Parker Reproduction as Curio or Relic
 

Has anyone ever sought from the ATF an official determination that a Parker Reproduction should be classified as a “curio or relic” firearm? Such a classification would certainly make it easier to collect Parker Reproductions. While Parker Reproductions are not yet fifty years old, do they “derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event”? I say yes. What say you?

-Victor

Under ATF guidelines they would not be considered a curio or a relic. Just because a gun in 50 years old doesn't automatically qualify it for a C&R license. Many pre64 Winchester M70's don't legally qualify as a C&R. If I remember correctly it has to be pre 1898 to qualify.

Let me clarify. Firearms are entitled to C&R status if:

1. They were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but not including replicas of such firearms; OR

2. They are certified by the curator of a municipal, State, or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; OR

3. They derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event.

I agree that Parker Reproductions do not qualify under Category 1. But there are two other categories. I am proposing that Parker Reproductions should quality under Category 3. They derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact they are rare.

-Victor

I wouldn't want to fight the ATF by trying to use clause #3. I don't know of any dealer that will ship a Parker reproduction under a C&R license. I don't consider them rare but that's just my opinion.

But they do not. An original Parker DHE 20 gauge in the condition we see most well treated Repros would be valued at easily 4 times the value of a Repro. Parker Reproductions derive most of their value because they are one of the best made replicas on the market. They are not rare. On any given day you can probably find at least sixty Repros for sale on the Internet.





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Rich - 1898 is the date prior to which a gun is considered to be an "antique". It has nothing to do specifically with qualifying for the C&R List.





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Based on the limited production numbers posted on the PGCA website, and the fact that Repros were only produced for five years (1984 to 1989), I think it is reasonable to call Repros rare. Of 23,505 shotguns for sale today on GunBroker, 15 are Repros (about 200 are original Parkers). I am not trying to compare Repros to original Parkers (certainly not on a value or collectible basis), I am just tying to establish that Repros are curios.

-Victor

Good luck with the ATF on that one.

It won't happen. ATF makes the rules, not us. Repros' are not 'curios' nor are they 'relics'. They are merely 'reproductions' and are not rare.

Incidentally, gunbroker is only one of many dozens of sources of guns for sale or auction on the Internet.





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It is silly that replicas specifically do not qualify but silly people make these regulations based on silly perceptions.
I myself would rather take on the Feds with their ridiculous and arbitrary exclusion of 8 gauge shotguns from water fowling.
I can win that one.