Marble Arms Game Getter - Register AOW?

[PrevailFI]

A work acquaintance who knows I'm into guns asked me about the Game Getter. Since a mistake when dealing with this sort of thing can have very serious consequences, I thought I'd ask here.

Can my friend purchase a short-barreled GG, then register it as an AOW? He believes it was originally registered, but is unsure of it's current status - and he does not want trouble. The likely age of this sample would make it a Gen 2 or maybe even Gen 1 piece. He has no reason to think it is of more recent, Canadian manufacture - and that probably wouldn't matter anyway.

I've read the only 3 threads that even mention the GG here on M4C, and found specific mention of the gun on another site:

In 1938 Congress recognized that the Marble Game Getter, a short .22/.410 sporting firearm, had "legitimate use" and did not deserve the stigma of "gangster weapon" and reduced the $200 tax to one dollar for the Game Getter. In 1960 Congress changed the transfer tax for all "any other weapon" (AOW) category to $5.

Also, would it matter if the gun had NO barrel - possibly allowing him to install an 18 inch barrel? Or would the serial # still make it an AOW?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[JoshNC]

A work acquaintance who knows I'm into guns asked me about the Game Getter. Since a mistake when dealing with this sort of thing can have very serious consequences, I thought I'd ask here.

Can my friend purchase a short-barreled GG, then register it as an AOW? He believes it was originally registered, but is unsure of it's current status - and he does not want trouble. The likely age of this sample would make it a Gen 2 or maybe even Gen 1 piece. He has no reason to think it is of more recent, Canadian manufacture - and that probably wouldn't matter anyway.

I've read the only 3 threads that even mention the GG here on M4C, and found specific mention of the gun on another site:

In 1938 Congress recognized that the Marble Game Getter, a short .22/.410 sporting firearm, had "legitimate use" and did not deserve the stigma of "gangster weapon" and reduced the $200 tax to one dollar for the Game Getter. In 1960 Congress changed the transfer tax for all "any other weapon" (AOW) category to $5.

Also, would it matter if the gun had NO barrel - possibly allowing him to install an 18 inch barrel? Or would the serial # still make it an AOW?

Thanks in advance for your help.


I recommend you post this on Subguns.com, as there are a few guys there who are well versed in Marbles GG. This topic comes up quite frequently over there.

If it has no barrel, it is by default not regulated by the NFA and is a title-1 firearm reciever.