What can be done with this old Thompson?

[doom]

Yes, he can donate to a local PD. Some home renovator found a Lewis Gun in Belleville Illinois (story from AR-15.com) and saved it from the torch by giving it to their police dept. Check to see if he has ANY bring-back papers for it. You'd be surprised how many prohibition-era weapons see the light of day when somebody in Chicago tries putting a new development up. Don't destroy it, donate it, have it registered with police dept.

 

[Jim K]

HE can't "donate" it to anyone; he can abandon it to BATFE or the police. In theory, he could abandon it to a museum owned by a political entity, but that path is iffy and could lead to more trouble.

I recommend calling BATFE because they deal with that kind of thing all the time and are actually less likely to want to throw someone in jail than a politicized police or sheriff's department. Stripping the gun would make sense, but is not in the spirit of "immediate notification" BATFE requires once the person becomes aware of the law violation. ("I'll surrender the receiver next week after I take off all the parts" won't go over too well with the Feds.)

Here is the CFR basis for a Form 10 registration:

Registration of firearms by certain governmental entities.

Any State, any political subdivision thereof, or any official police organization of such a government entity engaged in criminal investigations, which acquires for official use a firearm not registered to it, such as by abandonment or by forfeiture, will register such firearm with the Director by filing Form 10 (Firearms), Registration of Firearms Acquired by Certain Governmental Entities, and such registration shall become a part of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The application shall identify the applicant, describe each firearm covered by the application, show the location where each firearm usually will be kept, and, if the firearm is unserviceable, the application shall show how the firearm was made unserviceable. This section shall not apply to a firearm merely being held for use as evidence in a criminal proceeding. The Form 10 (Firearms) shall be executed in duplicate in accordance with the instructions thereon. Upon registering the firearm, the Director shall return the original Form 10 (Firearms) to the registrant with notification thereon that registration of the firearm has been made. The registration of any firearm under this section is for official use only and a subsequent transfer will be approved only to other governmental entities for official use.

Jim

 

[xr1200]

Depends how old the guy is, if he 's close to death, then let the lawyer of the estate deal with it. If the guy is in his 70's the batf or police won't even bother him, unless the gun was used in a crime or if he's some kind of local nut or the feds are looking to nail him.

Breaking the gun up could be problems, as the feds could really be pissed about the other parts and go after him just taking it apart.

The guy really needs to contact an attorney on what to do, and resolve it legally, also don't count on the lawyer keeping his mouth shut. Its easy for him to let another lawyer or LEO know where the gun is.

 

[medalguy]

The attorney had better keep his mouth shut, as you put it. His law license rests on that. Attorney-client privilege is pretty strict and I don't know an attorney who would violate that.

 

[pezo]

I have to say that is a sticky situation. If you were walking into an abondoned house and saw an nfa weapon laying on the floor I could see contacting batfe or police. But being in possesion of the thing for awhile then turning it in would seem to make you a felon having had previous possesion of it. So how would you carefully and lawfully find out if it is registered without risking prosecution in the event it is not?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

MGs with proper "bring back" papers--authorized war trophies with a letter from commanding officer--have often been transferred to the NFA registry, by heirs after death of veteran; consult an attorney familiar with NFA before destroying or burying a war trophy MG. A Thompson can represent either an heirloom or a $30K asset to the heirs: contact an attorney familiar with NFA.

ATF also have procedures for surrender of NFA items without proper paperwork: where people get into BIG trouble is getting caught or informed on for having an unpapered MG.

(Thompson internals and lower frame will NOT fit the Semi-auto Thompson receivers made by Numrich or Kahr. Thompson internals with an altered semi-auto reveiver would have to have the internals altered to closed bolt firing, adding a striker. ATF considers open bolt "slam fire" semi-auto too easily convertible to full auto.)

 

[Carl N. Brown]

My stepdad knew a bank guard in Ohio who bought a personal Thompson (at a time when that was allowed as a LE exemption) but kept it after he retired. Years later, he was visited by the feds asking about what became of the SMG he bought as a bank guard. He had to surrender it. It was in a trunk in his attic with his uniform and other keepsakes. He was visited once year after that by a fed; they would have coffee, shoot the breeze, and before leaving, the fed would ask him if he had any further involvement with MGs. (That was a what I remember from a tale told to me thirty years ago by my stepdad from tale told to him by an ex bank guard fifty years ago; all caveats about memory and "tales told by" apply.)

 

[788Ham]

Ingsoc75,

The 1935 Beretta you were given, possibly .32 cal { 7.65 mm }? If so, I have one identical to it, bought out of a pawn 2 months ago, even has the original Italian military holster that came with it. Enjoy!

 

[Bubbles]

So how would you carefully and lawfully find out if it is registered without risking prosecution in the event it is not?

By having an attorney draft a letter to the ATF stating the make, model, serial number, caliber, etc. of the firearm and asking to know whether or not it is in the NFRTR. ATF can't demand that the attorney divulge the client's name.

 

[xr1200]

Never ! fully trust any lawyer they perform a service for you for money and believe me if it comes to your ass or theirs, then they will sell you out everytime.

Also the BAR Association that governs the actions of lawyers, is really a good old boy network set up as lawyers policing lawyers.

The only real way a lawyer ever gets disbared. Is if they comit a serious felony or do something wrong that generates a lot of public or government attention.

Most of time when a lawyer does something unethical, they just recieve a written warning entered into their BAR Association record.

The only attorney I would truly trust is an immediate family member or close friend ect.

 

[medalguy]

xr1200 apparently you had some kind of problem with an attroney at one point in your life. I certainly know quite a few attorneys and I don't know of an attorney who ever divulged the name or circumstances of any privileged discussions even in court. I would have no qualms discussing this information with an attorney. I certainly wouldn't do so in an internet forum BTW.

 

[xr1200]

I know a lot attorneys and even retired judges, so I get to hear a lot of things they pull behind ppl's backs. Just because an individual is a lawyer, doesn't mean they are the most honest and of the highest moral fiber.

 

[Sam1911]

Drifting. I believe the question has been answered.

If the OP wants to discuss this further, he can PM me.