Thompson "L" Drum Old Parts Kit
I have found for sale a "L" Drum parts kit. Before I hope to buy it, is it legal build a "L" or 39 drum from pre-Ban parts. I recently located an empty unmarked drum & cover, no rails, feeder, or internals. It was apparently just one you would normally put on your Tommy for show. The drum is not stamped with its capacity or manufacturer, can it be legally assembled into an operational "L"? I believe someone on this WEB sells or did sell new replacement rails for Thompson "L" Drums that could replace the missing ones. When a preban feeder mechanism is located, it should work. But, my main question is since the drum is unmarked would completing it into a "L" or even a 39 drum legal? THANKS Dwight4501
0
-
There is no legal way to use that drum the way that you are planning. The 1994 Crime Bill prohibits the manufacture of new high capacity magazines- although it does allow for the sale of parts to repair damaged preban magazines. What you are planning on doing is taking a stripped and bare drum housing which was left unfinished and unmarked, completing it internally, and then adding the feed mechanism form another outside source to create a functional magazine which does not currently exist and clearly did not exist before the Crime Bill went into effect in September, 1994.
The only legal use for that drum housing would be to replace the damaged housing of a preban drum. If you purchased a legal preban drum which was damaged you could remove its internals and then add them to your replacement drum body and be okay. The law is very clear in that you are prohibited from manufacturing a high capacity magazine that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept more than ten rounds of ammunition. The BATFE also considers such magazines in knocked down form (all of the needed parts to assemble a magazine) to be subject to all the same restrictions. If you were to purchase that drum body, complete it, and also had the internal mechanism to make it function you would be in posession of a banned magazine whether or not it is assembled. You can check Chapter 44, section 921 (31)(A) for the details.
Mark T. Christian0 -
Hello Mr. Christian,
Thank you so much for all the great information and warning. I certainly don't want to do anything that's illegal so I'm glad you squashed my dumb idea![xx(] I'm sure that I'm not the only other one that thought of this before or questioned if it was legal.[?] Good thing huh? Now I am glad that I didn't waste my money buy all those spare drum parts. Seems that there's a ton of restrictions on these gun items that makes it so hard for us honest collectors and hobby shooters to enjoy without spending an arm and a leg. I will need to make note of your Chapter 44, section 921 (31)(A)and review it. Thank you! I have been looking to buy a Preban "L" but their price is getting out of this world! Can you believe that the law enforcement agency's & foreign countries can get a brand new from the factory "L" for about $300 or less but us common folk must buy an old one (if you can find one) for currently $700 up![:0] I believe that I should just go back to collecting railroad lanterns and forget all this gun fun until one day I become rich, if ever! Thanks a million for your very informative help. Might even go back to my old hobby, coin collecting, its safer and has no restrictions, I THINK???[:D]0 -
If the ban sunsets, maybe you will be able to get what you want after all. When Klinton got elected in 1992, I began buying high capacity magazines for about everything of interest, including Thompson drums, whether I owned a corresponding firearm or not. They turned out to be a good investment.
Still, $500 to $700 for a drum that apparently sells elsewhwere for $300 is really not too much of an increase considering the ban is nearly 10 years old now. If the ban does not sunset, expect a huge bump in the prices. It might be wise to buy now if you ever want one.0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
3 comments