Just kidding ... this is a staged photo. Also, I don't think they had dish tv in 1944.
Posted on 12/08/2012 9:36:52 AM PST by marktwain
(NECN/NBC News: Jeff Saperstone) - Police officers in Connecticut received one very unusual weapon during a gun buy-back program last week -- the gun was from World War II and is worth over $30,000.
All sorts of guns were turned in at the gun buy-back event in Hartford last Saturday, but one weapon caught the eyes of officers.
"The chance to see a piece of history -- this … is absolutely unbelievable,” said Officer Lewis Crabtree of the Hartford Police Dept.
(Excerpt) Read more at necn.com ...
I think she may have a ticket to jail instead of a winning lottery.
Too bad that insane gun laws lead to this sort of situation.
There has not been an "amnesty" to allow registration of these guns since 1968.
I remember when the Gunny got to fire a Stg44 on Mail Call.
I was sooooo jealous!
What a shame that it was turned in for one of these stupid gun “buy backs”. The thing either belongs in a museum, or someone’s collection, where it would be appreciated.
Give the LEO’s credit - IF the article is accurate, the weapon will be sold to a museum and its owner will get the money.
May I ask that that Police Department clone themselves?
America needs more such police departments.
At least the Hartford Police Dept had some common sense in returning the historical weapon to the lady. And its sale will give her more money for her retirement:
As soon as officers saw this weapon, they knew its value.
“This is a gun that should actually be in a museum rather than in a shredder,” Crabtree said.
And that’s why they will allow the owner to sell the gun.
“I give her credit for bringing it to us,” Crabtree said.
A piece of World War II history — saved.
At my range last month, an elder gentleman was firing a BAR. I asked him if it was a sporterized version or was it an automatic. He said it was an auto fire he brought home after WW2. I told him if he did not have a license for it, I’d be real careful whom he told that to. He laughted and said they told him to bring in back when he ETSed. He said no way and they never came to get it so he feels they wanted him to have it! WWII vets, got to love em.
Have to give the LEO’s credit as well...
for the countless crimes, murders, armed robberies that won’t now happen now that this weapon is out of circulation
/sar, etc
WHAT IS IT?!?!?
How about a Manufacturer or Model??
Typical “reporting”....all about how “dangerous” it is...
“Assault Weapon”, 30 Round mag, 500 rounds/min.....mean NOTHING without make & model!!
Looks like a STG-44. Anybody?
It appears to be an STG 44. I do not believe there is any provision in the law allowing the woman to sell it to anyone. A lot of people have paid fines or ended up in jail because of this stupid law. Maybe some people will understand it a little more if there ever is a followup to this story, which I forecast there will not be, unless it is a constitutionalist that does it on the interwebs.
There is not even a provision in the law allowing the woman to turn it in.
This was the underlying argument resulting in the ATF's big loss in US v. Rock Island Armory; you see they derive their 'regulatory power' from the ability to apply a tax, but by forbidding the tax to be collected they destroy their own validity.
I'm curious about S/N and date of manufacture.
I suspect that it will find its way into “someone’s” private gun collection.
My uncle mailed home a japanese “Arisaka” infantry rifle at the end of WWII. Produced at the main Nagoya armory. Is in good shape, before they lowered quality towards the end of WWII.
STG-44 it is.
Lewis is hoping to be an undetected thief. That gun won’t be melted down, as it should be if the program is authentic and not just an antiques grab bag.
Looks like this STG suffered from some of the same shortcuts. For example, the stock’s very crude and the metal plate that usually goes around the whole surface that contacts the shooter’s shoulder is only on the tipes of the stock, not all the way around.
Wow, a Sturmgewehr 44 ! Thank goodness the CT cops recognized it and did not send it to the shredder. High value firearms should be returned to the person turning it in with a view toward sale as the owner did not know the value. A historical weapon too, although if it is full auto and not legally owned, it could be sold to a museum and the money returned to the owner who turned it in as long as it was a citizen like this old lady who didn’t knowingly break the law.
There are a lot of WWII vets around who kept and never registered full autos they shipped home. As long as they or their heirs are OK citizens, there should be an amnesty and opportunity to sell or get the proper tax stamp.
"StG 44 (Sturmgewehr 44, literally "storm (or assault) rifle (model of 1944) was an assault rifle developed in Nazi Germany in 1944 and considered to be the "Father" of all modern assult rifles (selective semi/full autiomatic fire and using a cartridge smaller than a full sized battle rifle)"
You can buy semi auto only replicas, chambered for .22LR priced around $600.00 Which is a lot of money for a .22 plinker but it would sure shake them up at the range!
Regards,
GtG
GOOD COPS! Thanks for not destroying. In San Francisco, Chicago, NY and DC, this gun gets chopped into bits.
Legislation to this effect has been introduced a couple of times. It has never gotten anywhere. Blame the MSM and the House leadership.
Gun buy backs usually extend an overall amnesty on the possession of the weapon.
Lots of murder weapons have been turned in and no has been prosecuted.
There are probably scores of STG44s and BARs in the hands of WW2 vets and their descendants that the gov doesn’t know about.
Starting the countdown before federales show up at her house and shoot her pets looking for more evil guns.....
“My uncle mailed home a japanese “Arisaka””
! So did my Uncle, only he mailed back 5. I have one. It’s one of the “good” ones, and still has the Chrysanthemum engraving, plus some white symbols painted on the stock. I’ve heard that most of them had the flower ground off. It’s mint, and heavy as all git out!
I noticed that on the table next to this gun was an AR-15/M-16 model and what appeared to be a Springfield M-14. While I doubt anyone would turn in such fine weapons I guess some people just don’t know what they’ve got. I would love to have the M-14. I just can’t afford the $1,500+ price of one.
Wish I had been around. Last gun buyback they had in my city we stood outside and offered money to the people turning in their guns. I would give the owner of the M-14 more than what the cops would pay for it for darn sure.
There was a private buyer there. He was chased off by the police.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2965697/posts
If she knew what it was worth, I don't know if it would have been legal, but a car ride to a more friendly gun state to sell it to a more collector based gun-shop might have had a better financial out come for her than this.
And the “gun historian” police chief says these StG’s were issued to the SS. Wrong. I was able to fire one of these once a few years ago. It was great. This is the gun the Russians copied to make the AK-47, but that’s another can of worms.
And this gun can be donated to a museum, even if it’s not registered.
We stood outside the one here in Des Moines and a bunch of guys got some really nice guns for change. The cops could only come out and look mean at us. They couldn’t run us off as we weren’t breaking any laws and we were on public property. That was over 10 years ago and they never had another one here since. I think they found out that the only thing they got was junk and we bought up anything worth a damn.
How does that museum exemption work? Is there a special exemption in the law?
I don’t know the specifics, but museum donations are legal. A German machine gun formerly owned by Sgt York was saved from destruction in this way.
It’s a relief to know that evil rifle is no longer stashed away in that woman’s closet. /s
“I give her credit for bringing it to us,”
Many women have no concept of the value of an item like this. At a gun buyback years ago a widow woman took her husband’s down to turn them in. A mint condition COLT 1911, and a mint 1903 Springfield. The officer in charge urged her to take them to a place for apraisal as they were so valuable. The officer was then reprimanded for allowing two guns to get away.
A local widow sold her husband’s guns to the local police. They took advantage and gave her the equivalent of peanuts for a M1 Garand and his other rifles.
Made some locals real mad as they would have giver her lots more for them, because she was a widow.
Just kidding ... this is a staged photo. Also, I don't think they had dish tv in 1944.
What a great story! You and your friends are heros! I mean it. Not many have the guts and foresight that you did. If you can remember some more details, I would love to post the whole story.
A gun with that much value will NEVER see the scrap heap.
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