St. Louis police to sell Tommy gun stash to buy new firearms

[Artful]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/05/31...-firearms.html

Published May 31, 2017 Fox News
They were the weapon of choice among gangsters during the Roaring 20’s and the 1930s – and now more of them can be in your hands.

The St. Louis Police Department is selling off a $1.2 million stash of firearms, including 27 Thompson submachine guns, to help fund the purchase of new Beretta pistols and AR-15 rifles for officers, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

Christine Byers ✔ @ChristineDByers
St. Louis police sell surplus weapons, including Tommy guns, for $1.2 million http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/c...ign=user-share … via @stltoday
6:52 AM - 30 May 2017
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St. Louis police sell surplus weapons, including Tommy guns, for $1.2 million
Leftover money from purchase of new handguns will be used to buy AR15 rifles for St. Louis police
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The vintage weapons – with some dating back to 1921 – were also carried by cops and FBI agents, and they have been stored in a basement bunker at the department’s police academy ever since they were decommissioned around 60 years ago.

“The original reason to sell the weapons was to purchase new duty weapons, and we did so well on the sale, we will be able to purchase rifles as well, by our own actions without using any budget money,” Carol Shepard, the police department’s purchasing procurement manager, told the newspaper.

Shepard said the department’s current pistols are more than a decade old and are becoming difficult to find replacement parts for. But Raymond Reynolds, the president of Police Trades – a broker who is facilitating the deal – says police weapons are in high demand since they are usually well-kept and rarely fired.

The Tommy guns are being purchased by a Kentucky-based distributor for $22,000 each and will then be sold off to interested buyers if they pass a series of restrictions.

Amongst them:

needing to hold a federal license to buy such firearms, passing a background check, paying a $200 federal tax and notifying their neighborhood’s local police chief of the purchase, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reports.

Police will begin transferring the weapons pending approval by city officials of a contract with the broker.

[Jeff Michel]

I doubt that they will end up in private hands, likely dealer samples. Police were never required to go through the amnesty process with their class three items.

[Beagle333]

Man. I have ALWAYS wanted a Tommy gun.

[JBinMN]

The Tommy guns are being purchased by a Kentucky-based distributor for $22,000 each and will then be sold off to interested buyers if they pass a series of restrictions.

Always has to be a "middleman" for things like this. Just raise the price a bit more. Then to a dealer who has passed a "series of restrictions". Then the price goes up again. Then, if they do reach the folks who have the $200 Fed. permit. The price is so astronomical that it isn't worth having one, IMO.


They seemed popular enough that I am surprised that someone doesn't make a replica of them(semi auto). The 1911 that fires the same round sure is popular. Maybe someone does, but I am not sure...



Anyway, thanks for posting up the article, it was interesting to read.

[dragon813gt]

I doubt that they will end up in private hands, likely dealer samples. Police were never required to go through the amnesty process with their class three items.

Yep, only dealers will be able to buy them. Real shame IMO.

[imashooter2]

I doubt that they will end up in private hands, likely dealer samples. Police were never required to go through the amnesty process with their class three items.

My first thought as well. Not transferable.

[imashooter2]

Always has to be a "middleman" for things like this. Just raise the price a bit more. Then to a dealer who has passed a "series of restrictions". Then the price goes up again. Then, if they do reach the folks who have the $200 Fed. permit. The price is so astronomical that it isn't worth having one, IMO.


They seemed popular enough that I am surprised that someone doesn't make a replica of them(semi auto). The 1911 that fires the same round sure is popular. Maybe someone does, but I am not sure...



Anyway, thanks for posting up the article, it was interesting to read.

Auto Ordnance has been selling them forever...

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Firearms/Thompson-T1.asp

[2wheelDuke]

Always has to be a "middleman" for things like this. Just raise the price a bit more. Then to a dealer who has passed a "series of restrictions". Then the price goes up again. Then, if they do reach the folks who have the $200 Fed. permit. The price is so astronomical that it isn't worth having one, IMO.


They seemed popular enough that I am surprised that someone doesn't make a replica of them(semi auto). The 1911 that fires the same round sure is popular. Maybe someone does, but I am not sure...



Anyway, thanks for posting up the article, it was interesting to read.

I think the "middleman" might be due to federal law. Police Departments can acquire firearms obviously, but the departments aren't licensed to sell firearms. A local department recently phased out their old duty guns. Officers were given the option to buy their old ones, but had to do the transfer at a local gun shop in the city, allegedly due to federal regulations. In the case of these old Tommy guns, they'll probably have to be considered dealer samples since they weren't already listed with the feds as "transferrable" machine guns.

As far as the Thompson, semi-auto versions are made. Kahr owns the rights to Auto Ordinance now. However, the NFA interferes. If you want a buttstock, you need the barrel extended to over 16" length. Or they have to leave out the buttstock for the models with the original barrel lengths to legally consider them "pistols."

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Thompson_T1-14.asp

[jmort]

How cool is that?
Way cool
Those guns looking good

[farmerjim]

One of my cousins had 3 of them along with several other full autos. We were shooting them at my range in the back field when a sheriffs deputy drove in. On exiting the car, his first words were " I don't think you are breaking any laws, but somebody called in a complaint and I have to make a report. " There is a subdivision about 150 yards to the right side of the range. All of the hunters in the subdivision use my range to sight in their guns. The person that complained has moved.

[EMC45]

A transferable Thompson is almost triple that price.

[JBinMN]

Auto Ordnance has been selling them forever...

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Firearms/Thompson-T1.asp

I think the "middleman" might be due to federal law. Police Departments can acquire firearms obviously, but the departments aren't licensed to sell firearms. A local department recently phased out their old duty guns. Officers were given the option to buy their old ones, but had to do the transfer at a local gun shop in the city, allegedly due to federal regulations. In the case of these old Tommy guns, they'll probably have to be considered dealer samples since they weren't already listed with the feds as "transferrable" machine guns.

As far as the Thompson, semi-auto versions are made. Kahr owns the rights to Auto Ordinance now. However, the NFA interferes. If you want a buttstock, you need the barrel extended to over 16" length. Or they have to leave out the buttstock for the models with the original barrel lengths to legally consider them "pistols."

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/Thompson_T1-14.asp

Thanks! I kind of figured there would be one, but did not know there was one for sure.


The price doesn't seem that bad either considering what the ones in the "auction" went for at 22 Grand or so..

[308Jeff]

You dirty rat. You killed my brother, and now I'm gonna kill you, see? It's coitons...

[JBinMN]

A transferable Thompson is almost triple that price.

Meaning a Thompson auto is going for about 60 Grand?

Sounds like my "middleman to dealer to user/owner" theory isn't too far off then...

[Adam Helmer]

The St. Louis Police NEVER owned those Tommy Guns, rather the St. Louis taxpayers always owned those guns the police were privileged to use. Any proceeds from the sale of the arms needs to go back to the taxpayers.

Adam

[mcdaniel.mac]

Meaning a Thompson auto is going for about 60 Grand?

Sounds like my "middleman to dealer to user/owner" theory isn't too far off then...

If the guns weren't transferrable pre-86, they can never go to 'private hands' as such. They can be owned by museums or dealers and manufacturers with an SOT, which is several thousand dollars to maintain. For example, a Post-May MP5 might be $5k, but a transferrable MP5 registered receiver runs closer to $40k. A post-May or pre-may sample can not become transferrable.

[smkummer]

The only way a class three dealer is going to pay 22K each for these is if they are transferable. Asking prices on Colt Thompsons is over 40k if they are in good condition with a 1921 as the highest. If they are a Savage or Bridgeport Thompson (. WW2) about 22-25K. A M1 Thompson would be around 20k. Most likely the dealer even factored in that when 20 some of these are on the market all at once, he will put the price a smidgen under what other are asking so as to move them unless he can afford that much money tied up for a bit.

[Artful]

Most likely the dealer even factored in that when 20 some of these are on the market all at once, he will put the price a smidgen under what other are asking so as to move them unless he can afford that much money tied up for a bit.

My guess with the amount of money involved is that it's Bud's

Budsgunshop.com an Llc
Business Name :Buds Police Supply
License Name :Budsgunshopcom Llc
City :Lexington
State :KY

I and would think they could afford to sit on some for awhile.

[Hardcast416taylor]

After Korea a neighbor kid brought over what his Uncle smuggled home, it was an M-1 Thompson. We took the gun back into a wooded grove on their farm and went thru the stick clips that he had, 4 I think. We found out how that gal will climb on full auto and how fast the clip will be fired up. I later heard that he caught h*ll from his Uncle and folks for that stunt, the Thompson also disappeared.Robert

[popper]

Gotta stand on the sling which is only attached to the front. Standard GI practice in the day.