[Ricochet]

Keeping it would've been asking for BIG trouble. In a frame or not. The BATFE doesn't care.

[okole]

You guys are sure worried about illegal. It's only "illegal" if you get caught. Just don't go carrying it around to the local 7-11 or bank.

[Ricochet]

Dang straight I'm worried about illegal. You're gambling on basically giving up all your rights if you get caught. Federal felonies are no laughing matter. I'm not going there.

[musicmaniac]

If he HAD wanted it just for a wallhanger, I believe he could have welded it shut or made it inoperable in some other way and then done whatever the heck he wanted with it. I think.

[billy]

Quote:       Originally Posted by okole

You guys are sure worried about illegal. It's only "illegal" if you get caught. Just don't go carrying it around to the local 7-11 or bank.

yes.
i dont knowingly break laws.
and ignorance of the law is no excuse.

you willing to be a felon for a rusty hunk of metal?

[Ricochet]

Better check the NFA regulations on the ATF's website about deactivated NFA weapons.

[tlarkin]

Quote:       Originally Posted by okole

You guys are sure worried about illegal. It's only "illegal" if you get caught. Just don't go carrying it around to the local 7-11 or bank.

Yeah but come on, is it worth a felony charge for that rusty old gun? Lose a lot of your rights as a convicted felon and then have to put that on every job application for the rest of your life?

Not worth it.

[TheDisinherited]

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, if I'd found that thing, I would've called the cops, tipped them off, and scampered. I've heard really awful stories about people getting busted and dragged to court (and worse) over stuff they stumbled across. I agree with Ricochet... not worth even playing with. There are a lot of really great cops out there, but there are some nasty ones here and there, and all it takes is one bad cop, a few corrupt beurocrats, and some ignorant jurors to ruin your life. I would've been especially afraid to call the cops after taking it home... like I said, I would've left it there, called the police, and left.

[.22hustler]

You want to see a laundry list of bad cops??? Check out the Rochester NY Democrat @ Chronicle. Check out the stories on the Greece, NY police dept.I believe as of know, they have arrested 6 cops, starting with the chief.

[rondog]

I probably would have just flung it out into deeper water.

[Taurus Fan]

Two most likely explanations for finding a chopped-down gun tossed in a lake are it was used in a crime and ditched OR someone cut it down and got scared when they realized possessing it was a felony.

[Capt'n Mil Coll]

The cop could not legally give you that shotgun. It is illegal to own any sawed off shotgun that is under the length limit without a class 3 permit for that specific firearm. The law does not make any distinction for rusty firearms. It really seems strange he offered it to you.

It seems like maybe he thought it was yours and if you kept it he would arrest you for possesion of a class 3 firearm (too short of a barrel on a shotgun makes it a class 3 firearm). Maybe he was more annoyed he didint get an arrest out of the deal.

Your 100% better off without that shotgun.

For about $60 to $100 you can get a nice shootable .410 88 topper singlebreak shotgun. I like em myself and have a pretty good collection of them.

[Metronome]

Okay, great older post here, but now I want to make my own version of one, could be a damned fine game getter, but how do I meet federal regulations? I can get a H&R .410 for $110, and I know they make pistol grips, and a gunsmith certainly could lop off the barrel... how do you measure barrel length and overall length correctly?

Or maybe just order the new Rossi Tuffy

[thrillbilly]

Metro...check out the H&R Snake Charmer...it's as close as you can get legally.

[rebel727]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Metronome

Okay, great older post here, but now I want to make my own version of one, could be a damned fine game getter, but how do I meet federal regulations? I can get a H&R .410 for $110, and I know they make pistol grips, and a gunsmith certainly could lop off the barrel... how do you measure barrel length and overall length correctly? Or maybe just order the new Rossi Tuffy

18 inch barrel measured from muzzle to rear of breech. 26 inches overall measured from tip to tip.

[jrswanson1]

Just get a Taurus Judge.

Jim

[JMax]

Both a Federal & State felony, be glad you are rid of it.

[GlockMeister]

Quote:       Originally Posted by Glock120

Thanks for the replies and info guys. I did call the cops and turn it in. They were kind of disappointing- They ran a serial number check and it came back clean. He asked if I wanted to keep it or turn it in. I told him I didn't want it (it was below the legal length- has a 12" barrel and 18" overall). He was kind of annoyed at having to fill out a report. After I made him take it and fill out a report he did mention that being in possession of the gun could result in 2 felonies if it came back stolen. I wonder how much trouble he would have given me if it did? He couldn't give me any more info on the background of the gun. It was a 410 shotgun (I found the other markings after my previous post) so it may have just been someones snake/squirrel gun.

So wait, he tells you being in possession of it could get you two (2) felonies yet asks you if you want to keep it? WTF? lmao

It doesn't really matter which he told you first, but it is a bit more ignorant if it happened in the order you wrote it. I mean, to ask you if you want it, then wait to see what your reply was, then tell you having it could get you two (2) felonies, I mean, come on. lol

You did the right thing though. As for the picture, it looks as if it's something that someone would have used in a crime and it was in pretty bad shape. I wouldn't have kept it either. Not even for a conversation piece or wall hanger. Even if it didn't work, you could get into trouble for having it...

[Lobo0311]

You definitely did the right thing by turning it over to the cops. This reminds me of a lake in Colorado Springs that was drained so they could repair the leaks in the bottom. When they drained it they found several firearms and an old car. A few of the guns were traced to unsolved crimes.
Just having the gun in your possession could have resulted in a number of things happening to you, none of which are good. Be glad to be rid of it. Thanx for including the pic though, very interesting.