WWII-Korean war collectible arms question

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offthepaper

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anyone know what the policy (if there is one) is for collecting / ability to possess military item from WWII - Korea vintage such as flamethrowers or bazookas as collectibles. Obviously MG's are regulated, but available with the proper paperwork. Is there a similar regulation concerning these items? I've seen a few on display (not for sale) at gun shows and am curious.
 
A bazooka is a destructive device under the NFA and would have to be amnesty registered or deactivated to be legal. Flamethrower ownership is not restricted by federal law, although I believe they are considered "munitions" for purposes of the arms export control act.
 
Bazookas are similarly regulated to MGs - same form, but different item (DD instead of MG).

Surprisingly, flamethrowers are Federally unregulated, and many states choose not to regulate them either. Mail order or in person, they're legal to own as long as there are no state, county, etc. laws to the contrary.


A bazooka is a destructive device under the NFA and would have to be amnesty registered or deactivated to be legal.
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Or built from scratch as a new device, registered pursuant to the NFA - you can get 40mm grenade launchers like this, new production, and I believe that a few small outfits also make bazookas and similar.
 
Amnesty registered would be it was registered during one of the few periods of time when ATF opened the books for those who might not have gotten a bring back registered.
 
Surprisingly, flamethrowers are Federally unregulated, and many states choose not to regulate them either. Mail order or in person, they're legal to own as long as there are no state, county, etc. laws to the contrary.
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I've always found this to be interesting . . . but not interesting enough to get one myself. Even if it were brand new USGI issue, I wouldn't really relish the thought of strapping on a tank of gasoline or napalm, pressurizing it, and setting a stream of inflammable liquid from it on fire intentionally.

Considering the age of military flamethrowers, I don't want to be within 100 yards of someone playing with one, either, even if it's been refurbished.

Edited to add: As a kid I remember an experient several decades ago involving a compressor, a modified paint sprayer, and gasoline mixed with Fels naptha soap. It was impressive. But there's a saying that the Almighty protects fools and children . . . several of us qualified on both counts.
 
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I know a gent who made one using CO2 to pressurize the tank, denatured alcohol for the fuel, and a BIG fire extinguisher for the tank itself. Pretty dang cool, and quite safe. :)
 
Thanks all.
Like I said, it's just a curiousity, and I'm really thinkinging more static display more than working models. I would'nt really want them neutered by a regulatory cutting torch though either. If they were made during the wartime years would be another plus for me.
Just something about military issue during some of the most defining moments of this country. If those things could talk.....
 
IMA was selling deactivated bazookas a while back, check there. ima-usa.com

Or built from scratch as a new device, registered pursuant to the NFA - you can get 40mm grenade launchers like this, new production, and I believe that a few small outfits also make bazookas and similar.
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That's also true but not very appealing from a collector's standpoint. In any case unless you can find a source for rocket motors a DD bazooka is little more than a big piece of pipe.
 
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