Have you or someone you know applied for a fully automatic gun?

[SSMAN]

According to what I have been reading it is possible to own a fully automatic rifle, but to me would be very difficult to pull off. I was arguing with a buddy about actually being able to purchase a fully auto rifle and he was saying it is pretty simple to pull off. I just don't see it being simple. Anyone have any input on this?

[Moose242]

Yes it is legal. I own one.

[Big A]

Yes it is legal. I own one.

Way to elaborate on the process, he wasn't asking if it was legal or not.

[Moose242]

Way to elaborate on the process, he wasn't asking if it was legal or not.

Sorry, was posting from iPhone at the time and did not want to type a long winded response.

To answer your question, yes and no.

It is a relatively simple process, but the cost and patience required prevent many people from getting a machine gun. The cheapest MG you can buy costs about $3,000 because of a 1986 law that prevents the new manufacture of machine guns for civilians. Because of this, only MGs registered before may of 1986 are legal for you to own. The supply is low and the demand is getting higher.

To buy one, find a dealer with one in stock or an individual willing to sell his. The market is odd, you cant just walk into any gun shop and expect to see a display case full of MGs for every ganglion off the street to finger fuck. Find one for sale off of special websites and forums (some dealers specialize in MGs too).

Fill out two ATF form 4s in duplicate. Your dealer will help you with this. Take 2 passport photos, 2 sets of fingerprint cards, and get a law enforcement official of DA to sign the forms. Mail them off with a $200 check or money order to the ATF, wait 3 months, and then you can go pick up your gun. Alternately form a trust or corporation. This allows you to bypass the photos, cards, and signature.

[SSMAN]

Sorry, was posting from iPhone at the time and did not want to type a long winded response.

To answer your question, yes and no.

It is a relatively simple process, but the cost and patience required prevent many people from getting a machine gun. The cheapest MG you can buy costs about $3,000 because of a 1986 law that prevents the new manufacture of machine guns for civilians. Because of this, only MGs registered before may of 1986 are legal for you to own. The supply is low and the demand is getting higher.

To buy one, find a dealer with one in stock or an individual willing to sell his. The market is odd, you cant just walk into any gun shop and expect to see a display case full of MGs for every ganglion off the street to finger fuck. Find one for sale off of special websites and forums (some dealers specialize in MGs too).

Fill out two ATF form 4s in duplicate. Your dealer will help you with this. Take 2 passport photos, 2 sets of fingerprint cards, and get a law enforcement official of DA to sign the forms. Mail them off with a $200 check or money order to the ATF, wait 3 months, and then you can go pick up your gun. Alternately form a trust or corporation. This allows you to bypass the photos, cards, and signature.

Do you have to show a reason to own one? Also, is it easy to get a DA to sign off on the form? I would think they would be hesitant.

[Moose242]

Do you have to show a reason to own one? Also, is it easy to get a DA to sign off on the form? I would think they would be hesitant.

Yes you need a reason, but I just put "collecting" or "marksmanship activities". Some people fill in the box with "zombies".

In Dallas it is difficult to get a signature, so your best bet is to form a corporation or a trust. For more information about forming a trust we have a sticky with good info in it.

Owning an MG is rewarding as they are fun to shoot, but it is difficult to find a place that will let you shoot it (my old gun club told me that they were illegal and took my membership card on the spot after threatening to call the sheriff). When you can find a range, you get swamped by every neckbeard in a 15 mile radius asking you to shoot it, how you got it, and telling you about how their uncle's cousin has XYZ gun in the floorboards of his house.

[SSMAN]

Yes you need a reason, but I just put "collecting" or "marksmanship activities". Some people fill in the box with "zombies".

In Dallas it is difficult to get a signature, so your best bet is to form a corporation or a trust.

For more information about forming a trust we have a sticky with good info in it.

Thanks, you have enlightened me on this subject. Learn something new every day.

[Cooter]

When you can find a range, you get swamped by every neckbeard in a 15 mile radius asking you to shoot it, how you got it, and telling you about how their uncle's cousin has XYZ gun in the floorboards of his house.

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! heard that shit before and don't own a Class III

[Mach1Run]

... my old gun club told me that they were illegal and took my membership card on the spot after threatening to call the sheriff).

Talk about a WTF moment, I could see them saying no you can't shoot it here but to cancel your membership and threaten to call the cops?

[David]

Do you have to show a reason to own one? Also, is it easy to get a DA to sign off on the form? I would think they would be hesitant.

They're not saying they're allowing you to own it. Just that you are to their knowledge a lawful citizen in their jurisdiction. It's an outdated method that is in the process of being adjusted and or eliminated. However you want to look at it.

[David]

And it doesn't just have to be the DA to signoff. I get mine from a district judge. Sheriff, Chief of Police, Supreme court judge, Chief/head of anything with a legal authority over you is generally accepted.

[Big A]

It is a relatively simple process, but the cost and patience required prevent many people from getting a machine gun. The cheapest MG you can buy costs about $3,000 because of a 1986 law that prevents the new manufacture of machine guns for civilians. Because of this, only MGs registered before may of 1986 are legal for you to own. The supply is low and the demand is getting higher.

What's nuts is that I've seen it various times on several shows (First 48, DEA, and the like), where the perp or dealer has one or more unregistered fully auto guns in posession.

It's apparently fairly easy to own one, legally or not, if enough money is involved. What's sad is that it is undoubtedly cheaper to get one on the black market, and the illegal guns are driving up the cost of a legal purchase.

What I find crazy is that from my limited reading on the subject, forming a corporation or trust is simply a matter of paperwork, and doesn't qualify someone as more fit to own a machine gun, it just shows that they are more determined.

Are there checks and balances in either process that I am unaware of?

[Nash B.]

and the illegal guns are driving up the cost of a legal purchase.

How so?

[Big A]

How so?

Guns puchased illegally take weapons out of the legal market, making even less available. Less supply makes more demand.

[ThreeFingerPete]

Guns puchased illegally take weapons out of the legal market, making even less available. Less supply makes more demand.

You can take almost any semi-automatic firearm and make it fully automatic with only moderate working knowledge and gunsmithing skills.

These "illegal" guns are probably imported, and manufactured in other countries. The only machine guns that US citizens are allowed to own are the ones manufactured and registered in America before 1986.