Possible Sten find

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doowroh

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I'm going to go look at an estate sale, and saw this picture. I haven't seen anything in person yet, but hope to soon. Considering the long barrel and the rougher looking welds, I'm kind of hoping that it's a converted semi that might actually be a shooter. The finish looks quite clean.

I've reached out the Stencollector, and he gave me some basic advice, but I don't want to get into something and either lose my license, or have to surrender it. I also don't want to have the RCMP shred it; no way.

I think the Dewats are going for over $500, but if this is functional, what's it worth?? How do I tell if it's semi or perhaps better/worse??? I doubt that it's a prohib bring back, because I can't see a stubby barrel, and then there is that GIANT barrel below/beside it?

Thoughts on legality or what to offer?

- David.
 
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Converted semis are still prohibited (12.3). Unless you have the proper licence (which you would know if you did) you can't acquire them.

Unless it is made from scratch as a semi (very few in Canada, all home projects as I understand it), you can't acquire it if it is live.

As to how to tell if it is semi auto or full auto its called a function test. With a Sten it could be set up in several different ways. If you pull the bolt to the rear and it locks open the gun is very likely still full auto. To continue the test, you need to squeeze the trigger well holding the bolt back, keeping the trigger depressed move the bolt forward fully and backwards fully, and try to move forwards again. If you are unable to then it is a semi as the bolt is being held by the disconnect, if it goes forward again it is full auto.

If it is a closed bolt you would use a function test roughly the same as checking if a M16 is semi auto (youtube it).
If I remember correctly all the ones made from scratch were required to be closed bolt but I could be wrong.

Personally I can easily see this being a lot of trouble for you. I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole but that is just me.
 
Eaglelord17 said:
Converted semis are still prohibited (12.3). Unless you have the proper licence (which you would know if you did) you can't acquire them.

Unless it is made from scratch as a semi (very few in Canada, all home projects as I understand it), you can't acquire it if it is live.

As to how to tell if it is semi auto or full auto its called a function test. With a Sten it could be set up in several different ways. If you pull the bolt to the rear and it locks open the gun is very likely still full auto. To continue the test, you need to squeeze the trigger well holding the bolt back, keeping the trigger depressed move the bolt forward fully and backwards fully, and try to move forwards again. If you are unable to then it is a semi as the bolt is being held by the disconnect, if it goes forward again it is full auto.

If it is a closed bolt you would use a function test roughly the same as checking if a M16 is semi auto (youtube it).
If I remember correctly all the ones made from scratch were required to be closed bolt but I could be wrong.

Personally I can easily see this being a lot of trouble for you. I wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole but that is just me.
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If it is a striker fired, closed bolt rifle it must meet certain requirements.
The magazine well body and receiver tube must have been made from new materials and not recycled. The new tube must not be able to accept an original diameter bolt and be semi auto only and not easily converted FA. To be NR the barrel must be sufficient length, otherwise it falls in the restricted category. Don’t forget to make sure the mag is limited to 5.

If it is an open bolt semi, or retains the original magazine well or tube it would be prohib. Markings on the original gun, and serial are on the mag well.
 
stencollector said:
Not quite true.
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If it's a sten and open bolt, there is case law (crown v ########) to say they may all be prohibited and at the least require lab inspection. As a matter of policy, no open bolt sten is going to pass muster. They just hand load the cartridges a1/10 grain at a time until they get it to double. They it's deemed prohibited.

That's how they screwed me over in the open bolt guns I submitted, and it took over 4 years for the inspection while they tried everything to get a double and say no to me.

You can challenge it if you have $15k+ to spend.
 
Virtually all approved sten semis are of the sas-3 closed-bolt variety. They are out there, I have built a few personally that passed lab inspection and are owned by ppl around the country today.
 
That is a Ruger 10/22 barrel. Nothing to do with the Sten pictured, unless the barrel seating has been extensively altered.
Magazine looks to be blocked, so that is good.
The rest of the Sten? Who knows what its status is?
Be careful. Particularly since you have posted on a public forum.
 
I have to agree with Tiriaq.....there would have to be some very obvious and permanent modifications to consider that a non-gun. To be considered a deactivated gun, the barrel must be blind pinned and welded to the tube. There are many other things, but they would be considered window dressing compared to the blocked chamber.
I doubt this is one of the alternate manufactured stens from Saskatchewan....didn't he weld up the drain hole on the trigger cover in order to prevent manipulation of the sear from below?
 
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Apart from the butt being Canadian, and the finish looking fresh, it is just about impossible to say what it is.
 
To be clear, I don't intend to break any laws, but I would like to legally acquire it (well, without undue hardship), if at all possible. Can I legally send it to a gunsmith and have them "do what they have to do" or possibly re-sell it if it's a 12(2) or 12(3)? I'll call my local gun shop this week.

Again, I haven't seen it in person yet.
 
You really need to find out what it is.
I very much doubt that a gunsmith would touch it with someone else's ten foot pole without knowing exactly what it is.
You need a photo of the right side of the gun. A photo of the front end would be useful.
If it is a registered 12-whatever gun, it might be transferrable. If it is a registered 12-3 (CA), it will likely have to go to the SFSS for inspection prior to transfer being approved.
It might be a new made semi, as mentioned. A right side photo would help confirm that.
 
doowroh said:
To be clear, I don't intend to break any laws, but I would like to legally acquire it (well, without undue hardship), if at all possible. Can I legally send it to a gunsmith and have them "do what they have to do" or possibly re-sell it if it's a 12(2) or 12(3)? I'll call my local gun shop this week.

Again, I haven't seen it in person yet.
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You can't do it...the executor of the estate can. The firearm would have a deemed certificate in that case. But again, it will all depend on what the gun actually is.
 
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