# $200 For A Sten Gun? (California)



## JBS (Dec 28, 2012)

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/police...ected-during-gun-buyback-photo-195234402.html

California has offered $200 gift cards for any automatic weapons that get turned in, and $100 for any other firearm. Sure enough, someone somewhere decided that this little British masterpiece was worth a $200 Wal Mart card and decided to turn it in. In good condition, a Sten can bring upwards of $8,000. (http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=323884243).  

But even more interesting is the possibility of a story behind the gun.  Unfortunately, this one will probably be scrapped.






So what kind of history might be behind this particular gun? The Sten has a history that stretches from use by commandos in World War 2 to Korea, and it even saw action in the Philippines as Filipino guerrilla fighters used it to resist Japanese occupation. Canada used it in Special Operations in the mid-to-late 1940's, and British Commandos used the gun until at least the the late 1960's.

From Wiki:



> Stens were air-dropped in quantity to resistance fighters and partisans throughout occupied Europe. Due to their slim profile and ease of disassembly/reassembly, they were good for concealment and guerrilla warfare. Wrapping the barrel in wet rags would also cause the Sten to sound like a heavier weapon, with opposing troops believing they were faced with machine guns.[23] Guerrilla fighters in Europe became adept at repairing, modifying and eventually scratch-building clones of the Sten (over 2,000 Stens and about 500 of the similar Błyskawica SMGs were manufactured in occupied Poland).
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> ...


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## fox1371 (Dec 28, 2012)

Wow.  I would have gladly paid $300.00! 

I really can't believe this...


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## AWP (Dec 28, 2012)

I like the MP40 over the Sten. Still a neat gun, but not a good one IMO.


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## DA SWO (Dec 28, 2012)

Probably stolen, dipshits.


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## pardus (Dec 28, 2012)

Ah...that's a Sterling, not a Sten...

Great gun. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_submachine_gun


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## JBS (Dec 28, 2012)

pardus said:


> Ah...that's a Sterling, not a Sten...
> 
> Great gun.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_submachine_gun


Dangit, you're right.  Good catch.


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## pardus (Dec 28, 2012)

They had not long stopped using Sterlings in the NZ Army when I enlisted. I haven't used one myself but have used a Sten. I've love to get a Sterling.


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## pardus (Dec 28, 2012)

Check this thing out! :-/



http://www.forgottenweapons.com/british-308-sterling-prototype/


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## Polar Bear (Dec 29, 2012)

pardus said:


> Ah...that's a Sterling, not a Sten...
> 
> Great gun.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_submachine_gun


Shot a sterling about 6 months ago, If I had the money I would buy one very fun to shoot.


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## pardus (Dec 29, 2012)

Polar Bear said:


> Shot a sterling about 6 months ago, If I had the money I would buy one very fun to shoot.


 
Was it a full auto or one of the new semi autos?


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## Polar Bear (Dec 29, 2012)

Full auto


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## pardus (Dec 29, 2012)

Polar Bear said:


> Full auto


 
I'm jealous.


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