Just thought i'd share this if anyone is interested. We found it in my Grandfathers house just before Christmas. He brought it back from WW2 and has had it ever since, he also has the ammo pouch on his webbing to go with it. There was also a Colt 1911 but have not shared here as was a WW1 model manufactured in 1914. I understand there were millions of Sten's made but didn't know how many were still around working in the UK, I guess there must be a lot still. It is in working condition and has been handed in to the police who have examined it and test fired it. After they have finished it will be transported to a Sec 5 RFD and deactivated so I can hopefully bring it back home.
That's pretty pleasing. Have the coppers made encouraging noises re. de-activation, as I (sadly) find they tend towards destruction. Go on, show us the 1911. We're not sniffy, and plenty of them served right through.
Found one in the 1980's, in the garden of a pre-war Dutch army officer, who later became a member of the resistance. Barrel and rest of the gun had been taken apart and "dipped" into a piece of concrete. Somehow only that particular part was heavily corroded. Inside the house, underneath a staircase, there was the magazine, and in the shed his officer's sword, wrapped in a May 1940 newspaper! Sadly, we took the sword out of the newspaper. Should have gone straight to a museum...
The police have actually been really helpful. The pistol was the first one we found and before that I had no experience with firearms etc, by the time I found the Sten I had read a lot more on the process. A few people had said to me exactly what you have said, and that its best to try and get it to an RFD for hand in, but we went directly to the police again and they have been great. They collected it very discretely and sent it to ballistics & kept me up to date. They have assured me I can have it transported to a Sec 5 RFD and deactivated. They have actually finished with the pistol now so it's ready for whatever I decide to do next. Apologies but they are not the best pics, it was a commercial model sold the Canadian Government and shipped in 1914 as a batch of 100.
I would think the manual is worth more than the arms - not many of them around I would guess especially in that condition Nice finds and well done dealing with it TD