[widowmaker]

How old does a rifle have to be to be considered a relic or curio?
Thanks for the help.

[trip286]

Generally 50 years, unless specifically named on the BATFE's list.

ATF Online - Publications - Firearms - Curios or Relics List

[c3shooter]

Trip nailed it.

Re: 50 years- not for the model, but for THE firearm in question. A Marlin 39A that is 50 years old- C&R. The identical rifle made a year later- 49 years old- NOT C&R. But next year, it will be.

ALL Winchester Mdl 88 rifles, without regard to age, are C&R- because the BATFE put them on the list BY NAME- as being a collector's item. (Only one example)

[Hinermad]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

ALL Winchester Mdl 88 rifles, without regard to age, are C&R- because the BATFE put them on the list BY NAME- as being a collector's item. (Only one example)

Another example: Polish Radom P-64 handgun. In the BATFE C&R list it says "Polish, Model P64 pistols, 9 x 18mm Makarov caliber, all serial numbers." So even units made in 1974 are still C&R even though they're less than 50 years old.

Sometimes a single gun will be listed, identified by model and serial number. For example: "Springfield Armory, M1 Garand semiautomatic rifle, .30 caliber, S/N 2502800." Sometimes a specific gun is considered a relic because of special circumstances like who used it in boot camp. If an authority like a museum curator can show the BATFE that a given gun has historical value, they'll list it.

If you have a C&R collector's license it's worth checking the list even if a gun you're interested in is less than 50 years old. BATFE gets requests to list lots of guns because they have historical or curiosity value.

Dave

[Laufer]

Guys at SKSboards claim that the ATF has no data on the Norinco SKS, as our red Chinese 'friends' never provided the info. on production dates.

Therefore, those SKS rifles are not on the approved list.

[Nun]

http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-5300-11/atf-p-5300-11.pdf

[robocop10mm]

Originally Posted by Laufer

Guys at SKSboards claim that the ATF has no data on the Norinco SKS, as our red Chinese 'friends' never provided the info. on production dates.

Therefore, those SKS rifles are not on the approved list.

Norinco SKS's are not C&R because they were new production rifles made specifically for export to the US and Canada. They are not Mil Surp like the Russian or Yugo's

[Laufer]

robocop10mm:

Thanks for the correction, and I should have known better from the nice appearance of so many (other than many at our gun shows...).