I used to own a full-auto Uzi. The prices are so high because the demand out strips the supply. There are only a finite number of full-auto weapons available and at this time, no more can be made for the civilian market.
There is no license per se to own a full auto weapon. There is a $200.00 transfer tax. You have to submit your money, 2 sets of finger prints, 2 photos and a form signed by the local chief law enforcement officer (CLEO). That is usually the local chief of police or county sheriff. In some jurisdictions, the CLEO can use this as a form of gun control. The CLEO can refuse to sign the approval form without any reason at all. Even if it is legal to posess full-auto weapons in the area you live.
Approval time can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months or more. No rhyme or reason for the time difference. It's the government. My approval took about 4 months. Turns out that the gal that was supposed to put my forms through took maternity leave and just left my forms sitting on her desk. A call from my class III dealer got things moving again and it was only about another 2 weeks.
One thing a little different about buying class III weapons is you have to pay for them before you even submit the paperwork. The gun is technically yours, you just can't take it with you until you get the transfer forms back from the government. The reason you have to pay up front is because once the transfer forms are approved, it is your property. Even if you haven't paid for it. Only the person listed on the form can posess the weapon.
And you have to go through the same process all over again when you sell the weapon. The sale has to go through a class III dealer. The dealer has to pay a transfer tax, just like you did. The turn around for them is usually quite fast because they don't have to go through the background check every time. Then when the dealer sells the weapon to the next guy, pay taxes all over again along with all the submittals. I understand that if you make another purchase within 6 months of a previous purchase, you don't have to do the finger print, picture, CLEO approval thing all over. But after 6 months it is just like you have never done it before.
They are definately fun to shoot. But you better have some serious bucks to feed the monster.
One thing I did find out. Only 1 legally registered class III weapon was ever used in a crime. If I remember right, it was a domestic dispute. And the gun owner was a cop. Go figure. This was several years ago, so that might have changed since.
So, that's what I know about the deal. Not a hard process to go through, just time consuming. And expensive. But fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
Paul
