When you wish to purchase any weapon that falls into these definitions:

• Machine guns: Any firearm that shoots, is designed to shoot or can be altered to shoot automatically with a single trigger operation without manual reloading. 
• Short-barreled shotguns: Shotguns with a barrel less than 18 inches long or an overall length less than 26 inches. 
• Short-barreled rifles: Rifles with an overall length of less than 26 inches or a barrel overall length of less than 16 inches. 
• Destructive devices: Any explosives, incendiaries, poison gases or projectile firearms with a bore diameter greater than half an inch, like grenades, rockets, bombs or flare launchers. 
• Silencers: Devices designed to reduce the sound of a portable firearm. 
• Any other weapon (AOW): A catch-all term for devices that can be concealed on a person and fired with the energy of an explosive. 

While ownership of NFA, (Title II) weapons or suppressors is not illegal, they are subject to:

• A $200 tax for the transfer of any firearm, except a firearm classified as an “any other weapon”. Any other weapon is $5. 
• An unserviceable firearm may be transferred as a curio or ornament without payment of the transfer tax. [26 U.S.C. 5811, 5852(e) and 5845(h); 27 CFR 479.11, 479.82 and 479.91]
• A background check
• Registration with the NFA registry
• Generally, for the manufacture of NFA items, ATF Form 5320-1 must be submitted to the ATF for transfer of a NFA item (from a person or entity lawfully entitled to transfer it (Class 3 dealer) to yourself, or any entity (Gun Trust or LLC) then the ATF Form 5320-4 must be submitted to the ATF.

Of all the NFA firearms (silencers, machine guns, short barrel rifles, short barrel shotguns, and any other weapon (AOW) and destructive devices), machine guns are the most restricted by different states. Check your own state’s rules on the ownership of these weapons.

A few states such as New York and California have provisions in the state laws that prohibit ownership of all Title II weapons and devices. A few states only allow possession of NFA items defined as curios and relics list and with compliance to NFA requirements. Most states allow legal ownership of all NFA items, if the owner has complied with the federal registration for private ownership. 

For more questions on NFA items, Suppressors, Gun Trusts, please contact us at 817-285-0664

Or visit:  https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/national-firearms-act-nfa