seconds. I was in high school and didnt know much other than it was illegal. I assume he thought it was a legit deactivated War trophy if it was disassembled. I just remember looking at the swastikas on the gun and him saying that it was fully automatic and brought back from World War II. I am pretty sure that since he had the magazine removed from it or maybe the bolt that he thought it was legal to own, but I remember holding that gun and it seemed like all the parts were there and it wasn't missing anything other than maybe a magazine Eta. The paranoia is really coming out with you guys maybe it's the Sheep mentality. I was mostly referring to if you saw some crazy s*** at a gun range that you knew was illegal.. like some guy putting a pistol upper on a rifle lower...strange shit like that. Or a vfg on a AR pistol. I did that...until I realized it was a no go. Also I never asked if you turned anyone in. Maybe you saw some illegal s*** and offered your advice to a person that did not know he was breaking the law You were in high school and knew the NFA laws concerning weapons that were war trophy's. Also knew that the weapon wasn't papered prior to 1986 I knew about NFA items in high school. Not that unbelievable. And 1986 had nothing to do with registering war trophies, there wouldn't have been a way to register that in the 1980s. The amnesty for those was back in 1968 I believe. I used to know a guy (he's since passed) that had a MP40 that I'm pretty sure was never registered. Not that I gave a shit... It shouldn't need to be. Always enjoyed drooling over it. Would have loved to have shot it, but he told me the barrel was shot out. He had a stroke and moved in with his daughter. They had someone pack up his apartment and send it to her place. I asked her about it specifically because of what it is and she had no clue about it and had not seen it. So no clue where it is now. |
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