I hope this is ok to post.........Does anyone know what the different m16 rifles are.... for instince the a1 a2 a3 and a4? are any m16s fully auto? also is it illegal to own a auto gun in america? THANKS

 

basically different stocks forward assist etc ,full auto and three shot burst are just different receivers ..you use to be able to get a special dealers license for auto's i don't know if this is still the case....ar's car's are basically the same rifles also.........

 

The A1 had a slightly shorter stock, rear site only adjustable for windage, had to adjust the elevation with the front site. The A1 was either semi-auto or full.

The A2 has a slightly longer stock, fully adjustable rear site. Semi-auto or 3 round burst.

I think the A3 is the shorty.

The A4 is the flat top (removable carry handle). Also available in the shorty version.

There are several civilian versions of the M16/AR15. The civilian versions are semi-auto ONLY.

There is still a class of FFL for full auto. Class 3. Very expensive and the storage requirements are very strict. Plus, you are subject to BATF inspection whenever they feel like it.

I looked into this a number of years ago, things may have changed since then.

 

Pretty much the only individuals who can have a Class 3 license are dealers. Government has made it virtually impossible for JQ Public to obtain one.

 

After years of knowing some of the guys on this forum and others, that may not be a bad thing.

How hard is it now to be a dealer? Used to be easy.

 

What's the point of only "dealers" having full-auto weapons if there isn't anybody that they can legally sell them to?

 

As I understand it, obtaining a Class 3 (full auto) dealer license is not easy or cheap.

Full auto weapons made before the federal ban can still be owned by civillians (who are not dealers), but there is a long application and background process, plus a transfer tax.

Some states (CA, WA) have state laws that are stricter than federal, and ban private ownership of full auto weapons.

Fortunately, Oregon is not one of them, and I have friends with full auto M-16's, UZI's, Mac's, and a Thompson w/drum mag...

A few years back there were a bunch of 9mm UZI's on the market built new from pre-ban receivers, and several friends bought for something like $3700 for the gun, tax, and silencer. I didn't jump on that bandwagon, thinking it might not be a wise investment if Oregon or the feds then banned them, but since that time their price has skyrocketed...

 

I was wondering... I knew pre ban had someting to do with stuff, I have a friend with a pre ban AK, paid a good chunk, and a few A-Bolts for it. But I did know that a Class 3 liscence is not easy or cheap to get.

 

If it's semi-auto, by "pre-ban" he may have meant before the Clinton "assault weapon" ban... which has since sunsetted.

 

in 1986 they passed the assult wepons ban. a nice piece of feel good legiation that made it illegal to manufacture a full auto wepon for civilian use. so the only full auto wepons that can be had by a civilian had to be made befor the ban. so over the years the price has went crazy for these guns. you do not need a class 3 license to purchase a full auto gun. you must buy it through a class 3 dealer. you have to have a local police check you out and fill out your form, you need a passport photo and a set of finger prints to return to your dealer who will usally send it to the atf. then they will drag out a back ground check for as long as they possibly can [90 plus days] and send the ok to your dealer. at that point you can take possesion of the gun. the paper work you get back is nothing more than a tax form with a 200 dollar stamp on it. yes it looks like it should be on a letter. i have a full auto mac 11 with all the right paper work to own it legally.

 

Thanks for the info gunracer. My friend described the process as "I'm the man, I can do whatever I want" He aint to helpful if you want to know something.

 

Gunracer,

Thanks. I knew the National Firearms Act of 1934 is where the $200 machine gun transfer tax came from, and the gun control act of 1968 was when gun dealer licenses were set up and required to keep records (and not sell to felons or mentally incompetent).

I knew that full autos were built and improted until some point after that, but couldn't recall when that ended...

 

On a side topic, Is the new 6.8 SPC going to be dubbed A5?
The last time I checked, full auto was a $200 tax stamp and the are occationally for sale in the Shotgun News. Prepare for a sticker shock. I have seen some full autos going for over $15,000.00.

 

Sorry, had to do it.. This is my recent build using a Rock River Arms lower and Stag Upper. VLTOR free float forearm, EOTECH 512 sight, ARMS 40 backup sight and some other goodies.

 

Yup!! Class III FFL (AKA collector license) REQUIRED and a PIA.
Regular FFL is not that hard to get but regulatory agencies can still be a PIA and it is my understanding you have to be able to prove a certain amount of buisness transactions a year to retain it. (I might be wrong on the last part)