Most if not all arms company’s make assault weapons law enforcement or military use.  What kind of paperwork would a civilian need to do to buy a new AW?  Would the state, BATF need there own paperwork; or would one application cover both?  An M16A2 costs the USMC about $550, so I would guess that my price would be about $1100~1400.  That’s a lot cheaper than what I have seen these guns go for.  I might want to try asking Colt or another large vender the same question.  Alright thanks,
- Dustin

Well, first of all, since (appearantly) you are are in California, you have to deal with a lot more gun laws. IMO, assault weapons are automatic, or at least fire bursts. According to the 94 laws, a Preban AR (or Preban whatever firearm) is an assault weapon. So, if you want an assault weapon, you could go with a Preban AR-15 of some sort (I'm not sure in Cali though, anyone help on that part...as in being illegal anyhow).

However, I believe you're talking about an automatic weapon, more specifically the M16. To get an M16, or equivilent, you have to have a couple things. A class III license, and a buttload of cash. The last I heard, real deal M16's were going for $5000-$7500...so you're a bit off with the $1100-$1400 figure. To get a class III liscense, you need a letter of approval from the local CLEO, fill out the forms, pay $200, and get the license. (it is more complicated then that, i believe)

i think getting a class III license puts you on a watch list of some sort...someone correct me if i'm wrong.

i'd say stick with a Post or Pre-ban AR...

Forget it, especially in CA! You can't even get an AR legally, let alone an M-16. Gogo Gadgets is about your only option.

hmm...
It sounds like you cannot buy a new/post-ban Assault Weapon; if you could then you should be able to get an M16 for no more than $1400.  Living in CA dose complicate things... but that dose not mean you can’t get a permit.  The FAB-10 is a nice receiver and CA legal, but I wanted to look into this before I have to make a compromise.  I’ll look into the paperwork next week - everyone should be back and ready to answer questions by then.  
- Dustin

Sulaco:

Full-auto or multi-round burst weapons are still available - if you were LEO and had authorzation from your Chief, you could get one for ~1,000.  If you were in the Military, they'd issue you one, gratis.

If either of the above don'y apply, your only hope for one in California is to fall into a specialized class.

You could become a Class III dealer, and all that implies.  However, the licensing and regulatory requirements (at least in LA County, and possibly elsewhere in the state) would prohibit you from operating a store out of your home, or operating it as a hobby.

You could have full-auto weapons, and rent them to studios for productions.  But the uses are very limited, and I believe that you have to have a Class III license to do this.

You could purchase one on behalf of a corporation, for security, but I don't know what's involved with this.  As a corporation, you get more leeway than as a citizen, but the details are sketchy.

You could get a SA weapon, and have it illegally converted, or try for an "import" from a less rigorous locale.  But this runs the risk of a long sentance if caught.

Unfortunately, Sualco, the odds are against you.  If I had a lick of sense, I would have bought a few FA weapons before Reagan signed the ban, and things tightened up.

Having failed to show the foresight to do that, we can either accept that FA weapons aren't in our future, move to a more accepting state, or hope for more liberal laws in the future.

But in California, here and now, we're screwed.

sulaco,

You can't legally buy an assault weapon in California.  Period.  The DOJ will not issue you a permit for a machinegun without going to court over it.  There have been no new machineguns for civilians since may of 1986 and prices of transferrables are through the roof.

Give it up or move out of California.

You can not buy full auto with authorization from your Chief. Who told you that? Only semi auto with pre ban features.

I dont' live in California, so I cannot advise you regarding the laws of the PRK.

But, Federal Law is as follows:

1) You can spend more like $8,500 for a legally transferrable M16 on a Form 4 + $200 or $400 For A Transfer Tax. Plus, at 8.5% Sales tax that is $722 in sales tax. Add it all up and your M16 will cost you more like a minimum of $9,200 to over $10,000.

2) You can buy an RDIAS (Registered DIAS. NOT PRE-81 AS THESE ARE JAIL BAIT) on a Form 4. This will cost between $2000 and $4000, plus Transfer Tax, Plus Sales tax. Ass it all up and it comes to between $2370 and $4740 plus the cost of you AR ($400 - $1000) for a total of $2770 - $5740. Either way it is about half of what you would pay for an RR M16.

3) You can buy a Rewgistered Lightning Link on a Form 4. These sell for about $2000. The toal would come to $2770 or so. That is 1/4th of buying a RR M16.

4) You can get a Type 07 FFL, then pay $500 to the Federales for an SOT Tax. This will make you an 07/C2. These guys can pretty much make and buy anything except illegally converted guns, etc...You can make any NFA weapon at your whim, then register it within 24 Hours Tax Free. Here in FL (At Least in Free FL. Not SE FL.) 07/C2 is rather easy to get compared to many other areas of the country.  Your biggest hurdle is getting a zoning exemption. Or you can rent a store front. I know one guy rented the back room of another guys store to use as a storefront for his FFL. This is the only legal way for a Civie to get a Post-86 MG. You can build an M16 for around that $550 figure as an 07/C2. An 07 will cost you $150 every 3 years and the C2 will cost $500 a year.

5) You can become a Police Officer and buy on Department Letterhead.

6) You can join the Military and get an M16 free for 4 Years.

7) You can make an illegal M16 for around that $550 figure. But, you risk 10 years or more in Federal Prison and a permanent loss of your RKBA. Even though the [14th Amendment ?] prohibits denying the right to vote for failure to pay a tax, evading the NFA tax will permanently loose you the right to vote. I see this as a possible avenue to fight the NFA. A Violation is a felony and felons can't vote. But, not paying a tax is not grounds to loose your right to vote as per Amend. XIV.

If you go 07/C2. You will need the following to make RR M16s:

1) A Drill press
2) An M16 Jig
3) A 3/32 Bit (or whatever size the sear hole is)
4) A Batch of AR-15 Lowers
5) A Batch of AR-15 Uppers
6) A Batch of M16 Parts (Hammer, Trigger, Disconnector, Selector, Bolt Carrier, and Auto Sear.) Auto Sears run about $20.

I believe you can use Pre-81 DIASes, Registered Post-81 DIASes, or make your own DIAS to convert AR15s if you have an 07/C2.

Not a bad rundown, cc48510 - except for 5) there.  An individual police officer cannot purchase a post-sample machinegun in any way shape or form, department letterhead or not (unless the officer happens to be a Class 3 or Class 2 SOT doing the purchase in their capacity as a dealer, with a law enforcement demo request letter, and not in their capacity as a law enforcement officer).  

Only a government entity (police agency or department for this example) can purchase the post-sample machineguns, which must be owned by the department, but could then be issued to the individual officer.  

The letterhead purchase for an individual officer only applies to the purchase of LE-only post-ban semi automatic assault weapons under the 94 AW ban, and LE-only post-ban large capacity magazines.

If you wish to remain in California and buy a new M16A2, the only way I know would be to get some land out in the desert and start your own town.  Then elect yourself mayor and start a police force.  Appoint yourself the Chief of Police, and you will be in a position to apply for a machinegun permit from the Caliban DoJ.

The other nice thing about having your own town is that you can be the Town Drunk and the Village Idiot.  Or you can have your friends come out and live there and share the responsibilities.

Hehe... I like your subjection California_Kid, although I think I need 3000 people to live in my town before it can have it’s own police department.  If I cannot get the permits I want at the price I want, that’s ok…
I’ll simply save all that money I was going to use to buy those guns plus that new jeep I wanted and put it towards more… “Productive” use. :)
I think I’ll at least get that FAB10 in the meantime though ;)