Township sells vintage firearms

[scoutjoe]

Well I had to read this today so I felt like I'd better share with the class. I'm not sure who they are selling them through. I've been around auctions but I can't figure how the township (local government) can divest of a regulated item (firearm) without a background check?

Logan selling vintage firearms

Ceremonial guns will be up for auction; background checks wont’ be required

By William Kibler
The Logan Township supervisors have agreed to dispose of eight guns bought for ceremonial purposes in the 1970s. Supervisor Patrick Jones opposed the move, out of concern over “who gets them.”
The guns will be auctioned by a State College-area firm, because that will likely yield a better return than if the township traded them in, according to township manager Tim Brown. The likely buyers of the “vintage military weapons” will be collectors, said township solicitor Dan Stants.
They were bought by the township’s first police chief, Vaul Rouzer, to be used during funerals and other such events said supervisor Ron Heller, former township police officer, then police chief.
Three are M1 Garands, a semi-automatic rifle used by the US military in World War II and the Korean War. The others are Browning Auto-5 12 gauge shotguns. All are operational, as far as he knows Stants said. No background checks are required for the rifles and shotguns the township is selling, Stants said, in answer to a question from Heller. Used M1 Garands and used Browning Auto-5s are currently worth an average of about $1,400 each, according to the True Gun Value.
The guns operability seemed to be Jones’ main concern. He was a member of a military organization that rendered such ceremonial guns inoperable, but that change can be reversed, Jones said.
“Everybody is in a tizzy about what is being called assault rifles,” Jones said. That term could probably be applied to the rifles the township is selling, he stated. Stants disagrees about that label.
“They are 8-shot semi-auto WWII military rifles,” the solicitor wrote in a followup email. “(And) the shotguns are just the military version of the Remington Model 11 Sportsman, 3 shot semi-auto 12 gauge shotguns that were bought by the US government during WWII to be used by security guards at prisons and factories. Moreover, the auctioneer “has a strong customer base of collectors,” who regularly patronize his auctions – and those who bid on guns must register with their driver’s license information, wrote Stants, who has attended those auctions. “So there isn’t much risk of the guns getting into the hands of any criminals,” Stants wrote. “(Furthermore), these aren’t the kind of guns that criminals want anyway.”

[Delkal]

The government selling without a background check? Interesting. I though that was only for civilian transfers.

[Boo Vuccla]

They are long guns. Not a requirement between private parties. I understand that the "township" is a government entity and if I were their solicitor, I would require it. However, it could be the auctioneer or whatever State College firm they will sell them through is the 3rd party entity that will incur the liability if they don't require a background check. I will say that very few "gangsters" prefer Garands for their nightly drive by shootings. The A5's could be a little dicey but again, not your typical street weapons.

All are operational, as far as he knows Stants said.

Since they were "ceremonial" I would believe they had the blank apparatus installed in the Garands. They may have also had the shotguns gas systems modified to prevent cycling.

[Walleye Hunter]

They are long guns. Not a requirement between private parties. I understand that the "township" is a government entity and if I were their solicitor, I would require it. However, it could be the auctioneer or whatever State College firm they will sell them through is the 3rd party entity that will incur the liability if they don't require a background check. I will say that very few "gangsters" prefer Garands for their nightly drive by shootings. The A5's could be a little dicey but again, not your typical street weapons.

Since they were "ceremonial" I would believe they had the blank apparatus installed in the Garands. They may have also had the shotguns gas systems modified to prevent cycling.

Thus, that disclaimer.

[JoshIronshaft]

I would bet the auctioneer has an FFL, so it's on them to determine if they are functional firearms and if a 4473 is required.

[Boo Vuccla]

I would bet the auctioneer has an FFL, so it's on them to determine if they are functional firearms and if a 4473 is required.

Exactly!!

[scoutjoe]

I would bet the auctioneer has an FFL, so it's on them to determine if they are functional firearms and if a 4473 is required.

That makes the most sense to me.

[archie19]

The government selling without a background check? Interesting. I though that was only for civilian transfers.

No worries there, emperor joe has a new shiny pen he used to sign a EO that somebody wrote for him that requires more background checks be done for our lawful gun purchases or some such.....