MG ownership in the US
No offense to anyone, but with the exception of Bill Grist's post, I've never seen so much misinformation outside of a reenactor's BBS.
Manufacture and registration of transferrable MGs was halted on May 19, 1986 with the passage of the Firearms' Owners Protection Act. The part of the Act that prohibited adding new MGs to the NFRTR is the Hughes amendment (not the "Dole" amendment...not even sure what the "Dole" amendment is unless it deals with bananas.) As was stated above, the original date of manufacture is irrelevant in regards to the NFRTR (National Firearms' Registry and Transfer Record.) What matters is the date that it was entered into the NFRTR. Since there are no longer any new MGs allowed into the US civilian market, simple economics of supplay and demand have driven prices skyward. Right now, about the cheapest you can realistically get into the machinegun game is for around $2500-3000, and all that will get you is an M11/Nine or MAC 10. Transferrable MG34s are going for +/-$30k, and MG 42s for upwards of $40k these days. As far as blank-only MGs, if it fits the definition of a firearm, and fires either full-auto or from an open bolt, it is a machinegun, even if the barrel will not chamber a live round. (Remember, even deats were required to be registered under the '68 GCA amendments to the '34 NFA.) As far as the transer tax, it still remains at $200, and has not been increased to $600 (or anything else.) Pre-1986, if you wanted to make an MG, it was not much different than building a suppressor or SBR today... you filed a BATF Form 1 and sent it and your $200 off to the NFA branch. When you received your approved Form 1 back you made the gun...no permits required, as Gary Cain said.
No offense to anyone, but with the exception of Bill Grist's post, I've never seen so much misinformation outside of a reenactor's BBS.
Manufacture and registration of transferrable MGs was halted on May 19, 1986 with the passage of the Firearms' Owners Protection Act. The part of the Act that prohibited adding new MGs to the NFRTR is the Hughes amendment (not the "Dole" amendment...not even sure what the "Dole" amendment is unless it deals with bananas.) As was stated above, the original date of manufacture is irrelevant in regards to the NFRTR (National Firearms' Registry and Transfer Record.) What matters is the date that it was entered into the NFRTR. Since there are no longer any new MGs allowed into the US civilian market, simple economics of supplay and demand have driven prices skyward. Right now, about the cheapest you can realistically get into the machinegun game is for around $2500-3000, and all that will get you is an M11/Nine or MAC 10. Transferrable MG34s are going for +/-$30k, and MG 42s for upwards of $40k these days. As far as blank-only MGs, if it fits the definition of a firearm, and fires either full-auto or from an open bolt, it is a machinegun, even if the barrel will not chamber a live round. (Remember, even deats were required to be registered under the '68 GCA amendments to the '34 NFA.) As far as the transer tax, it still remains at $200, and has not been increased to $600 (or anything else.) Pre-1986, if you wanted to make an MG, it was not much different than building a suppressor or SBR today... you filed a BATF Form 1 and sent it and your $200 off to the NFA branch. When you received your approved Form 1 back you made the gun...no permits required, as Gary Cain said.
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