The B.A.R. Story

IIRC the stories from my late Father who was a BAR operator in WWII, it is full auto. NO doubt in my mind that the owner never bothered to get it registered during the amnesty in 1986 (?) and therefore mere possession is a felony in the big house (ClubFed). Only options really are to turn it in to BATFE or PD for destruction. A crime yes, but that's all that is legal.
 
LenS said:
Only options really are to turn it in to BATFE or PD for destruction. A crime yes, but that's all that is legal.

Perhaps. Perhaps NOT.

IF it was not duly transferred to the gent in question, it remains government property. As such, the branch in question (Army or Marines, I would guess) may well be interested in having its BAR back for its museum.

If all else fails, a foreign government may wish to acquire it for such a collection, such as the Imperial War Museum.

Such negotiations would probably best be handled by an attorney. [wink]
 
Scrivener said:
Perhaps. Perhaps NOT.

IF it was not duly transferred to the gent in question, it remains government property. As such, the branch in question (Army or Marines, I would guess) may well be interested in having its BAR back for its museum.

If all else fails, a foreign government may wish to acquire it for such a collection, such as the Imperial War Museum.

Such negotiations would probably best be handled by an attorney. [wink]


A PD can legally take posession of it also as part of its inventory (I don't recall the exact procedure right now), although the mere thought of any PD in MA possessing a BAR would incur the ire and wrath of the hand-wringing liberal sob-sisters in this state. [crying]

Regardless of it's legal status (as much as it pains me to say this), I'd sooner torch cut the receiver and sell the rest of it as a spare parts kit to some deserving individual that owns an NFA registered BAR rather than turn it in to the BATFE, foreign government or local PD.

FWIW...

There's a bill pending in Congress that would remedy this kind of situation, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for its passage...


"Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)

HR 2088 IH

109th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2088

To provide an amnesty period during which veterans and their family members can register certain firearms in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 4, 2005"

Search for HR 2088 at http://thomas.loc.gov for full text.
 
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jferr3 said:
I don't know why but to get her to part with it is like pulling teeth, I told her it is classified as an automatic weapon and illegal for her..........I am still trying to get her to part with it, if I do I don't know how the hell I'm gonna hide it, I am gonna be tempted to fire it off on full automatic someday....... and someone's gonna call the cops........thatt's all for now.

Seriously listen to me (I have been involved with MG's for a good while) #1 find out if it is papered, if so it is going to bring her well over $20K But don't get too excited it probably isn't...in which case there are very limited options, it can be surendered to BATFE, or transfered to a police department or accredited museum on an ATF form 10. those are your only letter of the law options. (I know of at least one local PD with a BAR on a form 10)

Then there are two other options. The "grey option" is go there and chop the reciever and have yourself a nice parts set...then there is always the option to just forget about it leave it where it is, and hope the veteran heritage amnesty bill passes...probleem with both of these is you went and told the world about the gun on the internet...[crying]

Possesion of an unregistered Machinegun is a very serious offence the penlty is 10year in club fed and $10,000 fine (fine might be higher now). And I can think of a decent number of otherwise legit people who thought they would never get caught but did...So if it isn't registered don't play with it...If you want one bad enough go buy a registered one...

LenS said:
owner never bothered to get it registered during the amnesty in 1986 (?)
FYI: last amnesty was in 1968...1986 was that last time new MG's could be made for civilians...As this is no doubt an original BAR it would have to have been registered before or during the 1968 amnesty...if you can't find paperwork call the NFA branch with the serial # they can tell you YES or NO as to it being registered, because it is considered tax info they can't tell you to who, just yes or no if it is registered (however due to a number of reasons it is not uncommon to get a wrong answer, which is why the paperwork is so important)
 
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Had a friend of mine, years ago, who was a local cop. He found a WWII Thompson in a widow's attic. He wanted to try to make a quick buck for the lady (and himself) and asked if I knew any Class 3 dealers.
So I put him in touch with a friend who checked on the numbers.
WOW! All hell broke loose! BATF, Army CID and his own Internal Affairs unit started to investigate him.
He managed to keep his job, but it was the last time he had anything to do with ANY firearms other than his own.
 
JonJ said:
Sounds like a payment is due on the Beemer.

Do you really think that someone who babbles about this all over the internet, including his intention to shoot it full-auto, is capable of handling it competently on his own?[rolleyes]

Get serious.......
 
Well Scrivener, if you had a B.A.R. wouldn't you be tempted to fire it? anyway, that thing is pretty heavy and this gal carried it like it was issued to her........I'm going to see it again, copy the numbers like Securityboy says and I have a connection that can see if it was ever registered......right now I am trying to find out exactly what handguns her son took possession of, see if he will sell any that I am interested in, I know from seeing the ammo and asking him that he has a .45 auto and a PPK which I would like very much
Does anyone know about this ammo? I have the box in front of me, got it from that lady, has to be WW2 era, Union Metallic Cartridge Co. twenty center fire cartridges, they are 2 1/2" long, have a wooden bullet, caliber ".45-70-405", 'U.S Govt standard" says .45 cal.,70 grains powder,405 grain bullet,red banner label says "shot cartridges"..........wonder why the bullet is wood? what did they use these for, the guy must have had the rifle that shoots them.
 
Let's review:

if she had ammo for it I would have blasted it right there in her back yard..........I don't know why but to get her to part with it is like pulling teeth, I told her it is classified as an automatic weapon and illegal for her..........I am still trying to get her to part with it, if I do I don't know how the hell I'm gonna hide it, I am gonna be tempted to fire it off on full automatic someday....... and someone's gonna call the cops........thatt's all for now.

Aside from your obvious inability to use any sort of punctuation besides periods, including even paragraphs, this shows:

1. Gross irresponsibility: "I would have blasted it right there in her back yard"

2. Ignoring the obvious:

a. "I told her it is classified as an automatic weapon and illegal for her." Unless YOU hold a green card - and this suggests you don't - how is it legal for you?

b. "...someone's gonna call the cops." Which would only be a problem if you were shooting in the wrong place or were not in legal possession. See above.

QED
 
Oh Mr. Scrivener, don't take it so serious, if I had any real intention of getting that gun I wouldn't advertise it, blasting it off in her yard...........that would have gotten me 20 years in the slammer......not worth it.......have a good day.
 
jferr3 said:
Oh Mr. Scrivener, don't take it so serious, if I had any real intention of getting that gun I wouldn't advertise it, blasting it off in her yard...........that would have gotten me 20 years in the slammer......not worth it.......have a good day.

TRANSLATION: You are having second thoughts, if not actual regrets, over advertising your efforts to scare a widow into giving you her dead husband's property, even though you are incapable of lawfully receiving it. [rolleyes]
 
Scrivener said:
TRANSLATION: You are having second thoughts, if not actual regrets, over advertising your efforts to scare a widow into giving you her dead husband's property, even though you are incapable of lawfully receiving it. [rolleyes]

SECOND TRANSLATION: My price to try to keep your sorry *ss out of jail just quadrupled!
 
Scrivener said:
TRANSLATION: You are having second thoughts, if not actual regrets, over advertising your efforts to scare a widow into giving you her dead husband's property, even though you are incapable of lawfully receiving it. [rolleyes]
Go, Keith!

This is an interesting thread. [popcorn]
 
Grandma still has the rifle, no way am I going to move it from her house, like one of you guys said, I don't want to end up in Club Fed, it has a switch that goes from semi to full auto, I fool around and say I would have fired it in her yard, boy I would love to but anyway I shall see what unfolds, she has no idea what she has there, I am not out to screw her out of any compensation.
 
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