Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Rumors are floating about an ATF Machinegun Amnesty


One of things we hear when our ears are close to the federal ground is that it has been proposed that the ATF get its National Firearms Registry house in order by declaring an amnesty for unregistered machine guns. Now if you fancy that sort of thing and are willing to register thine self with Feds and pay the transfer tax, this could be a good thing.

Just think, the moron who dumped all those collectible machineguns in the creek here in Bibb County, Alabama, not long ago could have been a rich man if he had just hung onto them long enough for the amnesty.

There is no doubt that the NFR is longer a foundation to build criminal cases, so riddled with errors is it (and frankly has always been). Whether the ATF and this administration are sensible enough to fix the problem in the face of the predictable outcry from the hoplohobes is another thing.

Personally, I would rather they do it and thereby avoid having to pay out future tax dollars to settle claims for damages made in the name of a "registry" that isn't worth the label. (See testimony in U.S. v. Friesen.)

Here's the irony. Such an amnesty would not effect the prison sentences of men like David Olofson.

But, if your grandpa left you an M3 greasegun tucked under the floorboards of the family manse, hang onto it a little while longer. It will be worth something more than a prison sentence if the ATF declares an amnesty.

Mike
III

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah sorry- there are registered and un-registered and according to my Constitution both are legal...but than maybe we have a different copy?

Ed Rasimus said...

My paranoia can only be fueled by such as this. "Come out and all will be forgiven..."

Anonymous said...

If I had such a thing, I'd be damned if I'd tell Big Brother about it.

Amnesty=registration=eventual confiscation.

Any reasonably handy person can make a lightning link, or its equivalent for an AK out of easily acquired material with basic hand tools.

Likewise, the "BSP sub-machine gun" plans are readily available on the 'net.

No way in hell...

DD

Anonymous said...

There should be a permanent amnesty with regards to WWII weapons that were brought back by GI's.

Someone finds an MP-40 in the attic, they should be able to register it for the $200 fee with no rigmarole.

Obviously this is an entirely too sensible move, so it'll never happen, but in the meantime, a temporary general amnesty will work.

Anonymous said...

"Amnesty=registration=eventual confiscation."

Obviously there is a tradeoff.

Hell, Henry Bowman in Unintended Consequences, IIRC, registered half of his reactivated dewats (one of each model), and left the others unregistered during the chapter on the 1968 amnesty.

With that being said, most folks who are seriously into guns are on lists anyway. What's one more?

For me, if I happened to have something like that (which I don't!), I'd do it. If the government plays fair by me, I do likewise.

pdxr13 said...

Would an "amnesty" allow any old weapon to come out and be registered with the fed's as a "machine gun"?

Almost every self-loader can be an MG.

In England, smg's are as common as anything. Why carry a revolver when an MP5 fits under the coat and the prison sentence is exactly the same as for carrying any other "offensive weapon"?

It might be time to order some high-quality AR-15 receivers to get tax stamped (I mean, "built") as M-16's. Having a few poodle shooters that can throw triples couldn't be bad.

Can I import my favorite MG's during "amnesty" (ironic quotes because MG's don't hurt anyone and possession of metal shouldn't be a crime)?

What about Destructive Devices?

Will Class-3 Sales Samples be upgradeable to "transferrable" status with the appropriate fee? If they are, that opens up a vast collection of unobtainium models in the vaults of dealers.

Prices of transferrable weapons should find a new low. Not cheap, but not $16K for a POS M-16, until demand once again overtakes supply.

Anyone registering a MG, has just registered themselves as a "gun nut" who likely has "an arsenal" and may be required to welcome BATFE Agents to inspect the designated storage area and grounds anytime they wish. It's no longer 1968 or 1934, and we have good reason to not trust our Gov't.

Is the point of this to flood the treasury with cash as Americans dig deep to pay for tax stamps? Or, is the point to build a better-quality database of Americans possessing militarily useful weapons? Both?

What if no one shows up to their party?

Cheers.

rexxhead said...

Anonymous@12.15 voiced exactly my sentiments. We're very close to the point at which the Sith may decide to roll them dice for double or nuthin'

The element of surprise will take on added value. If Dad had left an M3 behind, I would be buying .45ACP for cash... only...

III

Anonymous said...

pdxr13 said "...Anyone registering a MG, has just registered themselves as a "gun nut" who likely has "an arsenal" and may be required to welcome BATFE Agents to inspect the designated storage area and grounds anytime they wish..."

'Zackly.

Further, he's registered himself as a gun-nut willing to break the law for ~40+ years.

NFW.

Kristophr said...

Just build a new AR lower each week the Amnesty lasts, then sell them.

Drilling That third hole in AK flats and then bending them during such an Amnesty would also be amusing.

Heh.

I'll bet parts kit prices go through the roof.

aughtsix said...

Why should anyone believe, let alone cooperate with, any enforcement arm of the fedgov? How much evidence of their perfidy and enmity to all things Liberty do you need?

All the chicanery and compromise in the last 70 years hasn't altered the Original Social Compact and it's Second Amendment one iota.

In other words, I wouldn't trust fedgov no further than I could throw a handful of feathers.

Anonymous said...

This is not an assault. Trust us we're from the gubmit.

Kristophr said...

Aughtsix: Of course it's bullcrap.

Build new legal MGs and flog them off. Keep proof that you've legally sold off all the officially papered ones ... that will give you time to get to your safehouse.

Just use it as an opportunity to make some money and increase the number of weapons they will want to try to seize.

Happy D said...

And if you have that M3 mike mentioned. Remember the best place to store such an item would be on an unused portion of Mr. Hoplohobe's land. Cashed buried deep. Or public land if you have to.

The real value to an Amnesty would be for those who have found a treasure in the attic. Or the tinkerers.

It would be good cover for the other gun Henry did not register.

Anonymous said...

I thought something was to be established this Sept. 2011