Starting a STEN Mk V SBR in the US

[tiriaq]

While ATF does sometimes amend their interpretations, I doubt that you have anything to worry about. You are doing it by the book, and jumping through all the hoops.
The carbine you are making meets all current specifications, and you have been above board, applying for the SBR stamp of approval.
No idea about NM state law, but I expect that you have insured that you are in compliance.

[Vincent]

Vincent,

Yes...getting close from a construction stand point, but a long way off waiting for the ATF forms.

Did you use the online application? I hear you get your tax stamp back much faster than with the paper form. I just used it for the first time.

[17thairborne]

It was down for long term maintenance when I tried. How well did it work? Was the fingerprinting system easy to use?

[Vincent]

Let’s say it’s a good start. Something they can build on and improve over time. It’s not all intuitive. Scrolling is a bit of a pain. But it’s an online process and that’s a huge improvement. Gave my credit card info and got an email back, just like buying anything online. It was so easy, now I am tempted to buy more stamps and build more NAF stuff.

I have a NAF trust. Didn’t see a fingerprinting system.

On another topic… how do you post your pictures on the site? I always get the thumbnails.



And what’s this guy holding? Is it a “brick” explosive charge? The kind used in WWII?

[17thairborne]

I think the trust is the way to go, and I need to set one up. Was that cumbersome? Forgot the Trust does away with fingerprints, because you can't take a Trust's prints Is the NAF trust different from any other?

As far a hosting images, my wife signed us up for a Filezilla account for our various projects. You simply drag your images to the folder in your account and they will show up on your index page. Simply link the image in the thread to your file location which is unique for each image and it's there.

To post, you simply copy the link for the image at your filezilla folder, paste it between the following characters:

[img] paste here [/img]

Since I collect items from or attributed to the 139th Airborne Engineer Battalion, including inert demo items, I also collect some German WW2 inert engineer things as well. The engineer is holding a German inert 1kg demo charge with inert fuse. Supposed to be a training display, I just hung the STEN there for a photo.

Here's a more inclusive view showing engineer circa Mar 45 on the left, another undergoing parachute training 1944, and an engineer conducting training with captured German demo items at Chalons, France circa Feb 45:

[Vincent]

I drew up the NAF trust and paid a local attorney to check it. It’s basically a revocable living trust. There’s not much to it. This was many years ago and NAF trusts were not as common as they are now. Today you can get one done for around $100.

I live a half mile from the county line. Our Sheriff (CLEO) would sign the form, but the Sheriff in the next county wouldn’t. Those folks had to get a trust if they wanted any NAF items. That told me I should get a trust. Because you never know when the good folks of your county might elect a democrat as Sheriff… and then you’re ....’d and you will have to get one anyway. So, yes… a trust is the way to go.

That’s a very nice display you have there. Many years of collecting I’ll bet. And thanks for the info on the demo charge. It has been 55 years since I have seen one. My father called them bricks. Four or five together was extremely impressive to a young lad.

[Peter Laidler]

Off track a bit but I am about to have 30 Mk5 Sten gun butts machined up. A simple job in itself. Has anyone out there in forumland got one with a flat steel butt plate? Can anyone send me detailed dimensions. Easy to have water jet cut and together, make the butts simpler to machine than the brass butt plate version

[17thairborne]

Off track a bit but I am about to have 30 Mk5 Sten gun butts machined up. A simple job in itself. Has anyone out there in forumland got one with a flat steel butt plate? Can anyone send me detailed dimensions. Easy to have water jet cut and together, make the butts simpler to machine than the brass butt plate version

Peter....wish I had one, as you see mine is brass. I mean the butt plate

Update from ATF...Jan 15 for the approval. I was planning on doing all the sand blasting and finishing together with the barrel when I buy it so the finish matches. FO now the project is pending....like my ATF FOrm 1!

[17thairborne]

Terrible news on the MK V rebuilt front! Apparently Century arms, who did the STEN Mk V dewat work, did not properly cut the receivers to fully comply with the ATF rules regarding a gun parts kit. The kits they cut and sold to APEX arms were still considered live MGs by the ATF so they are recalling them. They state they will pay for shipping, cut the receivers IAW ATF standards and return the kits. Since my tube is already cut off of the trigger housing, I will be fine with sending the tube that I so wretchedly cut to shreds (thankfully), otherwise I would have had to send the whole kit back. I confirmed this with the ATF technology branch today.

Century Arms is having to recall over 500 kits. I was wondering what happened to the stock of them as they suddenly disappeared from every website about 2 weeks ago. I was hoping to make a Mk V (S) with paperwork later. Will have to wait until this issue is resolved.

[Peter Laidler]

Phew........ How DO the BATF want the main body cut?

I have to say that I admire your tenacity with this project - much the same goes for Vincent with his pheonix patchett rebuild too.

Back to the first 'cut body' photos again, I liked the wood patch on the pistol grip. That's how we used to repair the sides when the thinner top-rear end collapsed or broke away. Later there was an instruction that when it did break away, we could just make-good. There weren't many Mk2 and 5 Stens still sloshing around by the late 60's but there were always plenty of mechanical parts - but not the woodwork so we had to patch. What a chore, knowing that within a couple of years they'd all be gone except the silenced Mk6's. But like they always say. Looking back, it didn't do us any harm and was 'character building'