full autos and cops

[cockednlocked45]

any body got any stories about shooting your nfa weapons at the range, and the cops show up? Do you have to explain anything to them? Or how about getting pulled over and getting and getting asked about any guns in the car. What would any of you do in these situations? How would you tell them you dont want them to look at your guns. Cuz i know every cop thinks a transferable MG is illeagle and you dont need a suppressor.:wtf

 

[dcmdon]

I was waiting for just such a thing to happen when I was shooting my M11/9/Lage for the first time at a friend's farm last weekend.

Realistically, my friend's younger brother doing 30 round mag dumps out of his AR was more likely to cause a problem.

The cops did eventually show up, although after I left. They told me that the officer was well informed about the legalities and eventually asked if he could fire some rounds from his service weapon.

This is VERY unusual in CT.

But this farm is 150 acres and the neighborhood of mcMansions next door is about 1500 ft away. 3x the legal requirement. Although the people in the homes did have a clear sight line to us.

Don

 

[aw4ever]

Yes, had it happen several times at different locations. All ended well. I guess it helps when you have LEO friends shooting with you. Made friends with some that "answered the call". They made great shooting buddies.

 

[AZ Doug]

...Cuz i know every cop thinks a transferable MG is illeagle and you dont need a suppressor.:wtf

Guess again! Many officers own and enjoy full auto weapons, suppressors... They are representative of the communities general make up, with the exception of convicted felons of course. How it is handled will depend on the individual officer and his knowledge. Be polite and if he does not know educate him politely. If it is during a weekday day he can contact ATF and they will tell him if they are "interested" in the gun or not. The cannot release tax information to the officer.

Have I been contacted by officers while out shooting, yes and it has never been an issue. Once we had several belt feds etc on line and the Sheriff's Office sent one lone deputy. It took about 20 seconds to get the OK from him to continue firing.

 

[cockednlocked45]

HA HA thats funny. That poor deputy. The sheriff probably knew who you were and just breaking in the new guy!

 

[cockednlocked45]

guess what i meant is Cuz I think alot of cops think a transferaable MG is illeagle and nobody needs a suppressor.

 

[Rabbit23]

Guess again! Many officers own and enjoy full auto weapons, suppressors....

I'm one. I have a full auto, SBRs and suppressors. I work with 2 or 3 others that do as well.

In fact, I've had the locals called on me while shooting legally on my own property after just moving to the area. Turns out the guy that responded actually lived two houses down and was a gun nut himself. Now he's always stopping by to enjoy the fun anytime he hears me shooting.

 

[cockednlocked45]

Ok these are good stories. I guess my only experience so far was trying to get the Sheriff to sign my form 4 The first thing he said was "I dont want you to have a MG or a silencer.". kinda just set the tone. I did ,however, politley educate him about NFA items and what class 3 really is.

 

[pcso112]

LEO’s like everyone else are a cross section of society made up mostly of type A personalities. Some good, some not so much. We don’t like working with the pecker heads of the group either, but thanks to unions “ the connected” and out of touch department heads those types will always be around giving the rest of us a bad rap.

That being said, have your paperwork handy, use your head and be sweet as honey just in case the wrong guy shows up.

 

[emrisg]

Cops

I have had several run ins with the local sherriff officers while shooting nfa. All times have been uneventful until about 3 months ago.

We were shooting 1919, 2 m16's, uzi, macs, tsmg's. We probably shot for 2 hours one monday afternoon. When we left my property there was a deputy with his pistol drawn on the paved road. To make a long story short they were very agressive and scared the hell out of us. We knew we were 100% legal but they went overboard. At the end of the deal one of the cops said we had some cool toys and one said he was mad he could not find anything to charge us with.

all the other times the officers were very polite and just doing their job.

 

[cockednlocked45]

I have had several run ins with the local sherriff officers while shooting nfa. All times have been uneventful until about 3 months ago.

We were shooting 1919, 2 m16's, uzi, macs, tsmg's. We probably shot for 2 hours one monday afternoon. When we left my property there was a deputy with his pistol drawn on the paved road. To make a long story short they were very agressive and scared the hell out of us. We knew we were 100% legal but they went overboard. At the end of the deal one of the cops said we had some cool toys and one said he was mad he could not find anything to charge us with.

all the other times the officers were very polite and just doing their job.

I honestly expected more stories like yours. one of the reasons i was hesatant to purchase a m11. The cleo who eventually signed my form 4 called it a gangbanger gun, and a tec 9(shake head).

 

[JasonAC556]

Happened to me once. Shooting my AC's and M11 with Garandman at my farm. We had been shooting for maybe 2 hours (must have sounded like a war zone to the neighbors) when a local PoPo showed up. Dude looked like he was sorry he had to bother us, but said the neighbors were complainig about the noise. He said "I know you're legal, but I need to see your paperwork anyway just so I can tell my boss I saw it". I got out my papers and he started to look at them when his shift supervisor showed up. The deputy told him "they're legal, they have their papers". Supervisor left and deputy wanted to know if he could come back and shoot with us sometime.

 

[cockednlocked45]

yeah i guess this would be a good way to make friends in high places.

 

[medphys]

I have also heard that it can be wise to notify local law enforcement before you are going to be shooting for prolonged periods. It's possible that someone might call the cops and report machinegun fire. If they know ahead of time, they can tell the caller that it's legal.

 

[piratesover40]

Yeah I had an asshole neighbor that called the S.O. here told them someone was shooting and wanted to file a complaint. Well one thing I live in the country. I have some land and I shoot in my back yard hell I even take game in my back yard. Anyway the Deputy was cool, young guy about 25 asked if he could pop a few off. I told him no problem and he was smilin when he left and never once asked to see my form 4. He had so much fun I think he forgot.

 

[blueline541]

Cuz i know every cop thinks a transferable MG is illeagle and you dont need a suppressor.:wtf

I will have to wholeheartedly disagree. Although I recently sold my uzi I still have the WWII '28 Thompson.

 

[class3JB]

SMG and loaded mags in a car.

I used to load my mags the night before shooting my UZI as I didn't want to waste time doing it at the range. After talking to a few LEOs how the'd feel stopping a car for a traffic stop and being told there was a SMG and ten loaded mags in the car I decided to give both them and myself a break and do it at the range. Maybe I'm a pussy but I can put myself in their shoes and I'd most likely be a little concerned myself. I try to treat police like we're both on the same side even though I sometimes meet one who seems to think the opposite. I am a ccw instructor and teach that when you carry a gun, you have to be the most healthy person in any encounter, weither in be a civilian or Law enforcement. The more you let them take control the safer it becomes for you.

 

[dtom29]

I used to load my mags the night before shooting my UZI as I didn't want to waste time doing it at the range. After talking to a few LEOs how the'd feel stopping a car for a traffic stop and being told there was a SMG and ten loaded mags in the car I decided to give both them and myself a break and do it at the range. Maybe I'm a pussy but I can put myself in their shoes and I'd most likely be a little concerned myself. I try to treat police like we're both on the same side even though I sometimes meet one who seems to think the opposite. I am a ccw instructor and teach that when you carry a gun, you have to be the most healthy person in any encounter, weither in be a civilian or Law enforcement. The more you let them take control the safer it becomes for you.

Obama and pelosi would love you.....

 

[Shadow]

I usally take three mag pouches that each hold eight 32 rd mags with me but I keep them under my back seat and of course the UZI is in its case. Last time I was there I was shooting with my Gemtech and a cop with all his body armor on walked over to the pit I was in. He said he knew I had something fun when he heard the bullets hitting steel with no bang from the gun. He was well informed and a nice guy but he was asking "friendly" questions to trick me into telling on myself if I were illegal. I don't like that but he was ok so I did my usual thing and got only as aggressive as he got and I am polite by nature. After a while when things warmed up a little more I asked him if he wanted to shoot it and handed it to him with a few mags. He knew how to handle a smg well and it turned out he was also ex-military. Next thing I know his buddies are there so I let them shoot it too. Its funny how it makes people smile. I am glad I met them. I know a few cops and like others have said they are just a cross section of society so some good, some not. One thing I do know is they have a shitty job dealing with the worst of society on a daily basis so I feel for them and understand why they have a suspicious nature, I would too. I would do anything in the world to help one if I saw him in trouble.

 

[class3JB]

Obama and Pelosi

I don't know about them liking me but since I don't see L.E. as the enemy if I do something to make them more confortable and they get it that Class III owners are not a threat I am happy about that. As the previous post shows, and for many years most of us have tried to be goodwill representives of our hobbie. There will always be some immature among us who will push limits or have some problems with authority figures but for most of us, we try to win over anyone we come into contact with. If you are going to play with adult toys please grow up.