Is it save to dig up 60 old firearms? : Othor Games

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:12 pm

last year during the summer vacation i was at my grandmothers house in Germany (i my self live in the netherlands).
and there my grandmother told me that when she was young during world war two her father hid some weapons by a potato field near there house because the Americans where marching down the hill. he did this because he thought there house was going to be used as a HQ, and if they would find the weapons they couldn't live there anymore. so my question is, is it safe to dig up these weapons?

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:37 pm

last year during the summer vacation i was at my grandmothers house in Germany (i my self live in the netherlands).
and there my grandmother told me that when she was young during world war two her father hid some weapons by a potato field near there house because the Americans where marching down the hill. he did this because he thought there house was going to be used as a HQ, and if they would find the weapons they couldn't live there anymore. so my question is, is it safe to dig up these weapons?

I suppose there is a small risk of accidental discharge if the guns are loaded, but unless they were put into a container they will probably have dirt and muck in them that would hinder operation. So, you should be fine, just don't smack around the guns too much with your shovel.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:15 am

Ofc you should. you better get a weapon license first^^
awesome if you find the classic K98

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:37 am

I remember my mother telling me that her father and her brother were digging up WW2 gun ammunition in our garden and then detonating it. :hubbahubba: I'm not joking.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:43 am

Ofc you should. you better get a weapon license first^^
awesome if you find the classic K98

My grandmother isn't a weapon specialist (would be cool if she was though :gun:) but when i asked what Kind of guns he had she says a rifle, hunting shotgun and a pistol but i don't know if the 'rifle' is a Mauser because he never actually fought because he was a doctor.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:09 am

I suppose there is a small risk of accidental discharge if the guns are loaded, but unless they were put into a container they will probably have dirt and muck in them that would hinder operation. So, you should be fine, just don't smack around the guns too much with your shovel.

I don't think he put it in a container because he was in a hurry.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:16 am

Yeah, you can dig up weapons. Just make sure the guns are pointing away from you and everyone else, remove any clips and clear the chamber.

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 5:05 pm

Dig it up! And shows us the pics!

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:11 pm

I remember my mother telling me that her father and her brother were digging up WW2 gun ammunition in our garden and then detonating it. :hubbahubba: I'm not joking.

Do you mean like ascendantly detonating? how did that end?

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:32 pm

Dig 'em up and show us pictures, it'd be pretty neat if they are in half decent shape you could get them restored to working condition since gun restoration places are so used to fixing old world war 2 weapons. It'll subtract the monetary value if you get them restored but it would be really cool to go to a range somewhere and fire a bunch of old guns. Just get a gun safety license first.

Edit: Oh wait, the guns are in Germany? I dont know if you can even own a firearm in Germany...maybe just certain parts of Germany? I dont know, but still dig them up and we'll keep it secret

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 7:24 pm

Dig it up! And shows us the pics!

The house isn't really my grandmothers any more (its a small mansion) it now belongs to her brother gives room to people to rent.
so i don't know if i will ever be there again let allone with my grandmother with me.

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 6:30 pm

My grandmother isn't a weapon specialist (would be cool if she was though :gun:) but when i asked what Kind of guns he had she says a rifle, hunting shotgun and a pistol but i don't know if the 'rifle' is a Mauser because he never actually fought because he was a doctor.

Odds are that a German rifle of that time was a Mauser anyway, even if it isn't a K98. I used to practise with a Karabiner, very high quality rifles.

remove any clips and clear the chamber.

I'm going to assume you mean Magazine. :verymad:

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:50 am

Dig 'em up and show us pictures, it'd be pretty neat if they are in half decent shape you could get them restored to working condition since gun restoration places are so used to fixing old world war 2 weapons. It'll subtract the monetary value if you get them restored but it would be really cool to go to a range somewhere and fire a bunch of old guns. Just get a gun safety license first.

Edit: Oh wait, the guns are in Germany? I dont know if you can even own a firearm in Germany...maybe just certain parts of Germany? I dont know, but still dig them up and we'll keep it secret

Yes the guns are in germany an i live in the netherlands and laws about guns are pretty tight here. and i gues there to.
I can allready imagin getting pulld over by the poliezei and having to explane why we have a battle rifle in the back of the car.

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:37 pm

I'm going to assume you mean Magazine. :verymad:

Didn't the Mauser had a 5 round striper clip?

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:39 am

Do you mean like ascendantly detonating? how did that end?

I'm not sure, if I ramember correctly they were dismouting ammunition and then pouring that gunpowder thingy into empty matchboxes.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 7:55 am

Yes the guns are in germany an i live in the netherlands and laws about guns are pretty tight here. and i gues there to.
I can allready imagin getting pulld over by the poliezei and having to explane why we have a battle rifle in the back of the car.

Well, they could be grandfathered in...Depends on the laws. Also, see if Their are licenses for old weapons or something like that.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:30 am

it would be really cool to go to a range somewhere and fire a bunch of old guns.

Yeah, I once used a 70 year old Lee Enfield with 60 year old surplus ammo. But that had been stored in grease, not earth. :biggrin:

Didn't the Mauser had a 5 round striper clip?

Yes, but to remove it implies that the rifle was buried while loaded, leaving the clip in the top. Which I really hope it wasn't.

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:09 pm

Well, they could be grandfathered in...

What do you mean by 'grandfathered in'?

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:53 am

That they're old enough to be considered keepsakes and antiques. A lot of WWII guns in the US are given that treatment, as many grandfathers and great grandfathers kept the guns they were issued and tend to pass them down to next of kin.

» Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:45 pm

No, it isn't
If they were not properly containerized before burial, the elements may have taken a toll on them, weakening metal, and making the explosives in the ammunition unstable.
Some guy here dug up part an oceanic ww2 mine in his backyard, (he had waterfront property) and the bomb squad had to come ou, remove the rest, t and detonate it.
It would not have been pleasant had it accidentally blown up.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 6:41 am

Yes, but to remove it implies that the rifle was buried while loaded, leaving the clip in the top. Which I really hope it wasn't.

No i don't think he burred them loaded, i think he kept the ammo apart.
Not sure about this, my grandmother only mentioned guns not ammo.
But if he had guns i would be logical if he also had ammo.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:37 am

What do you mean by 'grandfathered in'?

Say for instance that you have a gun and then they make a law banning all guns, well, they can't make you get rid of them and if you have proof you owned them before the ban then they shouldn't give you hassle. Same can be said for housing rules when home owners association come into play.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:52 am

Say for instance that you have a gun and then they make a law banning all guns, well, they can't make you get rid of them and if you have proof you owned them before the ban then they shouldn't give you hassle. Same can be said for housing rules when home owners association come into play.

I don't know about those kind of laws in Germany but here in the Netherlands your already in trouble with the police if they find a BB gun (i think that is the dutch translation of luchtbucks) so don't think so

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:42 am

I don't know about those kind of laws in Germany but here in the Netherlands your already in trouble with the police if they find a BB gun (i think that is the dutch translation of luchtbucks) so don't think so

Nah, you mean Air weapons.

» Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:29 pm

Nah, you mean Air weapons.

What is the difference? (lol i know the difference between a leaver and a bolt action rifle but i don't know this :facepalm:)