Serious Firearm questions and Possible consequences.(help needed) UPDATE!!!!!!!!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Serious Firearm questions and Possible consequences.(help needed) UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:38:40 AM EDT

A co-worker of mine, just approached me and said that her brother in law just committed suicide. Obviously this is a sad situation, however he has some firearms laying around.

Now the problem is one of these firearms maybe less than legit, (not stolen or anything and they are not sure), but something that has been illegal since 1986.

I know little about AK-47s but would I be doing anything illegal by going and looking at the firearm to tell wether or not it is legal, and is there anyway for me to check it without actually firing the weapon. What should I look for on an Ak47 to get an idea of its value. If it is not legit, is there anyway that it can be made legit, or should my advice be to call the authorities and have it disposed of? From what it sounds like the gun is scary looking, it is an AK-47 with the ever so evil bayonet on it. ( I almost expect to see an SKS when I get there).

According to what I understand everything else there will be no problems with just some handguns and shotguns that I should be able to look at and give a pretty good idea of the value of them.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:40:33 AM EDT

[#1]

Wish I could help, but not knowing much of teh AK side, I'll just call this a tag

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:43:48 AM EDT

[#2]

I don't know how close your relationship is with this co-worker or anything, but my gut instinct would be to stay out of it where the weapons are concerned.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:45:56 AM EDT

[#3]

i would be hard pressed to believe that it's even an AK at all. my dollar says she probably calls everything that doesn't look like her uncle's deer rifle an AK or an UZI.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:46:02 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I don't know how close your relationship is with this co-worker or anything, but my gut instinct would be to stay out of it where the weapons are concerned.

The co-worker and I a pretty tight really good friends. We just got back from taking a week long cruise together. I just need help determining if this is a legit firearm or not. If it is not it will be turned over to the authorities, and I will deny all knowledge. What I really need is advice on how to look at this gun and check.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:47:01 AM EDT

[#5]

Well, one way to tell externally is that FA AK's have three postions for their selector...so you would see two dimples in the receiver towards the bottom for the selector to pop into...also I believe the is an extra hole in the receiver, like the third hole in an M-16 series....

Internally, there are ways to tell from the fire control group.....

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:48:40 AM EDT

[#6]

Your first mistake was posting about this on the internet.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:49:09 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I don't know how close your relationship is with this co-worker or anything, but my gut instinct would be to stay out of it where the weapons are concerned.

The co-worker and I a pretty tight really good friends. We just got back from taking a week long cruise together. I just need help determining if this is a legit firearm or not. If it is not it will be turned over to the authorities, and I will deny all knowledge. What I really need is advice on how to look at this gun and check.

Why not just turn over the receiver and strip it for parts?

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:50:16 AM EDT

[#8]

I don't know AKs, but won't a simple function check work on any semi-auto? (i.e., depress the trigger and hold and then operate the charging handle (or equivilent) and see if the hammer follows the bolt.)

Edited to add: after making sure the weapon is empty in the chamber and magazine, of course!!

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:52:23 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I don't know how close your relationship is with this co-worker or anything, but my gut instinct would be to stay out of it where the weapons are concerned.

The co-worker and I a pretty tight really good friends. We just got back from taking a week long cruise together. I just need help determining if this is a legit firearm or not. If it is not it will be turned over to the authorities, and I will deny all knowledge. What I really need is advice on how to look at this gun and check.

Why not just turn over the receiver and strip it for parts?

Yeah, you could strip the furniture off, cleaning rod, gas tube, bolt and carrier, and if you did go this route, take off the pistol grip too...turn in the barreled receiver with FCG.....

If it would happen to be real Russian...the furniture is desireable...

Most likely its just a regular semi-auto AK clone....

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:52:30 AM EDT

[#10]

I'd say you'd be fine to just look and advise them. I'd bet you ar gonna find an SKS just like you said.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:52:47 AM EDT

[#11]

Hide it and STFU about it.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:56:19 AM EDT

[#12]

post pics

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:02:01 PM EDT

[#13]

You would have to have some kind of super-over-zealous prosecutor to try to charge you with anything for just looking over a friend's inherited guns to assess what they have. If you see anything illegal or suspicious, advise them of it and that they should contact the authorities for instructions, and walk away. Or worst case, advise them that you are obligated to call the authorities about anything illegal, and tell them it would be a really good idea if they were the first ones to call and not you.

If it turns out something is illegal, and the cops ask you about your role, just tell them you were a friend who "knew guns" and they were curious as to what they had, and you told them. End of story.

Most likely, it's a standard semi-AK-clone or even an SKS or some other eastern-block rifle. Hell, it might be a Mauser.

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:15:59 PM EDT

[#14]

So what should I look for by looking at the FCG

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:18:35 PM EDT

[#15]

There is an auto sear in there, and a disconnector difference...maybe go to the AK forums here, and check the tacked threads, or ask for pics of the differences.....

ETA yeah, go to the full auto/NFA forum, there is a thread about AK FCG's with some illustrations....

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:25:10 PM EDT

[#16]

if the spouse is willing to sell, they may just be glad to get rid of the guns/offer what you can comfortably afford (if they ares in financial straits, you may want to offer more just to help them out. ..I've heard of surviving spouses taking guns to the police station and dumping them off...don't hesitate too long.

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:27:57 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I don't know how close your relationship is with this co-worker or anything, but my gut instinct would be to stay out of it where the weapons are concerned.

The co-worker and I a pretty tight really good friends. We just got back from taking a week long cruise together. I just need help determining if this is a legit firearm or not. If it is not it will be turned over to the authorities, and I will deny all knowledge. What I really need is advice on how to look at this gun and check.

Function check the weapon.

1) Make sure it is unloaded

2) Safety Off

3) Pull and hold trigger , hammer should fall if it isn't already forward

4) Still holding trigger, charge the weapon

5) Hammer should not follow the bolt

6) Release the tigger and pull again you should hear the click is the hammer falls

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:33:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
So what should I look for by looking at the FCG

Well, if there are three positions for the safety, then you know the answer, no?

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:38:39 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
So what should I look for by looking at the FCG

Well, if there are three positions for the safety, then you know the answer, no?

Well what I was wondering about I have heard that sometimes a not so legit Ar will have only two positions, Safe and full.

I didn't know if the same were true about Aks

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:42:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Who knows, you might even find it is a registered NFA weapon. Maybe he bought it legally some time in the past, without any one else's knowledge. I doubt it but it's within the realm of possibility.

On the flip side, even if you find a semi-auto AK, it could possibly be a 922(r) violation if it has too many imported parts, and wasn't itself imported before the '89 AW importation ban. You have to be a little bit of a connoisseur to tell. It's pretty hard to tell if a piece of wood was crafted in Europe or the US... the US trigger group components are usually stamped "US". 922(r) violations can be "corrected" by swapping out some foreign parts.

Of course factor in your state and local laws.

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:45:57 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
So what should I look for by looking at the FCG

Well, if there are three positions for the safety, then you know the answer, no?

Some of the AK guys here like to have their receivers marked with the original 3 positions..but there are only 2 pins in the receiver so it is legal

It's not the markings that make it illegal, it is the extra hole/parts/function

Posted: 3/31/2006 4:30:22 PM EDT

[#22]

The age of the relitive was not mentioned, it is not unusal to find AK's that were sent back for Viet Nam and never registered.

Posted: 3/31/2006 4:36:04 PM EDT

[#23]

Hold the trigger to the rear and cycle it. If the hammer falls when the bolt closes while you are still holding the trigger, it's better left alone.

Is there 2 detent marks below the safety? That is another tell tale sign.

If there is any question, tell the relative to turn it over to the cops, let them deal with it. Nothing good can come of getting involved in it.

Posted: 3/31/2006 10:40:21 PM EDT

[#24]

Just like M16's the AK has an evil 3rd hole that allows full auto parts to be installed.

(Pic stolen from Dennysguns, thanks Denny)

If it is indeed an unregisterd NFA weapon, you could cut it to make it legal. Not a pretty thing to do to a gun, but better than prison.

Posted: 3/31/2006 10:42:24 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Hide it and STFU about it.

Hell Yes.

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:06:29 PM EDT

[#26]

Maybe you should suggest your friend contact someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to legal issues. There has to be a local gunshop or dealer who knows.

Posted: 4/4/2006 9:34:36 AM EDT

[#27]

UPDATE.

I picked them up today.

Two Derringers

Mossberg 500 Cruiser

A Winchester 94,

and the big surprise

1 Completely untampered with Polytech AKS in pristine condition. She offered to sell it to me for $200 not stolen.

Posted: 4/4/2006 10:24:49 AM EDT

[#28]

i'll give ya 250 for it

lol

no, seriously

Posted: 4/4/2006 11:11:29 AM EDT

[#29]

if you turn it in they'll probaly go ahead and arrest you anyways. The other day a school kid noticed that he mistakenly brought his Swiss Army knife to school. He immediately turned it in to the school. They promptly suspended him and are considering tossing him out of school.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Serious Firearm questions and Possible consequences.(help needed) UPDATE!!!!!!!!

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