No-date barrel shank

[millman]

Soviet laminated wood on that AK Erik?

The front one is a Saiga .308 converted to AK style wood. I think it is Soviet wood. I am no AK expert. It seems like he told me that it was actually for an RPK, but he digs that chunky laminate, and used that instead of more typical AK furniture.

[zhuk]

They try banning things here, or requiring registration and most of us ignore them just like thousands of New York gun owners are right now. Here they have to take them, and we will give them up one bullet at a time, they know that there are enough of us who would do this and haven't been too foolish in trying that stunt as yet. They well publicize gun " buy backs" in the large citys, but these tend to be very poor people turning in busted guns, or people who know nothing of guns, and would be unlikely to learn.

Shame about the crushed carbine, I suppose they compensated with some pittance of cash for it?

Maybe having a Constitutional 'right ' makes a lot of difference...but you do have the numbers to wield some kind of political pressure, because of those long-ago enshrined rights. Here firearm owners make up roughly 5% of the adult population - that is adult, not total.


Whereas i read somewhere that maybe 45% of US householders own guns? It makes a huge difference that you can arm yourselves for self/home defence. Imagine what the numbers would be if you were only allowed to own them for competition purposes or hunting? Not just because you 'wanted' them? Just because you could? Not a reason here. We have to supply legally recognised "genuine reasons" which the respective state Police registries must sign off on.


Far as the 'buyback' in 1996 went (which wasn't a buyback at all, but an expropriation of people's property IMO), in fact the prices given were extremely reasonable...in many cases very favourable indeed! But what did most people do? Instead if using the $ to go out and buy a new camera etc (as Govt propaganda suggested you might), people went out and bought more guns Of course they did! Sometimes several to replace one LOL


Even taking into account the normal growth in population, there are exponentially far more guns legally held now than in 1996

[zhuk]

Soviet laminated wood on that AK Erik?

The front one is a Saiga .308 converted to AK style wood. I think it is Soviet wood. I am no AK expert. It seems like he told me that it was actually for an RPK, but he digs that chunky laminate, and used that instead of more typical AK furniture.

Hey was just about to say that looked like an RPK stock! Unusual for sure


Both very nice millman, thanks for posting them

[Junk Yard Dog]

I suspect the number of US households owning at least one firearms is higher than 50%, many do not admit to owning a gun, and it's only possible to guess at it. Considering how billions of rounds of .22 lR recently vanished off shelves in every gunstore in the country seemingly in a few days and for the most part has stayed gone for five months despite massive production, there are a lot of people holding at least a .22 rifle. This happened because the Obama administration started talking gun restriction and sparked off a massive gun and ammo buying spree.

[zhuk]

I suspect the number of US households owning at least one firearms is higher than 50%, many do not admit to owning a gun, and it's only possible to guess at it. Considering how billions of rounds of .22 lR recently vanished off shelves in every gunstore in the country seemingly in a few days and for the most part has stayed gone for five months despite massive production, there are a lot of people holding at least a .22 rifle. This happened because the Obama administration started talking gun restriction and sparked off a massive gun and ammo buying spree.

And how satisfying ironic that is LOL


Good point on the .22 shortage...that would suggest a helluva lot of .22s in the hands of a population around 300 million

[millman]

I suspect the number of US households owning at least one firearms is higher than 50%, many do not admit to owning a gun, and it's only possible to guess at it. Considering how billions of rounds of .22 lR recently vanished off shelves in every gunstore in the country seemingly in a few days and for the most part has stayed gone for five months despite massive production, there are a lot of people holding at least a .22 rifle. This happened because the Obama administration started talking gun restriction and sparked off a massive gun and ammo buying spree.

I agree. Even folks with little interest in guns, that would never buy one themselves, probably have 2 or 3 they inherited.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Tens of millions of rifles produced all the way back to the 19th century, and it's hard to wear out a .22 rifle even when it's shot every day. We shoot billions of rounds of .22 ammo every year just here in the US. Of course all the 5.56mm, 7.62x39, as well as all the other military, and high capacity handgun ammo vanished also. Some of it comes back in small amounts and then gets bought up again. There is ammo hoarding going on like never before.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I know of at least five such people who have guns that are not counted as gun owners being that they have never filled out any 4477 forms, or had a handgun license. One has his fathers collection of over 100 firearms.

[zhuk]

I agree. Even folks with little interest in guns, that would never buy one themselves, probably have 2 or 3 they inherited.

You see, you could never do that here unless you became licensed. Otherwise you have to transfer owndership to a dealer and then to another licensed person via a particular provision in a deceased estate clause, and within a proscribed limited time frame if you wanted to avoid prosecution for possession of an illegal firearm.

And not everyone is going to go to the expense and trouble of becoming licensed, and fulfilling all the requirements that entails. Of course if its an under legal-length handgun it would either have to go to a Collector (who is not permitted to shoot it, not having a target licence) or it must be handed in.


Pretty sad if its an heirloom no one knew about which you just found in grandad's attic somewhere.



Actually no wonder the sales of PVC piping & packing grease went way up in 1996 lol

[zhuk]

Tens of millions of rifles produced all the way back to the 19th century, and it's hard to wear out a .22 rifle even when it's shot every day. We shoot billions of rounds of .22 ammo every year just here in the US. Of course all the 5.56mm, 7.62x39, as well as all the other military, and high capacity handgun ammo vanished also. Some of it comes back in small amounts and then gets bought up again. There is ammo hoarding going on like never before.

That is quite mind boggling to contemplate the numbers.


But without mass enforced registration (which would be frankly impossible) its only something you can barely speculate on.

[millman]

Heirlooms are found in attics all the time. There is a member here on the forum that found a K98 Mauser, and a Carcano carbine in an attic just last week. The state I live in (Kentucky) has among the most lax gun laws in America. The only kind of license we need is if we want to carry concealed. Even for that you don't have to prove a need. If you are not a felon, and have $150 you are packing concealed. Open carry (on your hip in plain sight) is legal with no permit whatsoever.
So in Australia, one can collect, but not shoot, or shoot and not collect?

[millman]

Zhuk, thanks for filling us in on your situation down under. I don't get to hear from someone 10000 miles away too often. It makes us in the states appreciate what we have.

[zhuk]

Heirlooms are found in attics all the time. There is a member here on the forum that found a K98 Mauser, and a Carcano carbine in an attic just last week. The state I live in (Kentucky) has among the most lax gun laws in America. The only kind of license we need is if we want to carry concealed. Even for that you don't have to prove a need. If you are not a felon, and have $150 you are packing concealed. Open carry (on your hip in plain sight) is legal with no permit whatsoever.
So in Australia, one can collect, but not shoot, or shoot and not collect?

Open or concelaed carry, I am all for it...though it is almost a cast-iron guarantee never to be legislated here, at least in my lifetime. I have a very good friend who worked as a contract cleaner in a fast-food outlet quite some years ago, and the place was held up by some crim with a gun, who herded all the staff into a storeroom while he ransacked the till. Only by the grace of some god that no one was shot/killed - because its not like any of the victims could have retaliated


You can have a Collectors' licence and a Target licence...but those guns which are stipulated on your Collectors licence you may not shoot (or only incredibly rarely at a shoot put on by your club). Collectors often own guns which would not be legal on a Target licence, such as handgun under the minimum barrel length etc. Why I had to have 8mm added to the barrel of my TT33, so it would be legal for my to own on a Target licence. Was expensive but I just had to have one lol, they are pretty uncommon here and this was a real beauty:

http://russian-mosin-nagant-forum.com/gallery/image.php?mode=medium&album_id=204&image_id=749




So....you must mandatorily belong to a Collectors club, just as if you have a Target licence you are compelled to belong to a target club, which gets more complicated again (there's a surprise lol) The club must lodge a certain number of their members' scores with the Police registry every year in order to keep their licence. If you do not fulfil the required shoots (and have no excuse such as being overseas for an extend period, defence force service or hospitalisation), you will be required to show why your licence should not be revoked - and then if it is you may have your firearms confiscated.


You wouldn't believe the huge file folder I have at home just stuffed with bloody bureaucracy/forms etc. And I've only been licensed 4 years lol

Or, maybe you would

[zhuk]

Zhuk, thanks for filling us in on your situation down under. I don't get to hear from someone 10000 miles away too often. It makes us in the states appreciate what we have.

Hey, no worries millman


I know I've gone on a bit lol but if it can rouse you guys to keep on fighting for the RIGHTS you have, well then I'm especially happy to help 'educate' you 'yanks' and maybe serve as some kind of warning.

[Junk Yard Dog]

It was watching what was going on in the UK, and down under during the 90's that sparked a lot of US resistance to any more gun legislation, and outright non compliance with things that were passed.

[millman]

I guess what gets me the most, is the stupidity of most of these laws. What possible difference could 8mm make on that lovely TT33? Just another hurdle to make ownership that much more of a hardship, I suppose.

[zhuk]

I guess what gets me the most, is the stupidity of most of these laws. What possible difference could 8mm make on that lovely TT33? Just another hurdle to make ownership that much more of a hardship, I suppose.

Bingo! We have a winner lol


Yes, it was supposedly brought in after a shooting at a University in 2003 (along with the .38cal min law etc) for 'safety' reasons (oh yeah SO much less concealable now )



BUT...the same PM was in still power at the time, same one as in 1996 (aka 'the hoplophobic little bastard', although us gun-owning aussies call him something a bit choicer than that usually lol) and it was clearly a personal stepping-stone of his on the way to banning handguns altogether...

(which I might add, is something the majority of the media and the usual suspects call for everytime something happens in the US or elsewhere - they were doing it again last week in the wake of the terrible murderous crime committed on the soldier in the UK. WTF that has to do with being a competition shooter here I have no idea)


So as a stepping stone...try to drive people out of the sport by making idiotically stupid legislation which is ever harder to comply with, make their lives a misery trying to comply with everything and keep it all together (while you impugn their good name repeatedly). Law-abiding firearms owners are the most scrutinised civilian group in society - far more than criminals, let's say. On top of having gone through extensive federal police checks not only for licensing but before each purchase.

We almost lost IPSC as a sport in 2003, very nearly...as that has a "combat" background and many in the police force hierarchy do not like civilians doing it (personally I think its just because we can shoot better than they can LOL)

[Greasemonkey]

Kalashnikovs (and their many variants) will always be my weakness...despite the fact I have only ever held one for a scant few minutes while in NZ earlier in the year. Dammit

Pics are appreciated though (however tormenting lol)

I think anyone who enjoys firearms, enjoys the Kalashnikov design . Then you have the wonderful Simonov design thrown in, along with the Tokarev

You said they add barrel length to handguns, how, weld or fit a dummy section over the end to make it the legal 120mm length

JYD, I do like that Egyptian

[zhuk]

Kalashnikovs (and their many variants) will always be my weakness...despite the fact I have only ever held one for a scant few minutes while in NZ earlier in the year. Dammit

Pics are appreciated though (however tormenting lol)

I think anyone who enjoys firearms, enjoys the Kalashnikov design . Then you have the wonderful Simonov design thrown in, along with the Tokarev

You said they add barrel length to handguns, how, weld or fit a dummy section over the end to make it the legal 120mm length

JYD, I do like that Egyptian

Damn! just awesome Greasemonkey...I know someone who would proabably crawl over broken grass for that Dragunov as would most of us...



Oh yeah the barrel extension. It is added by silver soldering the extra length (obvously not rifled, but such a short piece hardly makes a difference on something with such a short sight radius anyway). Bloody good job, done by a very experienced smith/armourer who happens to be attached to my pistol club...it is seamless to the touch

[Greasemonkey]

Interesting,
Another curiosity question on ammo and reloading. I'm guessing you can at least have military calibers Do they limit the amount you can have, you have to have a special permit or anything? Is reloading allowed and or regulated also? Just curious.