# Does anyone own a Thompson machine gun ?



## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

..............I've always wanted one of these machines but they're alittle , Too $$ for me . Was reading some where that the Total number of permits for private ownership licenses for auto weapons is capped at 300,000 or so , I wasn't aware of this limit . , thanks , fordy


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

there is no cap on federal tax stamps. but during the admin for the elder bush new full auto registrations we ended so the only ones allowed to be tranferred are the ones registeredby the cutoff date. that makes for a limited supply which is why prices are so heinous.


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

Yep,good ole Launtenberg(DS-NJ)snuck an amendment into a bill in the last 5 mins,which made illegal civilians MAKING and registering new machine guns in the NFA registry..So prices shot through the roof.My buddy Doc has a MG42 he paid $400+$200tax for in 1974-worth min of 20k now...Thompsons are a particulary studied subset-some are 7,8k now,othersw 100k depends on model,who historically used it,condition...All the best MGs made in US were by private citizens-military boards design a POS like the m-60..


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Total number of permits for private ownership licenses for auto weapons is capped at 300,000 or so , I wasn't aware of this limit


It's actually not so much a cap on the number of permits.
Its just that the guns had to be registered prior to May of 1986 to be legal to own.

It's still possible to buy registered "auto sears", which can be used in different guns, since the sear itself is the "machine gun"


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## MWnBC (Dec 4, 2008)

Not aThompson,but have a WW1 vintage German Mauser ,water cooled,belt fed.No belts or rounds,just a conversation piece.


Mark.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Mark
would that be a mauser made Maxim machine gun or what?


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I always wanted a B.A.R myself tommys are cool but a a BAR beats them hands down or at least I think.


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

MWnBC said:


> Not aThompson,but have a WW1 vintage German Mauser ,water cooled,belt fed.No belts or rounds,just a conversation piece.
> 
> 
> Mark.


Is it live,a Dewat,or does it have a fake right side plate??If live,belts are cheap..It's a Maxim,possibly made by Mauser factory..Need more info.


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

Like Bearfoot said-no cap-just a finite supply.......Also if you own a AR15 and have M16 fire control parts,ATF considers that an unregistered MG-even if the parts are in your basement and AR in attic.Watch some of the ATF tech tapes(JFPO has one)...they will put your parts into your AR,soak in teflon lube,slap mag in and if 2 rds come out with one pull-You're busted...


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## denaliguide (Aug 30, 2008)

reality says its basically unnecessary, keep the knowledge. Have the capability.
Not too much situation I can see needing a full-auto except for fun. No point in going on about it. You know the rules, keep yourself safe.

DG



zant said:


> Like Bearfoot said-no cap-just a finite supply.......Also if you own a AR15 and have M16 fire control parts,ATF considers that an unregistered MG-even if the parts are in your basement and AR in attic.Watch some of the ATF tech tapes(JFPO has one)...they will put your parts into your AR,soak in teflon lube,slap mag in and if 2 rds come out with one pull-You're busted...


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> It's actually not so much a cap on the number of permits.
> Its just that the guns had to be registered prior to May of 1986 to be legal to own.
> 
> It's still possible to buy registered "auto sears", which can be used in different guns, since the sear itself is the "machine gun"


Then I'm guessing the current Semi-auto Thompson cannot be converted?


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

Jolly said:


> Then I'm guessing the current Semi-auto Thompson cannot be converted?


Nope,besides being illegal,it would require machine work as the factory redesigned part of recvr to preclude dropping in auto parts-this could be done with originals but not newer models..


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Jolly said:


> Then I'm guessing the current Semi-auto Thompson cannot be converted?



Not legally, for most people.

It might be legal for a police dept to have one converted, but it's not likely they would want one.
They can still buy new ones


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