For Sale: Thompson SMG Drum Mags

rob love · #1 11-04-13, 18:10

Those $20 Bren mags do fall under the magazine capacity laws....it's the 100 round drums (usually in the $1000 range these days) that are exempt.

As to sten magazines, I have a number of them available, in either deactivated zero capacity, or legal 5 round capacity available. (apologies to tommy gun for horning in on his thread)

tommygun · #2 12-04-13, 00:50

HI Robert, all is good but the other fellow is correct only the drum magazine is allowed un-plugged the stick Bren mags need to be plugged t 5 rounds so be carefull. Another example of stupid laws (or stupid law makers) is an Enfield magazine (303) is ok in full capacity (8 rounds) if it is in an Enfield rifle because of it's historical value but.... if you take the same magazine and put it in the semiauto rifle (I forget which model) it has to be pluged to 5 rounds!!!!
As far as Sten magazines go, they are found once in a while but they have also gone underdround, you can find them if you ask around (same thing as Grease gun mags) and some people do what the other fellow and I do which is deactivate them (for display only) and some plug to five rounds. Another example is you can own an unplugged snail drum for a luger but as we all know the luger is now a short barrel pistol and it is prohibited except to those who have the permit.
The problem is if you start to just ask around for machine gun magazines be carefull - who knows who may come knocking at your door!!!!, after all machue guns are scary and the goverment frowns upon such items.
Anyways enough my blood pressure is going up.
I have always thought a list of plugged and deactivated magazines available for people with deactivated machine guns would be a great source for collectors but it would also make a great list for the authorities togo snooping around and who needs that!!!!! so instead we are all on our own. By the way, last thing -
you should hear of the stupid law about machine gun links and belts for those who have a semi auto belt fed and want to shoot it. I was speaking with an RCMP officer at the Calgary gun show on the Easter weekend. This is the "official" rule as best I understand it. If the links are manufactured before 1947 you can use as many as yiu want linked together as log as you want, If the links are made after 1947 you can only link5 rounds. Now for a belt, they are excempt to any capacity for historical rweasons so they ca be any capacity - length. Now back to the links, it is based on a reverse onus, you have to prove when the links were made to show they are legal!!!!! not they have to prove the links are post 1947 - good luck with that one. All for now . Richard

Lynn Eades · #3 12-04-13, 03:03

So the links have just jumped to $100.00 each have they?

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #4 12-04-13, 03:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

So the links have just jumped to $100.00 each have they?

I've got some pre-1945 links I'll let you have for half price...say $50 each? How many can I put you down for?

Lynn Eades · #5 12-04-13, 03:53

Bruce, I finished my post, the same as you did. With a question mark.
The laws are quite different here. No one (apart from the military) can legally fire a full auto here.(or possess any firearm for the purpose of self defence)
So to answer your question, No thankyou Bruce.

tommygun · #6 12-04-13, 05:31

Hi again, I am not understanding the thread just added to my responses to the questions about the drum magazines. I was using the example about the machine gun links to hi-light the odd laws in Canada. It is clear to everyone in the gun community that the person or people who are writing the new laws such as what constitutes a historical magazine which keeps it from being or not being regulated on capacity really does not know anything about firearms and their historical significance. The laws appear to be written and decided by spinning a wheel of chance, just random. With this in mind I am lost on the $100.00 a link comment.
Please explain. Richard

rob love · #7 12-04-13, 05:34

Not exactly true on the links.....the exemption says that the belts, of either metallic or non-metallic type, must not be reproduction and made for a gun in production prior to 1945. So a link made in 1950 for a M1919A4 is fine, as the gun was in production prior to 45 and the links are original. Where the problem comes in is the NATO links......they were designed for the M-60, which is a post war gun. Later the Cdn M1919 (C1 or C5A1) were adapted to take that link, but the origin of the link is for a post 1945 gun, so they would be limited to 5 rounds.

The automatic Enfield you are thinking of is the Charlton, and it was because of that gun that they exempted the Enfield mags to 10 rounds. Not really necessary since the Enfields are a bolt action magazine, and therefore already exempt. Doubtful that a special run of magazines were made for the Charlton.

Tony Smith · #8 12-04-13, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob love

The automatic Enfield you are thinking of is the Charlton, and it was because of that gun that they exempted the Enfield mags to 10 rounds. Not really necessary since the Enfields are a bolt action magazine, and therefore already exempt. Doubtful that a special run of magazines were made for the Charlton.

The Charlton was designed to use the 30 rd (or28) Bren mag, and will not accept a 10rd SMLE mag. If you are curious, there has been a fully functioning example for sale in NZ for some time now. I have seen this rifle when owned by it's previous owner (and maker), and it is superbly made to original blueprints, but unfortunately Aust's gun laws are quite more restrictive than NZ.