For Example: If I owned an original WW2 German MP40 in 1965, I would not have much invested in the gun and wouldn’t feel bad about taking it to the range on a rainy day, running a few thousand rounds of corrosive ammo through it, and neglecting to clean it for a few days. The MP40 would have cost me $250 ($50 for the gun and $200 for the transfer tax, see flyer below). While $250 was a lot of money in 1965, nowadays an original MP40 may be worth $30,000 and up. Taking such a collectible gun to the range and running a few thousand rounds would not be a great idea because you’d be diminishing its value by adding wear, and possibly breaking, a 70-year-old part.

In many ways buying a transferable machine gun is like buying a used car. You will typically be asking yourself the same questions:

- How many "miles" does it have?

- Was it severely damaged/"totaled" before?

- What parts look worn or broken and need to be replaced?

- Did the previous owners take care of it or was it neglected?

- Do I need a "mechanic"/gunsmith to look it over before I commit to such a large purchase?

- Who can fix it when it breaks?

- Can I get spare parts?

- Am I being scammed? Sometimes you’ll find people grossly misrepresenting the gun’s condition, or worse, offering a gun for sale they don’t even possess.

Collectors

For collectible guns (like an original MP40), just as with collectible cars, there are even more difficult questions to answer. Like any other collector’s item, you are looking for the most collectible and authentic gun in the best condition. You’ll want answers to the following questions:

• Is it authentic? Look for original parts, matching numbers, original finish, etc.

• Is it a DEWAT (Deactivated War Trophy) - REWAT (Reactivated War Trophy)? Many of the older/collectible guns were sold as DEWATS because they were not subject to the $200 transfer tax. (In 1965, $200 would be equivalent to nearly $1,600 today.) Many of the DEWAT guns have been REWAT and sold as live guns.

• Does it work? Some guns are so old that the current owners won’t shoot them or don’t care to.

• Is the seller accurately representing the gun? Sometimes an honest seller just doesn’t know or can’t tell. He may be the tenth owner. Some of these old guns are confusing to the experts as well. For example, if he bought an MP40 in 2000 from another collector who bought it in 1990, and the gun was REWAT (reactivated) by a previous owner in the 1980s, then transferred on a Form 4, there’s no accessible paper trail showing that the gun is a DEWAT - REWAT. Since these transfers are considered private tax information by ATF, they will not divulge data of previous transfers.

My best advice for those looking to buy collectible guns is to go to the major shows and get to know the dealers who typically sell them and the other collectors who already own them. You’ll find that the easiest people to talk to will also be the easiest people to deal with in the future. Read as many detailed books on the guns you are interested in as possible and become an expert yourself. “Shotgun News” features, Peter Kokalis’s articles, and “Collector Grade Publications” are all great resources. Once you’ve done the research and know what you are looking at, you should lay eyes on the gun you want to buy and take some time to examine it. Don’t forget the white gloves.

1960s Machine Gun Catalog

Shooters

For those of us more interested in "moving lead," our primary concerns are performance, durability, and ease-of-service. You’ll need to decide what you want out of the full-auto experience and the gun that will best fit your budget and capabilities. There are seven basic categories of machine guns:

1) Submachine Gun (SMG): pistol caliber / full auto, e.g. MP40, MP5, Thompson, M11, Stemple Takedown Gun

2) Assault Rifle: intermediate caliber / select fire: e.g. M16, AK47, FNC, AC556

3) Battle Rifle: rifle caliber / select fire: e.g. M14, FAL, G3

4) Light Machine Gun (LMG): rifle or intermediate caliber / full-auto / bipod mounted: e.g. Lewis, BAR, SAW

5) General Purpose Machineguns (GPMG): rifle caliber / full-auto / bipod or tripod mounted: e.g. MG34, MG42, M60

6) Medium Machine Gun (MMG): rifle caliber / full-auto / tripod mounted: e.g. Browning 1917, Vickers MMG, Russian 1910 Maxim

7) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG): large caliber / full-auto / tripod mounted: e.g. Browning M2HB 50 cal.

Everyone has their own opinion of what’s enjoyable to shoot. Some people like the fast "squirt" of an M11 with a MacJack, or a mag dump through a short and light 308, like an HK51. For me, what makes full-auto shooting fun is the nexus of capacity and control. If I can hold down the trigger and draw long straight lines on the backstop, I have a fun-to-shoot machine gun.

The more complex the gun, the more parts you’ll have to worry about breaking, and the more you’ll have to be a "mechanic" to keep it running. Once you get up to LMG-sized guns, stockpiling parts becomes a necessity. If you can’t make or buy parts to keep your gun running well, you’ll have a transferable full-auto "paperweight" after a few outings. Buying an LMG - HMG for shooting is a huge commitment in time and money.

For the guns smaller than LMGs, many on the market are simply rifles with a full-auto capability. They are generally not good for sustained full-auto firing. When I consider a machine gun, I ask this question: Can I fire 500 rounds in 5 minutes without breaking the gun? For me, the best machine guns on the transferable market are belt-fed guns on tripods (preferably water-cooled) and SMGs with high-capacity drums. My personal favorites to shoot are the Stemple 76/45 U9 setup (9mm, 70rd drum, 13” barrel, 4x scope, bipod) and a Vickers MMG (.303 Brit, 200 rd belt, tripod mounted, water-cooled). 

Sometimes the idea of shooting a gun is not as good as the actual experience. Determine what you like by getting some trigger time on a variety of full-auto guns. Spend some time at rental ranges and organized events like Knobb Creek or Big Sandy. Become a technical expert on the specific gun you want. Educate yourself on the market for the specific gun, spare parts, and service options you may need. Get to know other shooters who own similar guns. The machine gun community is very welcoming and you’ll meet some great people. Acquiring the right full-auto gun for you will be a worthwhile and enjoyable investment.

Above: Stemple 76/45 U9 Setup (9mm, 70rd Drum, 13” Barrel, 4x Scope, Bipod)

Above: Vickers MMG (.303, Water-Cooled, Tripod Mounted)

The Stemple Takedown Guns

If you are going to buy a transferable machine gun for some serious shooting, you should consider the Stemple Takedown Guns for these reasons:

They are New:

Well, the receivers are over 30 years old, but the Stemple Takedown Gun (STG) setups are complete new-parts packages installed on unused pre-1986 transferable Stemple 76/45 machine gun receivers.

Simple / Durable Design:

These guns are very difficult to break and very easy to fix. They are simple blow-back guns and very smooth-running in long full-auto bursts. Some of our customers who own the 9mm guns liken the full-auto performance to a laser beam.

Easy-to-Replace Parts:

There’s nothing on these guns that can’t easily be replaced. We designed this system to protect the registered receiver from any wear during use. The only parts that could possibly wear are easily replaceable without the need to ship the gun back and forth.

Available Service:

If you need service, we are here to support our products.

Shoot Cheap Ammo:

We typically just shoot steel-cased ammo. Our milled steel trunions easily deal with potential wear issues from any type of ammo.

Buying a transferable machine gun is a big decision. Choosing the best gun can be difficult given the age and condition of most guns available on the transferable market.  For shooters looking for the most smooth, controllable, and durable investment-grade guns, we have the best products on the market and want to prove it.  I’d encourage you to make an appointment with us to see and shoot some of our guns at our facility in Georgia. 

Closed bolt systems fire from a resting position where the bolt is at rest on the chamber. At the point of firing the bolt mass is stationary and only the hammer and firing pin are moving. The bolt mass in open bolt fixed firing pin blowback systems constantly move until the sear interrupts the cycle process by holding the bolt rearward.

Crafty designers have used the reciprocating bolt mass, mainspring design, bolt travel distance, buffer design, and bullet recoil to cancel the pushes and pulls from the shooter’s shoulder thereby maximizing accuracy and control in full auto. During WW2 Hugo Schmeisser pioneered these full auto systems which are best described as constant recoil or recoil neutral systems.

Let’s Look at Two Extremes: The U9SF vs the Colt 9mm SMG

The Colt 9mm SMG also known as the Dept Of Energy (DOE) setup fires from the closed bolt position with a hammer striking a firing pin and no locking system. It jumps and jerks it through full auto, and kicks harder than an M4. Vickers Tactical did a great video on this gun and the physics at play. Take a look at the 3:56 mark of this Vickers Tactical video. You can clearly see three distinct impulses and muzzle jumps for each shot:

1) Bullet Recoil from the bullet leaving the barrel.

2) Buffer Recoil from the buffer smacking the rear of the buffer tube at the end of the bolt stroke.

3) Chambering Push from the bolt slamming the cartridge into the chamber and pushing the gun forward just prior to the hammer strike.

For shooters this results in a jumpy and jerky feel as well as accuracy destroying muzzle flip while bursting. While closed bolt guns may have an edge in first shot accuracy, they have some major disadvantages in full auto bursts. By adding a locking system or delayed blowback system (e.g. MP5) designers can mitigate these impulses but they can only be eliminated in an open bolt system.

The U9SF

Unlike most machine guns, the U9SF does not jump or rise. This system maintains stability within long full auto bursts.

By firing from the open bolt position we can minimize Chambering Push and Bullet Recoil. Here’s how: Pulling the trigger depresses the sear, the bolt lunges forward under mainspring pressure and chambers the cartridge. The firing pin fixed on the bolt face contacts the primer and detonates the cartridge as the bolt momentum is still moving forward. The Bullet Recoil effectively cancels the forward Chamber Push of the bolt mass. Further, the bolt does not accelerate rearward as fast as a closed bolt system since reversing the direction of the bolt mass (still moving forward) requires much more energy consumption than if the bolt was at a rest position upon firing. By having to change the direction of the bolt mass the fired case dwells in the chamber longer thereby allowing chamber pressure to decrease to safer levels.

So what’s left?….. Buffer Recoil.  If we look at an original M11, they are known to be wild and uncontrollable largely due to the amount of force impacting the rear of the receiver. The original M11 has relatively low bolt mass, a short stroke, and lacks a good buffer system. As a result the bolt moves very fast and violently impacts a buffer which does little to mitigate recoil.

The U9SF long-stroke bolt system with hydraulic buffer is specifically designed to minimize recoil in full auto along the lines of constant recoil or recoil neutral systems. The rearward energy in the bolt movement is dissipated by the resistance of the mainspring during the long bolt travel. What’s left of the rearward energy is further dissipated by the hydraulic compression of the buffer.

Since the rearward impulse from the round exiting the barrel cancels the forward momentum of the bolt mass and the bolt never ‘smacks’ the rear of the receiver, there is little forward or rearward forces felt at the shooter’s shoulder. This means that recoil is effectively cancelled within a full-auto burst. As the machine gun is chopping its way through a drum it is recoil-neutral and simply ‘floats’ in the shooter’s hands allowing easy control. The result is a very smooth and controllable full auto experience as well as tight groups.

Check out these videos:

When it comes to machine guns, there’s one saying that comes to mind: ‘’everything was cheaper yesterday.’ For some guys who have been buying machine guns for a long time, paying more than a couple thousand for a MAC is unthinkable. But as the saying goes, ‘everything was cheaper yesterday.’

Like most items in finite supply with a lot of demand, many people look upon transferable machine guns as investments. In this market we can gauge prices via various websites and get a general idea of what certain machine guns are worth. With the mainstreaming of NFA ownership, web boards, and prominent auction houses that sell machine guns, a lot of machine guns are changing hands but it is getting increasingly difficult to get good machine guns.

For the purpose of this article I’ll define ‘good’ and ‘bad’ as follows:

Good Machine Gun: A highly collectible gun in collector-grade condition and/or shoots very well with available parts and easy service.

Bad Machine Gun (if there is such a thing): A gun of little collector interest and/or doesn’t function well, breaks easily, and is difficult to repair.

The Good Deal / Bad Gun Strategy:

Every once in a while you might find a surprisingly low price on a gun that is less desirable to both shooters and collectors - so low that you just can’t pass it up. Hypothetically: if I saw a Chauchat for $3k, it would be very difficult to not buy the gun no matter what condition it was in. Even though the gun never really worked well in the past and is over 100 years old now, a transferable gun for so cheap would be hard to pass up. As an investment, I probably wouldn’t lose any money at such a low price. However, I’d have a machine gun that I can’t use due to inherent flaws, obsolete ammo, and lack of spare parts.

Here’s a video of what I consider the typical Chauchat experience:

What he says at the end of the video is so true for many of the old and aging guns out there: “It works…. sometimes.”

We can play out this strategy and get great deals on a re-welded M60, a dewat STG44, a well-used Reising, an Uzi bolt gun with a cracked bolt, an MG42 with a bent receiver, a rusty Lewis gun, a cast aluminum EAA mfg M16 with a cracked receiver, etc. Even though I have acquired this big collection of machine guns that may be good investments, I don’t have anything I can take to the range without some expected headaches.

It’s not too difficult to get a good deal on a bad gun, but how do I get a good deal on a good gun?

1) Inside Deals: If you want quality guns, make friends.

Generally, if you are a buyer in the transferable market, you’ll be dealing with other machine gun collectors. NFA transactions typically take a long time and can certainly be stressful for both buyers and sellers. Knowing, trusting, and liking the people you are dealing with makes this process much easier. When a collector decides to sell his high-quality guns, they will typically go to other collectors they personally know. For example, if I know someone with an extremely nice MP40, I’d say: ‘when you decide to sell it, please let me know how much you’d want for it.’ Maybe he never considered selling it until I asked. Maybe he’ll say something like: ‘I don’t want to sell mine but I know another collector with a nice gun who might sell his.’ The offer would go out to a small group of acquaintances and a high-quality gun would likely get sold without ever reaching the online or auction markets. Collectors are also great sources of knowledge, guidance, and camaraderie. Some of the most interesting, generous, positive, and friendly people I’ve met are fellow machine gun collectors.

2) Do Your Research

Going back to the MP40 example above, it’s essential to study the guns intensely so you can properly evaluate a gun before buying. The value of an original MP40 is largely determined by condition, matching numbers, and scarcity of the manufacturer. It’s also important to know what’s available on the market. For example, there are original MP40s, then there are ‘tube’ guns that were made from newly manufactured receivers and original MP40 parts. The tube guns are obviously worth less than the original guns. Knowing how all these factors impact the market price of a particular gun arms you with the ability to make a good investment.

Here at BRP Corp, we still have an inventory of pre-1986 transferable machine guns for sale. These are unused pre-1986 transferable machine gun receivers equipped with newly made parts and are the most finely built and smooth running sub-machine guns on the transferable market. We build them for performance and durability, stock plenty of high-quality spare parts, and provide excellent service. There is only a limited number of these pre-1986 registered/transferable machine guns remaining, so get one while they last.

(Brian Poling is President of BRP CORP, a company that has been in the business of manufacturing and importing machine guns since 1999. We specialize in historic WW2 machine guns and the Stemple 76/45 submachine gun in conjunction with JR Stemple & Co Arms LLC. www.brpguns.com)

Most machine guns throughout history were produced for military use. Armorers were trained and supplied to support these guns with specific parts and tools. Replacement guns were typically available when repairs weren’t practical, so a gunner always had access to a well-functioning gun. Unfortunately in the transferable market, replacement machine guns are not an option and parts and service can be a challenge.

Fundamentally, firearms (especially machine guns) are violent mechanical systems. The component parts are subjected to immense impact, pressure, stress, and heat. When these parts eventually wear or break, performance and safety become serious concerns. If you own a machine gun, you need someone who is experienced and knowledgeable to repair the inevitable problems when they occur. If you have an antique machine gun that you want to actually shoot, these problems become much more complicated to deal with.

There are a few people out there who can tackle problems with antique machine guns. One of the people I admire most in this business is Bob Naess of Black River Militaria. This guy can do anything. His in-depth knowledge, shop skills, and spare parts resources are astounding. He’s the guru of old machine guns and has been instrumental in preserving so many of the transferable machine guns for decades now.

When choosing a machine gun to buy or deciding which of the machine guns you already own you want to shoot, there are several things to consider:

1) What is likely to break?

The big concern here is wear or damage to the registered part.

2) Can it be fixed?:

• a) Who is going to fix it?
  
• b) Can I get replacement parts?
  
  • i) Are the parts difficult to install?
    
• c) What will the total cost be?
  
• d) How long with the repair take?
  

3) What is the efficacy of the repair?

4) Is the damage permanent?

Let’s look at some examples:

1) Out of Battery Detonation in an MG42:

At the beginning of this video you’ll see an out-of-battery detonation on an MG42. This can happen from a variety of reasons such as an obstructed barrel, broken locking collar, bolt bounce, etc. When it does, you can see how the sheet metal receiver is damaged. The long receiver would need to be straightened much like a car with a bent frame. Many of the parts that are riveted or welded to the receiver such as the trunion and rails may also need to be replaced. While the parts are currently available, the repair would be very difficult and time-consuming. The overall gun would also be weaker due to the stress that was put on the system so some of the damage would be permanent.

2) Squib Round in Thompson 1928

The profanity at the beginning of this video is certainly understandable. Here you have an expensive transferable gun that needs a new barrel installed. While original 1928 barrels are available, installing a 1928 barrel can be tricky. The first part is getting the original barrel off the receiver without damaging the receiver. A special barrel / resting bar vise has been made just for this operation. Interestingly, the Thompson bolt headspaces from a surface inside the receiver rather than the back of the barrel like most SMGs, so the new barrel would need be precisely set. The new barrel would also require further milling at the front to ensure that the compensator and front sight assembly is properly aligned. Successfully repairing this type of breakage requires a lot of knowledge and shop skills.

3) Broken Extractor on an 08 Maxim.

This is a very simple fix that could be done in just a couple minutes if you have a replacement extractor. However, replacement parts for this gun can be very expensive if you can find them.

4) Stemple 76/45 STG setups by BRP

While any gun can wear and break a lot can be done to mitigate these eventual problems. It all starts with the initial design of the gun to maximize durability and standardize parts. Overall our guns are difficult to break and easy to fix. By expecting certain parts to wear over time we specifically designed the key stressed components such as bolts, barrels, sears, trunions, and ejectors to be easily replaced with standardized parts. We further designed this system to protect the registered receiver from wear during use. Unlike the MG42 example above, the receiver is protected from damage that could happen from a catastrophic out-of-battery detonation. And unlike just about any other transferable machine gun on the market, we have available service. If you need service, we are here to support our products.

------------------

UPDATE 2-12-2020

I just found this video on Youtube:

At 6:15 there's an out-of-battery discharge.  I don't envy the person who is going to take on the job of fixing this gun.  Finding replacement parts may be even more difficult.  Hopefully the damage isn't permanent leaving a weaker & less functional gun.  

In a ‘constant recoil’ / recoil neutral system the bolt never reaches the back of the receiver during cycle. This prevents the excess energy in the reciprocating bolt mass from being transmitted to the shooter’s shoulder. The energy in the rearward bolt movement is fully dissipated by the resistance of the mainspring and no buffer is required. Since the forward ‘lunge’ of the bolt is mostly canceled by the reward impulse from the round exiting the barrel and the bolt never ‘smacks’ the rear of the receiver, there is little remaining forward or rearward force. This means that recoil is effectively cancelled within a full-auto burst. As the machine gun is chopping its way through a magazine it is recoil-neutral and simply ‘floats’ in the shooter’s hands allowing easy control.

Given the unalterable dimensions of the Stemple 76/45 receiver, we could only get close to Schmeisser’s concept. While our setup does require a buffer, the bolt mass and mainspring are designed to significantly reduce the amount of energy remaining at the end of the bolt stroke. We also use a hydraulic buffer in our ‘adjustable bolt’ guns to further reduce felt recoil. These Stemple 76/45 setups are extremely smooth, controllable, and fun to shoot.

Here are some examples below:

Italy

Perhaps the most mounted subgun ever is Italy’s Villar Perosa first made in 1915.

Cal: 9mm

Weight: 16 pounds

Mounts: Bipod, Tripod, Shield Mount, Bicycle Mount, Airplane Mount

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

Switzerland

The Swiss had several tripod mounted submachine guns:

Steyr-Solothurn S1-100 from the early 1920s

Cal: 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Steyr, 9mm Mauser, 7.65 Parabellum, 7.63 Mauser

Weight: 9 pounds without mount

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

The Solothurn S17-100 from the early 1930s is an interesting subgun in that it was only designed to be used from the tripod mount or mounted on a vehicle.

Cal: 9mm Mauser,

Weight: 9 pounds without mount

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

Germany

Another interesting submachine gun from the early 1930s is the German Vollmer ERMA. It had a telescoping monopod built into the foregrip.

Cal: 9mm, 9mm Parabellum, 7.65 Parabellum, 7.63 Mauser

Weight: 9.9 pounds

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

USA

Not to be left out of this trend, the US had the Thompson Model 1923 which had a heavier barrel than the Model 1921 as well as a bipod.

Czechoslovakia

The Czech ZK 383 from 1933 was equipped with an integral bipod that folded into the handguard. The magazine feed from the left side making it convenient for prone firing with the bipod.

Cal: 9mm Parabellum

Weight: 9.4 pounds

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

Finland

Although not commonly used on this gun, the Finnish KP 31 from 1931 was also equipped with a bipod. With the heavy barrel at 12.5” long and its steel shroud, the KP 31 is a very front-heavy gun which makes it and ideal setup to use with a bipod. Many of the guns we make at BRP Corp use the Finnish barrel and shroud system and are incredibly controllable with bipod attachments.

Cal: 9mm Parabellum

Weight: 10.3 pounds

(Source: The World’s Submachine Guns, Nelson Lockhoven)

Mounted Subguns at BRP

Our quest for maximum sustained and controllable full auto shooting led us to revisit this 100-year-old concept. Since 2003, we’ve equipped many of the Stemple submachine guns with bipods. In 2016, we added additional setups for spade grips and tripod adapters similar to the Swiss and Italian guns from the early 20th century. While short-range pistol-caliber sustained-fire machine guns are obsolete by today’s military standards, these types of mounted subguns are ideal for recreational shooters in the transferable market.

The Stemple Takedown Guns we assemble share a lot of features with early 20th century submachine guns. They are smooth-cycling, heavy, accurate, durable, comfortable to shoot, and use high-capcity mags and drums. No cooling system is necessary for sustained firing. When you combine these features with bipod and tripod mounting options, you have unparalleled control in full auto. Some of our customers liken the full-auto performance to a laser beam.

If you are interested in our machine guns, please call us at 678-425-9585.

STG U9 on Bipod

STG U9 on 1919 Mount

STG U9 Spade Grip Setup on MG3 AA Mount in Standing Position

STG U9 Spade Grip Setup on MG3 AA Mount in Sitting Position

www.brpguns.com

Fewer Willing Sellers - The NFS (Not For Sale) Phenomenon

Finding willing sellers is getting increasingly difficult. Many of the collectors who own machine guns are unwilling to sell them at any price. I know a collector who was recently offered nearly $100k for a very rare German WW2 machine gun that he acquired in the 1980s. Even though there would have been a significant gain on a gun that he may only take out of his safe to look at once a year, he reasoned: “then I wouldn’t have it anymore.” As such, this machine gun is NFS and off the market.

There have been significant buying opportunities with machine guns over the years but may likely never happen again because the new owners are unlikely sellers. Here are some examples:

• Older Collectors: Before the internet era, many firearm collectors didn’t even know that buying machine guns, and silencers for that matter, was an option. Getting finger prints, photographs, and a CLEO sign off seemed like a daunting and scary task. There wasn’t even a huge demand to make machine guns prior to the 1986 cutoff. Since most gun stores didn’t stock machine guns and there were very few publications like Machine Gun News that promoted machine gun ownership, the available pre-1986 transferable machine guns typically traded hands between relatively few dedicated collectors at relatively low prices. This is a large reason you’ll see many older collectors who have resisted the temptation to sell with huge collections of machine guns that are worth a fortune now but were acquired at a relatively low cost. Many of these collectors will never offer their prized possessions for sale. These guns will likely stay in their families or command a premium price at an auction.

• Recession Sellers and Recession Proof Collectors: In the early-mid 2000’s the housing bubble brought a lot more buyers into the expensive ‘toy’ market. For example, a homeowner may have seen a $50k appreciation in equity in their home and used that easily gained money to go out and buy a motorcycle, an RV, or a machine gun. This era from 2002-2008 saw a large increase in the value of transferable machine guns. When the real estate bubble burst many of these buyers became recession sellers. They realized that they couldn’t afford to keep their ‘toys,’ and savvy collectors scooped them up at a discount. The new recession proof collectors are unlikely going to find themselves in a position where they'd need to sell their collections at a discount for fast cash. These new owners can now command the prices they want because they don’t have to sell. Unfortunately for future buyers, many of these guns once acquired by such collectors will never be available on the market again.

More and More and More Buyers

The NFA has gone mainstream. Buying and selling machine guns and silencers - Form 3s and Form 4s - are now commonplace in the firearms market. There are a lot of factors that have unclouded the confusion and fear many firearms collectors had about the NFA and owning machine guns in general. Typical gun stores stocking NFA items like silencers and short barreled rifles, easy access to information on machine guns and the process to acquire them, and just the overall promulgation of NFA items have all amounted to a massive increase in buyers. I could have never imagined 10 years ago that Ruger and Remington would be offering factory suppressed guns in 2017, or that silencer ads would be in American Rifleman. The NFA market which used to be the dark underworld of the firearms market is now mainstream.

Silencers have undoubtedly brought many more buyers into the machine gun market. In essence, silencers have been the ‘gateway drug’ that has led many firearm collectors into the machine gun market. Once someone goes through the Form 4 process and realizes that it’s not that bad, the flood gates are opened to the entire NFA market. For many of these new buyers, the biggest problem is finding the gun they want and completing the deal from purchase to FFL/SOT transfer to final delivery.

The Increasing Role of Auction Houses

Now that there’s been a huge increase in the values of machine guns due to the influx of more buyers and shrinking supply of quality guns, buyers are willing to pay a premium for the certainty of the transaction. As a machine gun buyer, especially an inexperienced buyer, protecting yourself from a bad deal that could easily be in the tens of thousands is critical and valuable. Specifically, the auction house stakes its reputation on providing accurate evaluation and description of the machine gun as well as ensuring the completion of the deal and proper transfer. This security is why machine guns sold by a reputable auction house typically sell above what most people consider market prices.

These higher prices at auctions have also resulted in estates consigning machine gun collections to auction houses rather than bulk selling them to dealers at a discount.

So what do these trends mean for the machine gun buyers and sellers?

Since the supply of transferable machine guns was capped by the 1986 ban and more machine gun owners are unwilling sellers, increasing numbers of buyers competing for a shrinking supply of available machine guns for sale will continue to push machine gun prices higher.

Here at BRP Corp, we still have an inventory of pre-1986 transferable machine guns for sale. These are unused pre-1986 transferable machine gun receivers equipped with newly made parts and are the most finely built and smooth running sub-machine guns on the transferable market. We build them for performance and durability, stock plenty of high-quality spare parts, and provide excellent service. There is only a limited number of these pre-1986 registered/transferable machine guns remaining, so get one while they last.

(Brian Poling is President of BRP CORP, a company that has been in the business of manufacturing and importing machine guns since 1999. We specialize in historic WW2 machine guns and the Stemple 76/45 submachine gun in conjunction with JR Stemple & Co Arms LLC. www.brpguns.com)

The Suomi 9mm Sniper http://www.mosinnagant.net/finland/simohayha.asp