A WWI relic 03...

[rayg]

The rifle doesn't appear to have suffered an artillery impact. It's more like a demilitarization. When troops on the move captured enemy weapons, they hastily demilitarized them by removing bolts, wrapping them around trees, bending them over rocks, etc. The rifle appears to have suffered one of those fates, perhaps at the hand of an enemy.

J.B.

I read once that a US soldier was killed when he was holding a enemy rifle by the muzzle as he slammed it against a tree to disable it. But there was a live rd in the chamber and it went off from the impact and killed the soldier.

[Dick Hosmer]

Likely anecdotal/apocryphal, but slamming a strange rifle, with bolt closed and cocked, against a hard object while holding it near the muzzle, would seem to be the height of foolhardiness.

[Liam]

Tripple heat-treated. Safe to shoot. Phew!

[jmcjr]

I bought a Kar 98 off ebay 15 years ago, just a barreled receiver bent by an impact, safety is still on, most likely still loaded, gent said he found it near the far side of Belleau Wood, meaning side away from the Marine assault, probably a reserve unit under fire from arty or later in the battle. Sent me a drawing of where, lost it along the way. I also have a 1888 rifle & bayonet marked for the 110R Regt who faced the Marines at Belleau Wood, no import marks or turking, all matching, combat damage evident on stock.

[tmark]

At what point does a 'firearm' become a 'relic' and no longer subject to the rules for 'firearm' transactions?

I would say when the firearm is demilled.