MG34 'dot 1944'

[BrodieBartfast]

Hello gentlemen,

Your are very lucky in UK.
In France, since the law of 2017 all new acquisition of automatic weapons is very strict: the weapon must be unfonctionnal, all mobile parts are cut & welded, no more fonctionality or dry fire, & you must declare the weapon.
Imagine a MP 40 - 43/44 or a MG 34 - 42 in such a configuration.
Best regards from Alsace , France.
Carfin.

Declaring it is what I'd have issue with. They now have a nice list of owners for if/when they decide to take them all away. That's one of the perks of UK deact ownership.

In all honesty, we in Europe are lucky that we can own weapons such as this in any condition at all. Especially given the current climate.

B.B.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

There is an awful lot of money being made out of deactivated weapons Brodie. The vast majority of what gets deactivated would be sold off as worthless scrap metal if we were not allowed to own such guns. The prices they go for is usually more than they are worth as a live firer. And then there is the other side of the coin too, we are removing dangerous weapons from circulation, it was only the very early deactivated weapons that stood a chance of being reactivated. Nowadays it would be easier to build a gun from scratch.

[BrodieBartfast]

There is an awful lot of money being made out of deactivated weapons Brodie. The vast majority of what gets deactivated would be sold off as worthless scrap metal if we were not allowed to own such guns. The prices they go for is usually more than they are worth as a live firer. And then there is the other side of the coin too, we are removing dangerous weapons from circulation, it was only the very early deactivated weapons that stood a chance of being reactivated. Nowadays it would be easier to build a gun from scratch.

And yet the political classes continue to obsess over them as if they are something hideously dangerous. I would wager that UK deactivation specifications (pre-EU) are among the safest in the world, if not the safest. I tell all those who view my collection the same thing. These were firearms once, but are no longer a firearm in either the practical or legal sense. From the point of view of their functionality, they are scrap metal. But historically, they are immensely valuable.

So we have nothing to gain from banning them and melting them all down. Never mind the fact that, given the lack of a register, the government has no way of knowing who owns what or even how many deacts are currently in circulation. The only conceivable way they could find this out is by spying on known collectors, gathering intelligence, then kicking their doors down and seizing everything they own. A very Orwellian practice, and it would be a colossal waste of time and resources, especially when modern day policing is stretched so thin as it is.

I'm grateful for what I have. In a day and age where the world seems to be going absolutely nuts, this pursuit is a nice little island of stability.

B.B.

[MG42UK]

And yet the political classes continue to obsess over them as if they are something hideously dangerous. I would wager that UK deactivation specifications (pre-EU) are among the safest in the world, if not the safest. I tell all those who view my collection the same thing. These were firearms once, but are no longer a firearm in either the practical or legal sense. From the point of view of their functionality, they are scrap metal. But historically, they are immensely valuable.

So we have nothing to gain from banning them and melting them all down. Never mind the fact that, given the lack of a register, the government has no way of knowing who owns what or even how many deacts are currently in circulation. The only conceivable way they could find this out is by spying on known collectors, gathering intelligence, then kicking their doors down and seizing everything they own. A very Orwellian practice, and it would be a colossal waste of time and resources, especially when modern day policing is stretched so thin as it is.

I'm grateful for what I have. In a day and age where the world seems to be going absolutely nuts, this pursuit is a nice little island of stability.

B.B.

The law certainly seems all over the place in the EU - we have some members on this forum who can own fully automatic weapons in one country, then another when all deacts must be welded-up and registered. Crazy really...

[Larry C]

Wow factor BB ..congratulations

Regards Larry

[BlackCat1982]

Right about the fog of the law at the moment, but then the Government has others messes to sort out...

Despite all the changes I have yet to hear of anyone actually being charged with selling an "illegal" dealt in the UK.

[Carfin LEWYS]

Hello gentlemen,

News from France, with adopting the last European law about déactived guns, the new système to deact is:
All externe parts are welded, (the weapon is no more removable), the inner parts are take off & replace with a resin coat, the barrel is welded & a groove take on the 3/4 of the lenght of the barrel. (Look the result on a P08 or P38).
New price to déact a Pistol or a rifle = 188,40€
Sub.MG = 237€.
MG = from 280 to 500€ (for a .50)
Nice time for collectors isn't it !!!!.
Best regards from Alsace , France.
Carfin.

[BrodieBartfast]

Hello gentlemen,

News from France, with adopting the last European law about déactived guns, the new système to deact is:
All externe parts are welded, (the weapon is no more removable), the inner parts are take off & replace with a resin coat, the barrel is welded & a groove take on the 3/4 of the lenght of the barrel. (Look the result on a P08 or P38).
New price to déact a Pistol or a rifle = 188,40€
Sub.MG = 237€.
MG = from 280 to 500€ (for a .50)
Nice time for collectors isn't it !!!!.
Best regards from Alsace , France.
Carfin.

The prices are better, but that's because you're only getting half of the original firearm! How far is this nonsense going to go? Haven't they done enough damage already?

B.B.

[Narcis]

As a result, a black market of deactivated weapons "old specs" in Europe.
There are so many of them still iin circulation. Some of those weapons were already deactivated more than threetimes following an evolving and chaotic regulation.
I don't think that is what they wanted to achieve.
Luc

[MG42UK]

Hello gentlemen,

News from France, with adopting the last European law about déactived guns, the new système to deact is:
All externe parts are welded, (the weapon is no more removable), the inner parts are take off & replace with a resin coat, the barrel is welded & a groove take on the 3/4 of the lenght of the barrel. (Look the result on a P08 or P38).
New price to déact a Pistol or a rifle = 188,40€
Sub.MG = 237€.
MG = from 280 to 500€ (for a .50)
Nice time for collectors isn't it !!!!.
Best regards from Alsace , France.
Carfin.

I can't verify this, but assuming this is the case it is completely nuts, but like we have said before on this thread, even in the EU proper (ex-UK) the local implementation is all over the place. Crazy and saddening...