M2 Carbine Information needed

[LeagleEagle]

I've often wondered. If you purchase a "registered" 7 part kit, and pay the $200 tax, can you legally assemble the weapon yourself? Or, would a Class III shop be required to do it? Also, as an intensive background check is required, I assume you could not take possession of the kit before that was done and the tax paid. Can someone outline the steps, in order, to legally convert an M1,or acquire an M2? TIA.

Ok, here's what you do in a nutshell. First you need to find either an M2 or a conversion kit that was legally registered prior to May 20, 1986. Because of some outrageous shenanigans at the very last, the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act outlawed the possession of machine guns made after that date by other than government (state or federal, LEO organizations) or military. The present owner will have you fill out an ATF form 4, (Application to transfer). You must have it signed by a Chief law enforcement officer in the jurisdiction where you live (Chief of Police, Sheriff, District Attorney, Judge of a court with felony jurisdiction) certifying that he has no information that you would use it unlawfully. You then get a set of your fingerprints taken, a check for $200 to the Department of the Treasury and the seller will send all of those to the NFA branch of BATF. It can take 90-180 days for approval. If approved the form will be returned to the seller with a tax stamp affixed. You can then take possession of your firearm. If the kit is the registered weapon you can install it in any M1 carbine. You can get around the requirement for a law enforcement signature and fingerprints by forming a corporation or a trust and having the gun transferred to either of those two entities. You as trustee or an officer in the corporation can possess it. The prices on registered M2s (most of them conversions) and kits I've seen are between $5000 and $7000.

[G26ster]

Thanks LeagleEagle. I think for that price I'd buy a few more M1s and M1A1s.

[DaveHH]

I shot an M2 in RVN and it wasn't a $7K rush. The full auto M14 definitely was.

[firstflabn]

Does anybody have a source showing how many M2s were made by Inland and Winchester during WWII? Ruth combines them with the M1 in his appendix in the last pages of War Baby, so that table doesn't help.

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

There is a table on page 202 of Riesch's book #5. Doesn't say where he got the information.
It lists M2's
Inland............400,000 estimated
Winchester.......17,500

[Sparrow]

That Underwood (By Rock Island) M2 Carbine belonged to me I had it for many years and it Runs Great. Had to sell all my Class III guns because I moved to a state where you can't own any Class III Guns. Don't know how much Vahn want's for it but it's a great Carbine.

[firstflabn]

Thanks, Jim. I loaned my copy to a good friend who is a new carbine owner, so it wasn't around when I needed it.

[Mikey51]

.... and and overstamp. Attachment 22119

[Greystone45]

So one would expect to pay $6000 +/- $1500 for a conversion and how much for original stamped Inland M2? Maybe $12,000 or so?

[JimF4M1s (Deceased)]

.... and and overstamp. Attachment 22119

Mike,

What serial number range is that? Here is another. It is 7,084,XXX

Jim