I looking to apply for a Class 3 FFL.  I am a Deputy Sheriff in Nebraska.  I have all the forms from ATF, but any assistance or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.  What are the fees involved, and how long does it generally take for approval?

thanks for your help

If you're talking about the type 3 ffl or C&R, there is a whole forum here in the armory devoted to the subject. If you're talking about the tax and license for automatics that's a whole different can-o-worms.

I'm interested in applying for the Class 3 for automatics.

I am not an FFL holder, nor do I claim to be. However, the drill goes something like this: first obtain a Type 01 FFL. Once approved, file the paperwork and pay for an S.O.T. Once the check is cashed, you are an S.O.T. There are different types of FFL holders and different types of S.O.T.s. The S.O.T. has to be paid up yearly and the FFL needs to be renewed every four years.

At any rate, that's only roughly how things work. There are plenty of S.O.T.s on the AR15 board (David_Hineline is an S.O.T. out of the Omaha, Nebraska area and is one of the moderators of the full auto forum on the AR15 board) who can get very specific with you. I'd suggest reposting over there.

You can buy automatics without having a license. You only need the license if you plan on dealing with them. If all you want to do is own and shoot some, just get in touch with one of the reputable dealers and they can walk you through the procedure for getting the SOT.

As mentioned above, a visit to the Full Auto section is in order.