Is it possible to own a fully functional tank?

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I remember back in the day they used to sell used ones (don't remember the model) in shotgun news for about $40,000
 
back about 10 or so years ago, the Russians put up fully functional Kilo and Victor class submarines for auction for like $12 billion each... i always thought how much fun that would be to pull one of those into the local port with the ole jolly roger hoisted high... though id imagine that the USCG and USN would have a **** fit.... oh and for $12 billion, it came with a 30 man crew that would teach you how to use it
 
Questions of practicality aside, in my view things like armored fighting vehicles and military aircraft are, when you get right down to it, horse artillery...

...and therefore ought to be legal for private ownership by any law-abiding citizens who can afford to do so. If it was good enough for Sam Adams and John Hancock....
 
I wouldn't want to buy a tank if I had the money. Something like a LAV-25 would be more practical imo. Someone should be able to own a tank if they can afford it though..
 
those new strykers are amazing, id want one of those... have to park it next to my abrams though... :-D
 
Once the folks in charge of the PowerBall lottery smarten up and rig a drawing so that I win, I'll let y'all take rides in the tanks I'll be buying.

You've got to provide your own 105mm and 120mm ammo, though.
 
I am sure in my state it is legal to own a machine gun, a tank and a cannon and even allowed to have them all together, however, a loaded machine gun on any vehicle might violate hunting laws in my state. (a loaded smoothbore cannon is questionable since the hunting laws only address loaded shotguns, handguns and rifles and says nothing about cannons) :cool:
 
back about 10 or so years ago, the Russians put up fully functional Kilo and Victor class submarines for auction for like $12 billion each... i always thought how much fun that would be to pull one of those into the local port with the ole jolly roger hoisted high... though id imagine that the USCG and USN would have a **** fit.... oh and for $12 billion, it came with a 30 man crew that would teach you how to use it
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YOu can import it if you fill out a Form 6 part I. The armament may require their own forms and involve an importer FFL.
 
Not many, from the ones I have been in. Only the Bradley (which isn't really a "tank") had enough room to be called something like comfortable. The other ones were all sweat boxes on treads.
Click to expand...

I poked my head inside some vintage tanks and other military transports from the WWII era and was amazed at how tiny the crew spaces were. My BOOTS wouldn't fit in the space they had alloted for a man. Seriously! The guys must have been little tiny 5'5" fellows with no body fat. There's no way an average 6' modern American could fit in those spaces.
 
41magsnub said:
What caliber for Panzers?
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The German 75mm cannon is listed as a Curio and Relic weapon...so if you can find one of the very few Panzer IVs left, AND could pay everything to get it working, yes, with the right paperwork, and your state allows it. I saw a German Hetzer tank destroyer for sale in Ohio several years ago, fully operational 75mm main gun, fully functional MG42 coax and commanders' machine guns, fully restored an 100% operational...a mere $115,000. I don't beleive that included shipping.
Also, I have been told that any US made armored vehicle is still considered to be property of the US, and can be recalled back into service. Disremember exactly where I heard that.
Novus Collectus, a guy tried that, bought a Russian sub, sailed it in, was arrested for unlicensed nuclear reactor. Whoops.
 
Also, I have been told that any US made armored vehicle is still considered to be property of the US, and can be recalled back into service. Disremember exactly where I heard that.
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If it was sold as demilled and then remanufactured to origional configuration, then I don't think that applies.

Novus Collectus, a guy tried that, bought a Russian sub, sailed it in, was arrested for unlicensed nuclear reactor. Whoops.
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Nuclear reactors subs are also a Form 6 part I as I read it.
CATEGORY XX—SUBMERSIBLE
VESSELS, OCEANOGRAPHIC AND
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
(a) Submersible vessels, manned
and unmanned, designed or modified
for military purposes or having independent
capability to maneuver vertically
or horizontally at depths below
1,000 feet, or powered by nuclear
propulsion plants.
(b) Submersible vessels, manned
or unmanned, designed or modified in
whole or in part from technology developed
by or for the U.S. Armed
Forces.
(c) Any of the articles in Category
VI and elsewhere in this part specifically
designed or modified for use
with submersible vessels, and
oceanographic or associated equipment
assigned a military designation.
(d) Equipment, components, parts,
accessories, and attachments specifically
designed for any of the articles
in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this category.
Click to expand...
§ 447.42 Application for permit.
(a)(1) Persons required to obtain
a permit as provided in §447.41 must
file a Form 6—Part I. The application
must be signed and dated and must
contain the information requested on
the form, including:
(i) The name, address, telephone
number, license and
registration number, if any (including
expiration date) of the
importer;
(ii) The country from which
the defense article is to be imported;
(iii) The name and address
of the foreign seller and foreign
shipper;
(iv) A description of the defense
article to be imported,
including—
(A) The name and address of
the manufacturer;
(B) The type (e.g., rifle, shotgun,
pistol, revolver, aircraft,
vessel, and in the case of ammunition
only, ball, wadcutter,
shot, etc.);
(C) The caliber, gauge, or
size;
(D) The model;
(E) The length of barrel, if any
in inches);
(F) The overall length, if a firearm
(in inches);
(G) The serial number,
known;
(H) Whether the defense article
is new or used;
(I) The quantity;
(J) The unit cost of the firearm,
firearm barrel, ammunition,
or other defense article to be imported;
(K) The category of U.S. Munitions
Import List under which
the article is regulated;
(v) The specific purpose of
importation, including final recipient
information if different
from the importer; and
(vi) Certification of origin.
2)(i) If the appropriate ATF officer
approves the application, such
approved application will serve as
permit to import the defense article
described therein, and importation
of such defense article may
continue to be made by the licensed/
registered importer (if applicable)
under the approved
application (permit) during the period
specified thereon. The appropriate
ATF officer will furnish the
approved application (permit) to the
applicant and retain two copies
thereof for administrative use.
(ii) If the Director disapproves
the application, the licensed/
registered importer (
applicable) will be notified of
the basis for the disapproval.
For additional requirements relating
to the importation of plastic
explosives into the United States on
after April 24, 1997, see §_555.183
title.
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http://www.atf.treas.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/2005/p53004/27cfr_part447.pdf
 
There are several military collectors vehicle clubs around. You can leagally own a demiliterized armored fighting vehicle. But you probably can not operate it on public thouroughfares. The tracks will definetely accelerate the wear on your street, you probably will obstruct traffic, and have you seen the price of fuel lately. The older vehicles used high test gasoline, the newer ones run on diesel. A semi-auto Ma Duece is not hard to come by. Converting the main gun to be a muzzle loader will probably not earn you a visit from BATF, but the fire marshall will probably have a few things to say. Remember when a tank takes a hit it burns for a day or so.
Then think of the insurance...
 
I have always thought of it this way.

Back in the early Days of the Republic, private individuals owned cannons, ships and private warships could be built, owned and commissioned. Privateers were just that, privately owned and run ships. You could bombard a small town with one on the coast and pretty much had the most powerful single unit/technology of the time in the hands of a private individual.

I would say that any one of us would have a hard time leaping to the aspect of owning nukes given their issues. Though, I would point out that private contractors can get the correct permits to possess them for construction/research purposes (You don't think it's JUST federal departments?) so there is a path, that's just incredibly circuitous and exorbitantly expensive to possessing even something like a nuke with the Federal Government's permission.

I don't see this ever being an issue and I'm quite happy with the idea of warships and land/aircraft being the general high point of privately owned items of war.

Ryan

Owner of 3 armored cars...wishing the FN Mag were cheaper than the car was.
 
I've driven M113's and Bradleys a lot. In battle I'd of course prefer a Bradley, but for pure fun in driving I'd take an M113 any day. An M577 would be even better. More head room, even standing room for passengers in an M577. Take all the military crap out of the back and make it into an off road RV. If you have the money to buy it, then you have the money to modify it.
 
Here is a guy who drives one around town here in the UK. (He had to add rubber tracks though):
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I know most if not all armored vehicles come with rubber track pads. Unless you're really tearing it up you're not going to hurt the roads as long and the track pads are in good shape.
 
Tanks

One of my friends dad had a working one man tank. The town didn't like him taking it out on the road because the tracks tore up the blacktop. But they let him ride it in the Veteran's Day Parade. Would end at the cemetary and he would shoot blanks into the air. Everybody thought it was the best part of the parade.

Not sue if he had live ammo but I know he would reload the shells for the blanks.:D
 
I think one of the best options going is probably the Ferret scout car...someday once I've got a real job and some money, I think I might consider dropping $15k for one.
 
The German 75mm cannon is listed as a Curio and Relic weapon...so if you can find one of the very few Panzer IVs left, AND could pay everything to get it working, yes, with the right paperwork, and your state allows it. I saw a German Hetzer tank destroyer for sale in Ohio several years ago, fully operational 75mm main gun, fully functional MG42 coax and commanders' machine guns, fully restored an 100% operational...a mere $115,000. I don't beleive that included shipping.
Click to expand...

Considering what GT500's and Charger Daytonas are going for, thats a bargain.

back about 10 or so years ago, the Russians put up fully functional Kilo and Victor class submarines for auction for like $12 billion each... i always thought how much fun that would be to pull one of those into the local port with the ole jolly roger hoisted high... though id imagine that the USCG and USN would have a **** fit.... oh and for $12 billion, it came with a 30 man crew that would teach you how to use it

YOu can import it if you fill out a Form 6 part I. The armament may require their own forms and involve an importer FFL.
Click to expand...

Why not just register it under the Russian flag?
 
One of my clients in the Austin, Texas area has a fully armed Stuart tank, a Super Sherman that is being rebuilt(the engine is blown) and a M4 Halftrack with a working quad 50! The 50's are full auto and use 1000rd "headstone" drums. he also has a shoulder fired 20mm AT, a 303cal Gatling, and a 577/450 Maxim MG.


He has a LOT of spare cash, 4 gas wells and a couple of oil wells!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas






PS He called yesterday, and wants me to find him a Ferret!
 
Eccentrics with armored vehicles. Ha.

When I was in the Army, I thought the coolest vehicle the brigade had was the M113 mounted with a 20mm Vulcan anti-aircraft gun. Of course you can engage ground level targets too.
Unfortunately, I think they were all scrapped or phased out in favor of missile defense systems.
One of the most bizarre places I've ever slept in was the turret floor of a Bradley fighting vehicle. The heat wafting from the batteries under the floor was too nice to not try it on that cold miserable night.
I also slept under the TOW missile launcher. Nice little flat area there. Just make sure you tell the mounted crew not to drop the thing in the morning.
 
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