Activating Deactivated Guns

tomone · #1 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 12:49 AM

Anyone know how to activate a gun which has been deactivated?

shetlan · #2 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 01:08 AM

Most often, you can't.

Many of the companies selling de-activated guns weld moving parts together, fill certain parts with cement, or drill holes in key areas.

What kind of gun?
Do you know how the gun was de-activated?
Any pictures?

FerretBone · #3 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 03:01 AM

You could have a very easy firearm to reactivate or an impossable hunk of metal. The second not even being a firearm at all. Most of the time these firearms have a receiver that is a fake remake of the real firearms receiver.

If it's an old looking machingun then it is a DEWAT. DEWATs could be made unserviceable by welding the breech closed, and welding the barrel to the frame. All this was to be under the supervision of an ATF inspector. On the DEWATs (pre 68), most of the time it was very easy to make the firearm serviceable again. And as well as a pre 68 unserviceable gun.

An unserviceable gun is different than a DEWAT.

DEWAT's are still under NFA laws, but exempt from the $200 transfer tax. DWATs (DEactivated WAr Trophy) was for servicemen who wanted to bring home NFA war souvenirs like an AK-47. After 1968 DEWAT's had to be registered to be legal, there is no longer a legal difference between a DEWAT and an unserviceable weapon. But the quality of deactivation between most DEWATs (pre 68) and unserviceable guns ( pre 68 and post 68) are night and day. For a firearm thats post 68 your out of luck. The standards are to high. Torch cutting the receiver into 4 or more parts is the standard for the ATF today. Plus pluged barrles and welded chambers. Your better of starting from scratch. If you have a DEWAT you would probably know it.

DEWAT NFA's transfers as a curio. To be a DEWAT, "a gun should have a steel
weld in the chamber, and have the plugged barrel steel welded to the frame or receiver." But a gun may be registered as unserviceable and not be deactivated like it was supossed to be. A lot of DEWATs were made or imported that did not have steel welds. And a weapon registered as unserviceable before 1968 was not held to the above standards.

To reactivate the gun you file a Form 1 and pay the $200 tax the gun. Basicly the ATF considers reactivating to be manufacturing. If it was an NFA or machinegun your not going to be able to reactivate or manufactur it.

_Th0r_ · #4 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shetlan

Many of the companies selling de-activated guns weld moving parts together, fill certain parts with cement, or drill holes in key areas.

Actually a lot of companies dealing in de-activated firearms don't weld moving parts together. Instead they do the other things you said. I was talking to one de-activated firearms salesman when I was looking to buy an old Mosin rifle and he told me a lot of customers (Legitimate ones.) want moving parts since de-activated firearms are used in re-enactments and other theatrics and customers want added 'realism'.

Incidentally, I believe 'Tomone' is in the UK, so therefore US laws are for the sake of this thread irrelevant.

tomone · #5 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 02:51 PM

Hey thanks a lot for you're help. Not really interested in any particular gun, will go for the one that would be easiest to activate. Hand gun would be ideal. I also believe its possible for the bullet to backfire from these modified weapons. Does anyone have any basic references where I could research this further?

willi-wurm · #6 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 05:49 PM

well, i have a deactivated 92FS. im no good on guns. there are some parts that confuse me though. first of all, the slide does not lock back. second, its plugged with steel. third. the hammer at the back just hits a chunk of metal. i can post pictures later. it has a serial number, and its full metal, other than the grip sides.

can anyone help?

_Th0r_ · #7 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willi-wurm

well, i have a deactivated 92FS. im no good on guns. there are some parts that confuse me though. first of all, the slide does not lock back. second, its plugged with steel. third. the hammer at the back just hits a chunk of metal. i can post pictures later. it has a serial number, and its full metal, other than the grip sides.

can anyone help?

Download blueprints and post the pictures is all I'd suggest. I'm sure they'll be someone here who knows what they're talking about.

Another thing might be to head over to a firearms forum [The Firing Line, is one that comes to mind.] or alternately a forum/site specifically dealing in 92FS's.

When you post the pictures be sure to obscure the S/N since it could come back to you, what with various records implemented these days.

FerretBone · #8 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomone

Hey thanks a lot for you're help. Not really interested in any particular gun, will go for the one that would be easiest to activate. Hand gun would be ideal. I also believe its possible for the bullet to backfire from these modified weapons. Does anyone have any basic references where I could research this further?

Start with these guys. They could at least inform you on the general process in deactivating firearms. I'm guessing these dudes newer and more exotic firearms have false receviers. To be honest your not going to have any luck making a firearm from a deactivated gun. Mostly because if you have the knowlegde and tools to grind out welds, bore out barrels, drill new holes for triggers, and pins, etc etc, then you could just make a receiver from scratch. Then using a parts kit finish the firearm.

Deactivated guns - Arundel Militaria

willi-wurm, post a picture of your firearm and I'll give it a try. Sound like you have a fake receiver, or a gutted out receiver with some sort of plates welded in place of all the old moving parts. Except the hammer. For a dry fire effect.