I was reading the tacked thread about "If you find an MG", and understand that if you found an unregistered MG it can not be registered due to the 86 ban. What about a person who found an old AOW or SBR that was made by a firearms manufacturer?



I read the NFA handbook, section 2.3 and 2.4 and the way I read it is any found NFA item that is unregistered can NOT be registered by the current owner. The current owner would need to destroy or permanently alter the NFA item.



For example, Grandpa Jones passes away and his heirs find an old Ithaca Auto & Burglar AOW. Say there is no paperwork and the ATF/NFA can't find the serial number. Is there a way for the heirs to register it?

simple - seperate the offending short barrel from the receiver and give the offending short barrel to a person whom you trust, keep the receiver and file a F1 (pay the tax), get your approved F1 and re-install the barrel.

the key to doing this legally is to not have control of both the receiver and the short barrel .. (same as having a short upper and an AR)

amnesty registration?  - that would be a big NO

Thanks. The way I read the NFA book that is what I figured. I hadn't thought about a person filing a Form 1 to "create" the NFA item.



So far we have never had to deal with a situation like this at the shop (we are an SOT), but with the number of WW2 and Korean vets passing on the odds of a NFA item popping are getting better.