Some of the more exclusive models are even more expensive, with an average price tag ranging from $30,000 to $50,000! Also, you will have to pay for ammunition, and most machine guns will go through 500 to 1,000 rounds per minute. According to FOPA, machine guns already in possession of civilians in 1986 can be transferred to new owners, but no additional machine guns can be added to the pool of available firearms.īelieve it or not, the price of a machine gun can be upwards of $20,000 today and is expected to increase every year. This created the inflated prices you see today. The Price of Machine GunsĪs you can imagine, the ban on purchasing newer models of machine guns made after 1986 meant the supply became more and more limited while demand continued to grow. Only then can you take the machine gun home and possess it legally. If approved, you will receive your paperwork in the mail that includes a permit with the listed lawful possessor of the firearm. In addition, you will need to pay a $200 “NFA tax stamp” for each weapon transaction. The gun will need to stay in possession of the previous owner until the process is complete. The FBI conducts a thorough background check using fingerprints and a photograph required with your application, which could take 9 to 12 months to process. After purchasing the gun, you must fill out an ATF Form 4 application and wait for approval before taking possession of the firearm. To legally own a machine gun, you first have to apply for approval from the federal government. Some of the NFA firearms and related equipment that fall under this special category include:
This means they must be registered with the government from one owner to the next so they can be tracked.
Registration Requirementsīased on the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934, machine guns fall under a special category of firearms. Some government officials, military, and police personnel, for example, may have their own set of rules regarding owning a machine gun. To summarize, you can’t be a prohibited person, the machine gun must have been made and registered before 1986, and it needs to be legal according to your state’s laws to own a machine gun. For example, you cannot legally possess, manufacture, or sell a machine gun in California, Illinois, or New Jersey. If the machine gun was not registered at the time the act was passed, it cannot be legally owned by a private citizen for any reason.Īlso, you have to watch out for specific state laws that could ban certain characteristics of some firearms. It prohibits the possession of new machine guns (made after 1986) by civilians. citizenshipĪnother restriction is a result of the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) passed in 1986. Former military personnel who were dishonorably discharged.People previously committed to a mental institution.Unlawful users of controlled substances.People convicted of a crime that is punishable by more than one year in prison.Some of the things that will classify you as a prohibited person include the following: For one, you are only eligible to own a fully automatic machine gun (or any gun) if you are not a “prohibited person” by law.
Restrictions on Owning a Machine Gunįor private citizens, there are several facets to legally owning a machine gun. Semi-automatic guns are much more common than fully automatic firearms due to less extensive regulations and a much lower price point. In contrast, a semi-automatic firearm will only fire one round with each individual pull of the trigger, then automatically reload the chamber with a cartridge so the gun is ready to fire again.