Posted: 6/7/2008 2:02:01 PM EDT
| You class 3 guys will know this better than I. Why is a M-16 pre 81' auto sear $250-$300 and a new one is $7000. And if a class 3 is legal why are they so damn expensive? There is very little difference in parts. Is it the manufacture or the seller that marks the price up. I for one would love to have a full auto m-4 or convert the ones I already have but not at these overinflated prices. |
Short answer (in addition to the above link): Stay away from the pre 81 stuff, it's a gray area at best and very likely a good way to end up in prison. The legal stuff is expensive because it was banned in '86 so there is an artificial limit on supply of transferable MGs. You have to buy a gun registered before may of 86. The prices aren't going to be going down, unless gun laws are repealed and I doubt that will ever happen. It's not a cheap hobby.  ETA: A short barrel rifle and suppressors are affordable and still lots of fun if you want to get your feet wet with NFA toys. I warn you, NFA is addictive. |
86 is the cut off for MG's. The DIAS were not considered MG's until '81 (or something like this), so only DIAS from 81-86 could be registered as a MG. Theoretically you could have a pre-81 DIAS and it wouldn't be an issue.... as long as you don't own or have access to an AR type rifle. 
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As I said, they were banned in '86. Only pre ban MGs are transferable to the average joe. There is no way you are going to own a MG for cheap. |
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The Hughes Amendment was added to the 1986 FOPA (Firearms Owners Protection Act). The Hughes amendment was IIRC added as a rider and passed on a voice vote. That act ended availability for NEW MG to civilians. SOT's, PD's and Gov't can still have new ones. Civilians are limited to MG's built and REGISTERED in the National Firearms Act Registry before May 1986, or commonly known as 'transferable'. This is all off the top of my head, so it may be off a bit. eta: small edit. |
You're off by 100 years! But other than that it's a good summary. |
| 922 (O) - Banned civilian ownership of machineguns effective May 19, 1986. It grandfathered all machineguns lawfully possessed (AKA registered prior to that effective date). As of May 19, 1986, the civilian population is limited to machineguns registered pursuant to the National Firearms Act of 1934 between 1934 and May 19, 1986. The only real exception was the open amnesty in November, 1968, in which we were invited to register any and all machineguns possessed at that time. I don't see that happening again. |
I guess that they figured the second amendment only apllys to semi-autos at most. 