Favorite Small Arms of WW2

[KL15]

It is in fact VERY legal for a US citizen (corporate or private) to own Title II firearms. (machineguns and silencers)

I own three machineguns and two silencers myself currently. If you wish to know how I will be happy to point you in the right direction.

B.A.R.'s are very expensive as are most WWII title II items from the era. An "entry level" machinegun like a Mac 10 or Mac 11 can cost anywhere from $2500-$3500. They go up from there.
Silencers are a different story however. Cheap silencers start at around $250 and go up from there. Depending on the calibur, you can get an excellent quality silencer for around $500 - $1000. Of course all these prices vary and the $200 transfer tax for each item is NOT included.

Yeah, I would love to know more. I've wanted to purchase a few fully automatic firearms.

 

[towndrunk]

Yeah, I would love to know more. I've wanted to purchase a few fully automatic firearms.

Two great places to start your research on what you might want and what's available are:
www.subguns.com
Subguns has resource info on laws, forms you need in pdf format, a classifieds page, and a recommended dealer list. the owner of the site, Tom Bowers, also manufactures middle to high quality silencers.

www.sturmgewehr.com
Sturmgewehr is owned by Buddy Hinton in Houston. This site is likely the best site to determine market value of any item in my humble opinion. there is a forum for dealer reference checks, questions, open to the public classified board.
Look at the board entitled "NFA Market Board"

take care when you're looking at prices. for your purposes anything labeled as a "Pre Sample", "Post Sample", "Pre 86' Sample", "Post 86' Sample", or just "Sample", you CAN'T buy it unless you're a dealer, law enforcement, or military/gov't.

Look for these key words: "Transferable", "Form 4", "Transferable on Form 3"
these are for you.

If your item is in another state and on a form 4 you will have to pay TWO transfer taxes minimum so look for items on form 3 especially if it's in another state. if it's already in your state, only one transfer tax is required regardless if it's on a form 3 or 4. (form 3 is so dealers can transfer between dealers without having to pay the tax)

if the gun is out of state you must go through a dealer. if it is already in your state you can submit the forms to the BATF yourself and avoid the dealer's fee. in either case you still have to pay the BATF the $200 transfer tax.

once they receive the paperwork, fotos, fingerprints, and the tax, it usually takes about a month or so for the background check to go through. they send you a big, what looks like a postage stamp. you can then take possession of your new toy.

it may sound complicated, but it's rather simple really.

Any questions?

 

[Diamondback]

Yeah, I would love to know more. I've wanted to purchase a few fully automatic firearms.

Check out http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Default.aspx#?st=AR . Here's the rub: you have to qualify under both Federal AND State laws--it's not either/or, you've got TWO minefields to tiptoe through.

 

[dostacos]

It is in fact VERY legal for a US citizen (corporate or private) to own Title II firearms. (machineguns and silencers)

I own three machineguns and two silencers myself currently. If you wish to know how I will be happy to point you in the right direction.

B.A.R.'s are very expensive as are most WWII title II items from the era. An "entry level" machinegun like a Mac 10 or Mac 11 can cost anywhere from $2500-$3500. They go up from there.
Silencers are a different story however. Cheap silencers start at around $250 and go up from there. Depending on the calibur, you can get an excellent quality silencer for around $500 - $1000. Of course all these prices vary and the $200 transfer tax for each item is NOT included.

yes except the STATE has to allow the title II weapons and California does not [I a sure I could start a company and be a dealer, but I would need to make it a real business]Aridzona and Nevada do heavy sigh......

 

[Sonoma Jack]

as for BATF and endless paperwork, nothing could be further from the truth. in ten years i haven't had so much as a postcard from BATF concerning my five title II's. alot of people talk about surprise visits, but i've never met a single person who's had a BATF compliance officer in their home.

Really? I once interviewed for a job with the BATF about the time I visited the shop and the various agents told me (this was the PDX field office mind you) that if I was going to buy a machine gun then I should get ready for regular paper and visitation hassles. My father was a PDX police officer and he pretty much told me not to buy one because my house would rise to the top of the burglary target list if word leaked that I owned a woodchopper. That, and my name would be mud in the law enforcement community if I ever let a machine gun get stolen. Oh well.

 

[towndrunk]

yes except the STATE has to allow the title II weapons and California does not [I a sure I could start a company and be a dealer, but I would need to make it a real business]Aridzona and Nevada do heavy sigh......

That the state must allow the ownership and use of title II goes without saying.
that said, you can't buy a 2007 two-stroke vespa px150 scooter in california either but you can in the other 49 states.

 

[towndrunk]

Check out http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Default.aspx#?st=AR . Here's the rub: you have to qualify under both Federal AND State laws--it's not either/or, you've got TWO minefields to tiptoe through.

Luckily, KL15 lives in Arkansas, at least his profile says he does. had he lived in a state with restricted constitutional rights I'd have made a note of this regarding his particular state.

Generally speaking, (note that I'm speaking generally) the states in the Southern US have very few, if any, restrictions on title II. california, hawaii, illinois, and the new england/northeastern states (with the exception of vermont and maybe maine) have heavy or even total restrictions. the northwest is generally light on restrictions as well.

 

[Diamondback]

the northwest is generally light on restrictions as well.

Not quite, here in People's Republik of Washington the only Title II toys you can have are AOWs ("Any Other Weapon"--doesn't fit into any other class in Title I or II), suppressors (but you can't use 'em--and the statute's constructed such that they have to basically see you using it, you can have a glowing red can and still be OK), and maybe LBDDs. ("Large Bore Destructive Device"--any weapon with a barrel bore greater than 1/2" not considered "suitable for sporting purposes".) No MG's, no "short-barrel (<16") rifles", no "short-barrel (<18") shotguns". Oregon and Idaho are pretty good on Title II, though...

TD, the descriptions are for the benefit of the community, just in case someone joins us mid-thread.

 

[towndrunk]

Not quite, here in People's Republik of Washington the only Title II toys you can have are AOWs ("Any Other Weapon"--doesn't fit into any other class in Title I or II), suppressors (but you can't use 'em--and the statute's constructed such that they have to basically see you using it, you can have a glowing red can and still be OK), and maybe LBDDs. ("Large Bore Destructive Device"--any weapon with a barrel bore greater than 1/2" not considered "suitable for sporting purposes".) No MG's, no "short-barrel (<16") rifles", no "short-barrel (<18") shotguns". Oregon and Idaho are pretty good on Title II, though...

TD, the descriptions are for the benefit of the community, just in case someone joins us mid-thread.

Well then, for the edification of the community, here is a specific (note: specific *snicker*) list of all fifty states and what you can legally own and where. the list was compiled by James Bardwell as noted at the top of the page. By the way, Bardwell's page is probably the most comprehensive source of information on NFA (National Firearms Act) legal issues.

The list of states is here:
www.mp5.net/info/sbsconr.htm

The James Bardwell NFA page is here (the list is also here):
www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/wbardwel/public/nfalist/index.html

 

[Diamondback]

Also, for Title II fun, the Iannamicos' board at MachineGunBooks.com is good, too. (Can get kinda snobby about Colt Thompsons, but once you learn to overlook that a good buncha guys to know.)

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Interesting choice for a Favorite, although when I Played "Call of Duty" Online, it was no doubt one of My favorites! lol

In real life however, My personal experience is it doesn't compare to The Tommy or MP40, not to mention The Muzzle flash was Blinding as hell!

I will say, I would LOVE to own one....

It becomes more appealing the longer you carry one. It isn't quite an MP40, but I would carry one over a Thompson any day. A PPSh with a full drum is actually portable. The muzzle blast is terrible, but that is true of most Russian weapons.

 

[plain old dave]

Winchester M1 Garand. Not just a fan, but an owner.

(OT: Just realized this was Post 100)

 

[MagistrateChris]

An opinion and a bump.

For handgun, it would have to be either the 1911A-1, just like the one in my gun safe, or the Smith 1917 revolver in .45acp, like my grandfather carried in the Pacific.

Subgun, has to be the Thompson. heavy yes, but reliable, which is more important when you're trusting your life to your gear.

Rifle. Can't top the M1 Garand, can you?

 

[LEUII]

My rifle: An M1 Garand and 1903A4

My Pistol: HP35 and 1911A1 ( The HP35 is an incredible pistol. With the right loads it has just as much stopping power as the venerable .45 ACP.)

My Blade: Kabar USMC fighting knife

 

[RIOT]

Tough choices to make..

If I had to pick a Good-Better-Best, here are my selections, in that order.

Good – Walther P38
Better – M1 Garand
Best – MP40 "Schmeisser"


Others that fall in to my favorites list are
Colt M1911A1
P08 Luger
M3A1 "Grease Gun"
Mosin Nagant M1891/30
Thompson M1A1
Arisaka Model 99
Sten MkII
Springfield M1903
Mauser Karabiner Kar98k

 

[RIOT]

I agree with you on the Fairbairn-Sykes edge weapon, easy to conceal, great balance, light weight, and no self respecting SAS, SBS, SPR Commando would be caught dead (literally speaking) without it. Flawless use on those brachial, carotid & radial cuts.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

BAR, Thompson, Garand and 1911...

 

[Dragon Soldier]

Enfield No. 4.

 

[Fletch]

Small Arms you say?

Bronco AC-29191.

Jacket: size 44. Sleeves: size 40, maybe.

 

[Teekay44]

BAR
So many vets told me that they got as many as they could... Their favorite and mine