Demilled Firearms

Arizona Slim · 09-23-2013, 06:23 PM

Just curious, but can anyone tell me if the Firearm collections in Museums in some other countries, such as England, have been demilled according to law? I cringe whenever I see a Luger or other collectible firearm for sale that has been ruined by this process.

Lon

alvin · 09-23-2013, 07:29 PM

Don't know their deactivation process. But British was very aggressive on adding exotic stamps all over the place, such as NOT ENGLISH MAKE, #### of TONS PER 口. All in big fonts, deeply applied, to ensure they can be seen.

Edward Tinker · 09-23-2013, 07:37 PM

In America, I have looked at many guns that were welded in museums. Or were simply display and poor upkeep.

Arizona Slim · 09-23-2013, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alvin

Don't know their deactivation process. But British was very aggressive on adding exotic stamps all over the place, such as NOT ENGLISH MAKE, #### of TONS PER 口. All in big fonts, deeply applied, to ensure they can be seen.

Thanks for the info Alvin, I have yet to have the pleasure of owning a British marked/proofed firearm, hopefully someday I will add one to my collection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

In America, I have looked at many guns that were welded in museums. Or were simply display and poor upkeep.

Thanks to you too Ed, I imagine to a collector such as yourself you must have walked away in disgust, I know I would have. When a nice collectible firearm, a piece of history actually, has been mistreated that way it is now nothing more then a paperweight, what a shame.

Lon

Vlim · 09-23-2013, 08:07 PM

I had a chance to visit the national firearms collection in Leeds (which also contains the former Enfield Pattern Room) and I am pleased to say that most of the collection is in fully working condition. Exceptions are rare guns with parts missing, but all the general stuff is 'ready to go' when needed for tests, trials, etc...

alanint · 09-23-2013, 09:14 PM

Yes, as a Pattern Room, or depository of the world's firearms for study, all the examples at Leeds are functional

Arizona Slim · 09-23-2013, 09:41 PM

Thanks for your responses, Vlim and Doug, that is good to hear.I know we all hate to hear of desirable and historic weapons that have been desecrated to satisfy some senseless law passed by unthinking lawmakers that don't have an appreciation for what we consider to be unreplacable pieces of history.
Lon

alanint · 09-24-2013, 06:51 AM

I'd like to note that all the firearms I have seen in small, local museums, such as in Normandy and in the Ardennes all looked perfectly functional from the outside.

Vlim · 09-24-2013, 09:48 AM

The larger (and public) museums usually have a firearms permit that enables them to keep and display live firearms.

Smaller museums usually consider it to be too much hassle to bother getting a permit for the few items on display and will choose for deactivation instead (in the UK at least).

In the Netherlands, the gun laws make no difference between a working gun or a deactivated gun (with some minor exceptions, such as old shot guns and bolt action rifles), so any pistol, semi-automatic rifle or full auto gun must be registered on a permit anyway.

09-23-2013, 06:23 PM	#1
Arizona Slim Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 706 Thanks: 1,026 Thanked 409 Times in 225 Posts	Demilled Firearms Just curious, but can anyone tell me if the Firearm collections in Museums in some other countries, such as England, have been demilled according to law? I cringe whenever I see a Luger or other collectible firearm for sale that has been ruined by this process. Lon

09-23-2013, 07:29 PM	#2
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Don't know their deactivation process. But British was very aggressive on adding exotic stamps all over the place, such as NOT ENGLISH MAKE, #### of TONS PER 口. All in big fonts, deeply applied, to ensure they can be seen.

09-23-2013, 07:37 PM	#3
Edward Tinker Super Moderator Eternal Lifer LugerForum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: North of Spokane, WA Posts: 15,924 Thanks: 2,014 Thanked 4,518 Times in 2,087 Posts	In America, I have looked at many guns that were welded in museums. Or were simply display and poor upkeep.

09-23-2013, 08:07 PM	#5
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,987 Times in 1,205 Posts	I had a chance to visit the national firearms collection in Leeds (which also contains the former Enfield Pattern Room) and I am pleased to say that most of the collection is in fully working condition. Exceptions are rare guns with parts missing, but all the general stuff is 'ready to go' when needed for tests, trials, etc...

09-23-2013, 09:14 PM	#6
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	Yes, as a Pattern Room, or depository of the world's firearms for study, all the examples at Leeds are functional

09-23-2013, 09:41 PM	#7
Arizona Slim Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 706 Thanks: 1,026 Thanked 409 Times in 225 Posts	Thanks for your responses, Vlim and Doug, that is good to hear.I know we all hate to hear of desirable and historic weapons that have been desecrated to satisfy some senseless law passed by unthinking lawmakers that don't have an appreciation for what we consider to be unreplacable pieces of history. Lon

09-24-2013, 06:51 AM	#8
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,916 Times in 1,192 Posts	I'd like to note that all the firearms I have seen in small, local museums, such as in Normandy and in the Ardennes all looked perfectly functional from the outside.

09-24-2013, 09:48 AM	#9
Vlim Moderator Lifetime LugerForum Patron Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Europe Posts: 5,053 Thanks: 1,036 Thanked 3,987 Times in 1,205 Posts	The larger (and public) museums usually have a firearms permit that enables them to keep and display live firearms. Smaller museums usually consider it to be too much hassle to bother getting a permit for the few items on display and will choose for deactivation instead (in the UK at least). In the Netherlands, the gun laws make no difference between a working gun or a deactivated gun (with some minor exceptions, such as old shot guns and bolt action rifles), so any pistol, semi-automatic rifle or full auto gun must be registered on a permit anyway.