Post 86 Law Enforcement owned question

[cj5_dude]

My department owns two MP-5's that are post 86 guns. We have no use for them anymore and they stay in a closet. The command staff wants to sell them but claims they can't. One Captain claims that because of the way they were purchased they can ONLY go to another law enforcement agency and can never go to any other person. I feel like he has a misunderstanding of the law regarding NFA.

Can anybody point me in the right direction to start looking for info to see if he's right or wrong? Basically they are worthless to other departments as well because they're no longer made, parts are near impossible to find, and they are half the gun of an AR platform so nobody will buy them. But I think a licensed dealer may have interest in them and will likely pay more than another LE agency.

Thanks.

[JoshNC]

These cannot be sold to an individual, but an FFL/SOT can buy them from you and they do have value as parts kits. And trading these for other items you may need is a viable way of funding those items. Do you know any SOTs in your area who you trust? I can direct to a few trust worthy folks if you would like, one of whom is a police officer himself. He has a lot of experience dealing with PDs and trading for post-86 MGs.

Shoot me an email through the forum if you're interested.

[SteyrAUG]

My department owns two MP-5's that are post 86 guns. We have no use for them anymore and they stay in a closet. The command staff wants to sell them but claims they can't. One Captain claims that because of the way they were purchased they can ONLY go to another law enforcement agency and can never go to any other person. I feel like he has a misunderstanding of the law regarding NFA.

Can anybody point me in the right direction to start looking for info to see if he's right or wrong? Basically they are worthless to other departments as well because they're no longer made, parts are near impossible to find, and they are half the gun of an AR platform so nobody will buy them. But I think a licensed dealer may have interest in them and will likely pay more than another LE agency.

Thanks.

Pre 68 transferable Import - These are foreign made machine guns brought in PRIOR to the ban in the 1968 Gun Control Act. All imported machine guns registered prior to this legislation are fully transferable.

Pre 86 "transferable" - These are all domestic machine guns (including conversions of foreign semi autos) registered prior to FOPA 86. All domestic machine guns registered prior to this legislation are fully transferable.

Pre 86 "dealer sample" - These are foreign machine guns (including suppressors and SBRs) which were imported and registered after the 1968 GCA but before FOPA 86. They can only be sold to current FFL/SOTs but you do NOT need a letterhead for purchase and the dealer may keep them even after he retires his license. They can never be transferred to an individual.

Post 86 "dealer sample" - These are all machine guns (both foreign and domestic) that were registered AFTER FOPA 86. They may be purchased by a FFL/SOT but they need a LE demo letter for purchase and last I checked you couldn't own more than one example of a given variant. If that dealer retires his license he must sell, surrender or destroy (cut for parts is ok) his post samples. They can never be transferred to an individual (except of course if they are cut for parts kits).

The problem with post samples is they generally have no market value as departments and dealers with letterheads can buy brand new ones at current market values since there is virtually no collector market driving up prices.

Your best bet would be the cut them for parts kits where there is some collector demand since they will have original factory barrels. But a LOT of departments do not wish to be viewed as selling their "machine guns" to the private sector even if they are cut for parts.

In a perfect world your department would sell them to the local CMP so boy scouts could train with them.

[Iraqgunz]

There may be dealers that would be willing to trade you something for them. I knew a guy in NC who would trade M4's for MP5's. I assume that he would then demill them and sell the parts to needy people.

[SteyrAUG]

There may be dealers that would be willing to trade you something for them. I knew a guy in NC who would trade M4's for MP5's. I assume that he would then demill them and sell the parts to needy people.


In most cases those dealers are trading POST SAMPLE M4s for pre 86 DEALER SAMPLE MP5s. Otherwise they are losing money. Used MP5 kits generally cost less than new production M4s.