Question about demil equipment

[dpetty121263]

I am a newbie here and just recently purchased a M-35 Duce and half but I was wondering if it is possible to own a surplus tank with all the recent laws due to terrorism? I saw a show on the history channel not long back showing rows and rows of M-551's rusting away, my question is it possible to buy a demil tank for collecting purposes and are they listed on GL website as I have not seen any but I may have not been running valid searchs?

 

[David_4x4]

If you have enough welding skills, anything is possible.

In short, the govt doesnt release much of any armor to civilians these days. And what you do get, wouldnt be enough for me to take any time into restoring it.

 

[dpetty121263]

Yes I am a good welder, in the past I have seen a few listed on ebay but not much outside of that, with fuel prices sky high purchasing one from overseas may be to costly.

 

[dpetty121263]

I could see the heavy armor being difficult in getting but wasn't sure of the light tanks would be easier to come by.

 

[Bozor1000]

It is even hard to get humvees. Tanks-Good luck. The way they are strict on the EUC for just a truck-Imagine if you had to submit one for a tank. They would probably do a real in depth background investigation for one of those. Just working for the Government they do a really in depth one. Imagine wanting to buy some heavy armor.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

You cant import US Armour back in the US as I have been told many a ton of people

And almost any US WW2 vehicles sells for 2 to 3 times what it sells for in Europe than the US, try buying a WW2 MB in England now or a halftrack

 

[dpetty121263]

Yes I understand from a couple of friends in Europe that the salvage yards are a treasure trove of US Military equipment

 

[papercu]

demil

You could become a museum or open a American Legion post. Wayne

http://ImageEvent.com/wharris19/militarytrucks/militaryarmor/m60

http://www.legion.org/homepage.php

 

[Elwenil]

RE: demil

Or buy the M75 APC that was gogint o be scrapped a few weeks back.

I seriously doubt that much armor will make it out of the DRMO now. There isn't a lot of stuff in inventory that doesn't have some sort of composite armor that is classified in some way so it will be long, long time before any of that would make it out, if at all.

 

[Alredneck]

RE: demil

I could go get yall a bunch of pics of tanks, light, and heavy, sitting around waiting to be demilled. But to do so would technically be illegal. Some of these are to be used as range targets but most are just being cut up as scrap. The rare stuff, Sherman recovery tanks and some things I have never seen before just sitt and rust to nothingness. Its really sad! The M60s, M113s, and others, some look like they will crank up and run and are in great shape. Maybe I need to do a Black OP for the sake of history! I have been caught out there before and thats how I know of this place, maybe I should go talk with someone who runs the joint.Then maybe I should just get a couple harmless pics! Wheres my camera!!!!

 

[txdodge43man]

RE: demil

Well good luck getting a M551 the Museum i belong to has been trying to get one for a long time and its all most impossible the gov. is eather useing them as tergets or dumping them in the ocean.

 

[maddawg308]

RE: demil

The ocean dumping project hasn't been done since the mid- to late-1990s.

There are a few pieces getting out, but not through DRMO, and not very many. Forget about M1 Abrams and M2/M3 Bradleys, they will never be released. You might get lucky and find a M48 series tank, or a M113 APC. The older stuff, from the 1950s on back, is fairly common and easy to find. If you want modern armor, your best bet (if you have the cash) is to find an importer of armor, and buy from them. They can't bring in any USA-made stuff, but stuff from other countries is fine. Lots of Combloc stuff from Eastern Europe and former USSR is coming in nowadays for relatively cheap prices. In the UK, anyone with the money can buy operational tanks, own them and drive them on the street. (no cannon ammo, sorry) For the best in heavy armor, there are a bunch of British Centurion and Chieftain tanks that have been sold as of late. Recently, a TX dealer was selling a few Chieftains for $45,000 each, for a 45-ton main battle tank, 1960s vintage. Now that is pretty good!

Good luck finding your armor.

 

[dpetty121263]

RE: demil

No late 40's thru the 70's would be fine and I would settle for a light tank as with fuel prices being what they are these days to move around heavy armor would get pricey as it costs to much to fire up my tractor trailer.

 

[BKubu]

I believe it is legal to own a tank with an operational main gun in the UK. I was talking to a guy a while back that had a fully operational T72 that had come through an overhaul and had 250km on it. The main weapon was LIVE! He told me it was legal in the UK. I don't know the laws over there so I cannot confirm or deny that, but I will tell you that the T72 was in great shape! He wanted $35K US, which I thought was reasonable. My wife talked me into getting my old M1015A1 instead.

 

[maddawg308]

Re: RE: demil

No late 40's thru the 70's would be fine and I would settle for a light tank as with fuel prices being what they are these days to move around heavy armor would get pricey as it costs to much to fire up my tractor trailer.

You have a wide array of tanks, APCs and halftracks to think about. For light tanks, you have the Sherman, the Chaffee, the Walker/Bulldog (a little harder to find), the British Abbott SPG and the Scorpion. They will set you back at least $30K for a beater, $60K or more for a restored unit.

APCs opens up a little more; you have the relatively common M75, the M59, the M114, and the M113 (very rare) in American stuff. Brit stuff like the Saracen, Scimitar, etc. are good too, and ComBloc stuff like the BMP-1 and -2 are available now as well. Prices range from $20K for a restored M75 up to $60K for a restored M113.

Halftracks may be an opportunity for you to get into armor without the maintenance headache of a full track, and parts are common. The M2/M3 halftrack from WWII can be had for between $10K and $20K, and are fun to drive. Much more common than tanks, as well.

Another option is tracked non-armored vehicles like the M548 cargo carrier. They are available often, and for $14K to $25K range.

 

[BKubu]

RE: Re: RE: demil

That T72 was going for $35K US. It probably would be a bit higher now with the unfavorable exchange rate (from the US perspective). I am sure shipping would not have been cheap to get it to the US. I would also have had to have had the gun demilled to ATF standards. I even looked into getting approval from ATF to get it imported. $35K US for a tank that is roughly equivalent to the US M60 is pretty darn reasonable.