Full-Auto Laws Question...
 

Now that the Brady bill has expired, what are the laws regarding full auto?

Was thinking about picking up a Ruger 10/22 (a VERY cheap toy to go with the pistol) for about $200 and buying a new trigger assembly to convert to full auto. Just curious since it's so damned cheap and sounds like fun.

It is my understanding that the laws regulating full auto were in place long before the Brady Bill and are still in effect. In fact, full autos were banned sometime around 1920. (Oddly, once they were outlawed only the gangsters and mob had them).

No Class III license, forget about it.

2 other options, 1 ends with busting big rocks into little rocks. IIRC mandatory 15yr Federal pen time if caught with a fully automatic weapon while not legally able to possess one. Or get a multiburst trigger.

As Mike stated, laws regarding fully automatic weapons have been in place long before the Brady Bill. That $200 gun would end up costing you a lot of money in attorneys fees and several years in jail if you got caught with it. (Not worth it for a weekend toy) The feds don't mess around with that stuff, particularly after 9-11.

Also check out your state laws. Just because you possess a CL III license doesn't mean full auto weapons are legal in your state. (KS for instance prohibits all full auto weapons).

NOOB interlude...

The brady bill does not apply to auto guns. Basically, no new manufacture of autos since mid 80's. So converting that ruger no matter what licencse or state would be illegal. You may purchase full auto from a dealer (that sells them) and shoot them legally in Missouri for sure and I thought Kansas too but would have to look at my reg book. Not many ranges will let you shoot them so you will need some property in the country. I would also check with local law enforcement and at least notify them you have a legal weapon and will be firing it so when he gets a 100 calls from the neighbors he will be prepared. Also, I wouldn't want anyone (especially a criminal) knowing I had one for security reasons.

When I looked into buying a fully auto AR15 (M16) it was going to be about $3500. The dealer (near St. Louis) said when I was ready to sell he would buy it back from me for what I had in it since they are not making any more of them (as long as I didn't trash it). I just couldn't see spending that kind of cash for a toy I wouldn't shoot that much.

If you need that dealers name let me know I might be able to find it.

QFT.
Full auto is a novelty you’ll use a couple of times then it’ll be an expensive PITA that’s hard to get rid of because of the legal problems.

i thought you had to pay the class III tax and go through the ATF.

You are correct. The tax is $200 (last I could find). It was originally levied to make it a hardship to buy one (a machine gun in the 30's was about $200 so that tax was thought to be outrageous). However, the tax hasn't been changed since. The federal law claims you can transfer in state person to person but must have the tax paid and paperwork done through the atf (takes about 4 months they claim). State law would trump federal if it is more restrictive.

In the long run, it would probably be cheaper and less of a hassle to go to one of those machinegun rental places every now and again rather than sink your money into a CL III license, firearm and ammunition. I would recommend doing that three or four times and see if the novelty factor doesn't wear off.

Hmmm, that kinda stinks.

Thanks for the info guys, I kept getting some conflicting answers around here. $200 would have been one thing (if it was legal/doable), but yeah, there's no way I'm spending $3500 +.

I may get the 10/22 anyway, just to have a different toy to play with. I think I'm doing pretty good with the MKIII so far. At 65' I'm getting a cluster of about 12". At 25' I'm getting clusters anywhere from 4 to 6 inches. It's amazing how accurate this gun is. Sad thing is, at 65' my targets keep getting hit by the guys in lanes next to me with their higher cals that aren't as accurate. Hell, last weekend at 25' the guy next to me had a 45 and must have hit my target 5 times!

Yeah, think I'll do that when I hit Vegas again this summer. Got some friends who do that every year when we go. Don't know of any places in CO for that.

:eek: Wow, that guy sucks. I’d be careful about being on the range when he is.

Yeah, it was pretty annoying. After he left I asked the rangemaster if that was common (still new at this), and he said unfortunately it does happen from time to time at public ranges. Told me if it ever happens again, come talk to him and he'll move the guy. They seem to be pretty nice to you when you're a member.

Just curious. Why would you want a fully automatic gun? It does not compute with me, sorry.