Question re: M2 Carbine

I saw where there was a M2 Carbine posted on one of the auction sites, but it was stated that it was in a semi-auto operation only mode. I realize that if in fact such a piece is marked "M2", no matter if it has any of the "special" parts or not, it is considered an M2.
Hypothetically speaking, what would be the safest course of action for someone in the position of having this weapon in his possession (no, it's definitely not me, and no, I don't know the seller) only to find out that it's not legal to possess. I'd be interested in hearing what the more knowledgible folks out there think. I know this comes up from time to time, and wonder what the well intentioned individual might do to rectify the situation.
If it had been purchased from an older person, with, most likely, neither buyer or seller being aware of what they had, how would one best resolve this and stay out of trouble with the authorities?

If it is maked M2 and has never been registered, general public ownership is a no no.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kikokat

...what would be the safest course of action for someone in the position of having this weapon in his possession ...?

---

The safest course of action if you "found it" in, let's say, Grandpa's closet??? Call ATF, tell them what you have "found", GET THE AGENT"S NAME you spoke to, and ask them to COME pick it up.

It's forfeitted and there is no compensation - unless you count NOT going to jail as a compensation. There are some things in life you do want to find - like Blackbeard's hidden treasure. Just pay the taxes and the rest is yours. An unregistered M-2 is NOT on that list of things to find.

Just my two cents worth...

I totally agree.I suppose if the seller had unknowingly bought this hypothetical carbine from another party, the best course of action would be to return it to the fiirst party and get one's money back post haste? If that didn't work, call ATF?

The only problem with calling the ATF and giving them the carbine is you would be giving them, in addition to the receiver and various naughty bits, a valuable lot of other parts. As I see it, you could immediately remove the barreled receiver from the rest. Then while you are waiting for the ATF agent to show up, remove the barrel from the receiver and then give the agent the receiver and the various naughty bits. That's all he wants anyway. You would not even need any carbine action tools. Put the flat part of the barrel in a sturdy vise, and use a pipe wrench on the receiver. If you distort the receiver there will be no loss to anyone.

Alternatively, one could torch cut the receiver into a number of parts. If done to ATF specs, the receiver is no longer a machine gun. I would guess that while it is against the law to have an unregistered machine gun, there is no law against destroying one.

Yes, by all means strip anything legal from the actual prohibited part (receiver/M-2 kit).

Why not just take the barrel out of the receiver, torch the receiver in two and use it as a paperweight. I have seen demilled M2 marked receivers cut in half. Just don't have both pieces.

Other pieces go into the parts bin.

Hiya Jim. We got a problem here ! I'm running around trying to save M2 stuff and parts, others are running around trying to chop it up ! Different countries, different laws, not good for Historians. Cheers, Mike.

Mikey, I can honestly say that New Zealand is looking better and better every day for me. My biggest question used to be what State offered the best jobs/schools/retirement - now I am asking what Country offeres the best living conditions/retirement/safety.

While I do think that looking at the Southern Cross on a star-filled night would be great, I don't think I can get used to having Christmas in summer!

If the ATF says "once a machine gun, Always a machine gun" how come you see Browning 1919A1's in semi-auto at gun shows all the time? Or do you need them registered to?.....Frank

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by frankderrico

If the ATF says "once a machine gun, Always a machine gun" how come you see Browning 1919A1's in semi-auto at gun shows all the time? Or do you need them registered to?.....Frank

---

They have a different (semi only) right side plate. The right side plate is the receiver.

Thanks Brian, got it.....Frank

Thanks for all the interesting comments gentlemen. Should one ever run across one of these, it seems the smartest route to go is to properly dispose of the receiver, and at least one of the "bad" parts, and salvage everything else.

...because I have a registered M2 and I'm friends with the local sheriff. I would strip it and keep all the parts ( in this case I can have all the spares I want , If I sell my gun and have no M2 , then I can't have all the spares ) and turn the reciever over to the sheriff. He will do the fed contacts and see if it belongs to someone . If it's been stolen , then I would turn over the rest of the parts and the guy would get his property back. I've taken two M-16s and a 1928A1 Thompson off the streets so far. The M16s were stolen govt. property from the '60s , but they never wanted the rest of them , so I sold them to fund my hobby. The Thompson was supposed to be a cut-up import , but it never saw a torch. The feds tried to go after the importor and the dealers who sold it , but they had long sence died or closed up.
I know if one of my babies were stolen and one of you found it , I would like to have it returned , not cut up.
Chris

Get your handy dandy Dremal tool and grind off the 2. Then buy a medal stamp with a "1" on it and restamp the receiver. Then you have a M1. No one ever kept track of the M2 s/n's anyway. I have a late Inland that has a hand stamped M1. They ran the M1 & M2's on the same line and stamped a 1 or 2
depending what they were making. The receivers are exactly the same. What makes a M2 is the disconnecter and a few other parts.

Sniper,
The M2 in question is being offered on a public auction site.... possible set up/sting ?? Who knows.
What I do know is I'd be worried if it had been previously registered as a M2.
My luck I'd do the transfer and the serial number would hit.
But then I'm the nervous type.
I wouldn't want to get that knock on the door and chance a collection over one M2 receiver and misc parts. Let alone the fines, possible jail time, lawyer fees...etc.

A fellow member here told me a few years ago about a 'Misunderstanding' where the BATF hit a collectors door. He later found out that someone with a grudge reported he had fully auto weapons along with illegal ammo. His collection was piled up in the yard in the rain over a course of a few days. Crime scene tape circled his property, he even made the local news. After the matter was cleared up he received an apology, leaving his collection and reputation in shambles.

FWIW,
Charlie-painter777

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sniper188

Get your handy dandy Dremal tool ...

No one ever kept track of the M2 s/n's anyway. ...

---

There are a couple of very successful methods used to reconstruct "destroyed" serial numbers on crime scene weapons - grinding won't do it unless you go WAY down into the metal and then its obvious what you have done....

I wouldn't be so sure about the s/n records. Just because 99.9% of us don't have them handy, don't assume they don't exist, especially in some places like the national archieves or, say, certain collector's records.... if the "ole' farts" got a list, I am sure ATF could get a list...

Oh, and speaking of hiding crimes, I can never seem to get all that ink from the dye packs off the bills in the bank bags full of money, either... anyone got any suggestions??? :madsmile:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sniper188

Get your handy dandy Dremal tool and grind off the 2. Then buy a medal stamp with a "1" on it and restamp the receiver. Then you have a M1. No one ever kept track of the M2 s/n's anyway. I have a late Inland that has a hand stamped M1. They ran the M1 & M2's on the same line and stamped a 1 or 2
depending what they were making. The receivers are exactly the same. What makes a M2 is the disconnecter and a few other parts.

---

Can't do that. Altered receiver markings are just as bad.

Don't get me wrong guys, not everyone here is allowed to run around with an M2. It took me 40 years of "responsible" firearm ownership to be allowed the privilage of being in possession of even a part of one. Even with that authority, I have to report every single transaction to the Police. In other words, I can collect M2 stuff for "preservation or historical purposes", but if I tried to make an operational, or use, an M2, all I would need from that day on, and for the next 10 years, would be a toothbrush and a heap of good books. Here's a pic of an overstamp for those that havn't seen one. Cheers, Mike.

The best way to check if a weapon is NFA-registered or not is hire an experienced attorney. This way, the attorney can find out its status, and you're protected by client/attorney privilege.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tired Retired

Mikey, I can honestly say that New Zealand is looking better and better every day for me. My biggest question used to be what State offered the best jobs/schools/retirement - now I am asking what Country offeres the best living conditions/retirement/safety.

While I do think that looking at the Southern Cross on a star-filled night would be great, I don't think I can get used to having Christmas in summer!

---

Yeah, come to New Zealand its great, you can even own a M2 if you have a collectors endorsement on your firearms licence. don't be fooled by the safety though, NZ actually rates quite high for crime per head of population.
Christmas in summer? lamb chops on the BBQ, yum yum.