Unmarked 1911 - ???
I have been offered a 1911 with all marks removed, no finish and grips badly worn. Price is $150. It is complete and it works, shoots reliably if not accurately. Bore is poor. I suspect it was stolen from US Army long ago and serial number and other markings removed. I know its history back over 60 years, in the hands of the same person, since deceased.
Question: Is it legal to buy, possess, etc.?
Question: Is it legal to buy, possess, etc.?
0
-
No. Everything would be cool except for the missing serial number.
Remember Ruby Ridge.0 -
Buy? no.
Possess? no.
You may think it has a history, but you won't know what it actually is unless you have the serial number.
As far as the police is concerned, it's an illegal firearm.
"Nuke 'em 'til they glow - then shoot 'em in the dark."0 -
No and no. Run...don't walk...away from this one. 0 -
If you had a big piece of land, did not use it for defense, but occasional target practice on your own property, never took it off your land, and did not know it was a gun which the police would melt down, it might be worth the $150. 0 -
Second try: I tried to make it clear in the first place. I KNOW(which means it is first person experience and information, not hearsay or guesswork) the history of this piece, who possessed it since the 1930s. Before that ??? 0 -
Have the owner strip all of the parts off of it and buy everything except the frame. The buy a $100 aftermarket frame and put all of the parts on it. Then you are legal. If you possess the frame without a serial number, you commit a felony.
Measure twice, cut once.
Empty the clip!0 -
quote:Originally posted by rhmc24
Second try: I tried to make it clear in the first place. I KNOW(which means it is first person experience and information, not hearsay or guesswork) the history of this piece, who possessed it since the 1930s. Before that ???
Hmmm...you could hire an attorney, maybe there would be some way that this person who owned it since the 1930's could swear out an affidavit--it possibly could be admitted that it was stolen from the government since the statute of limitations would mean he couldn't be prosecuted, and maybe the ATF, with this affidavit, would allow the gun to be restamped with a new serial number. Now ofcourse, the ATF might first require forensic attempts to determine the original serial number--to support the affidavit--and you might want to have metallurgical research done to back-up the statements in the affidavit to support the fact that it is a very old firearm...
But I think it is going to be just a whole lot cheaper to pass this one by.
If there is any know sources that reference 1911's being made without serial numbers (remember it was legal prior to 1968 to manufacture without serial numbers) , you could claim that it's current condition is the way it was manufactured. But then that could be challenged if metallurgical examination indicated there actually were serial numbers...0 -
dheffley has the right advice. However... you might want to pitch the barrel also, since if it was ever used in a crime , it could come back to haunt you.
I guess the best advice is to pass on this one.0 -
As I said I know the history of the piece. It was used for a homicide in 1936 for which the then owner was convicted, later pardoned. Piece is now in an estate. I told the administrator of all the cautions and hazards above mentioned. I decided to pass. Thanks to all for your time and effort. 0 -
Damn... it would be nice to have a weapon with a well documented history like that. I guess I'd call the BATFE and see if it could possibly be legal to won it - maybe disabled, as a non-firing weapon? 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
10 comments