How do I get a class III?

Do you want to become a C3 dealer, or are you inquiring as to how you can obtain cool toys like suppressors or machineguns?
 
OK, not too hard to obtain cool toys in PA. Just need a few things:

- no criminal record
- minimum age is 21
- lots (and lots) of money

The process works like this:

1) find a toy you want to purchase. Lets say its a M-16. You're most likely looking at between $11000 to $15000. Arrange a payment with the seller (most are 100% up front but some may agree 50% now and 50% when item is picked up).
1a) if firearm is out of state, you need to have it shipped to a suitable dealer (who works with MG's and such) inside state of PA. If firearm is located in PA, just go to step 2.

2) fill out TWO (duplicate) form 4 from the ATF
2a) get official fingerprint cards
2b) get passport-type photo for each Form 4
2c) get Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) signoff on rear of each Form 4 (this is your chief of police in your area - if you live in small towns usually your county sheriff. Philadelphia and places like that are harder to get)
2d) make out a $200 check to ATF

3) Mail all of above to ATF. After a month to three months (depending on who you get assigned to your case) one of the Form 4's with a special treasury stamp and signature on the form will be sent to your local dealer who is holding the firearm for you.

4) Go pick up your toy and have fun.

Its not overly hard, but some paperwork and footwork involved. And dont forget lots of money. The problem here is that since 1986 no more machine guns are allowed to be made for civilian ownership. BUT, there are still lots out there. Problem is supply and demand - since the supply is fixed (or decreasing since things break and wear out), the price will go up.

Post if you have any questions. Once you actually decide to get something, people can help you out on this and other boards.
 
between $11000 to $15000
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In that case, nevermind. I was thinking I could just get the liscence, then eventually buy an auto. Just so I'm sure, I have to purchase a full auto before I can get the liscence?
 
Just so I'm sure, I have to purchase a full auto before I can get the liscence?
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George posted a good summary of the process, but to answer your question, yes. You'll need to purchase the weapon and have it transfered to a C3 dealer in your state before you can start the form 4 to have it transfered to you. You will have paid for the gun, but you will not be able to take possession of it until the form 4 comes back approved from BATFE. Until that time the gun will have to stay with the dealer.

What you're doing is not obtaining a license to own it; you are filing a tax return for the transfer tax(with a check for the tax due) . When you are approved and the tax is paid, the tax stamp is affixed to the form to show you've paid the tax on the weapon and can take possession.
 
So if for some reason the ATF denies the application, you've already paid up front for the gun, you can't take possession.
What if the seller won't take it back. Are you stuck or can you resell?
 
ATF won't deny the application unless it would be illegal in your state to own or possess the weapon, or unless there was something in your history that would preclude you from owning a gun in the first place. Unlike the CLEO signoff provision of the form 4, BATFE's approval is not completely discretionary.

Lets say your application is denied because you live in a state that prohibits possession of NFA weapons by non-dealers. The dealer holding the weapon could transfer it on your behalf. IOW, you could sell the gun to someone else, but you would not be able to actually take possession - the dealer would be the one to store, handle, and ship out the gun. You could make all the financial arrangements and receive the cash though.
 
I've been told that there are options other than the "Head LEO" signoff. ie Incorporation atleast in FL it's supposed to be an alternative??:confused:
 
Incorporation does get you around the CLEO signoff but there are other drawbacks to buying NFA as corporate assets. Even purchasing through a corporate entity, however, you still have to complete a form 4 (for the corporation) and BATFE will still check to see if the corporate possession would be violative of any state law regarding NFA weapons.
 
What about buyng an M4 and milling it to get a full auto then registering it with whoever you need to?
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Can't register it now; the manufacture of new machineguns for civilian ownership was cutoff in 1986 by 18 USC 922(o). Were the registry open, you would have toregister it first, get the paperwork approved, and then you could manufacture it. Since the registry is now closed to new machineguns for civilian use you can't register it, and thus cannot make it legal.

P99guy - As to the question of trusts, I am not 100% sure but I don't think a mere trust will pass muster for BATFE as a vehicle for ownership of NFA weapons. I believe it has to be some sort of incorporation; S corp., C corp., LLC, etc.
 
Nope, you cannot now register a receiver for use with a sear, regardless of when the receiver was made. If you have a REGISTERED drop in sear you can use that sear in a semi-auto receiver, but you cannot alter the receiver for a GI type sear. But keep in mind, a registered drop in sear is already registered as a machinegun (legally it IS a machinegun all by itself), so there would be no reason to register the host receiver.
 
Simple fact - there is no shortcut around spending a lot of money to get a machine gun. You can get CHEAPER full auto weapons (MAC, Sten, M2 Carbine, Reising, etc) for $5000 or less. But almost anything rifle caliber is going to cost you double that or more.

Not to dissuade you - they are loads of fun and arent getting cheaper. But if you want to do it, its going to cost money.
 
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