Calling Gun Law Experts!
 

OK, so I want to buy an original Tommy gun, complete with drum mag.

CITIZENSHIP?
I am not a US citizen, but at least I am from the 'coalition of the willing' rather than the 'axis of evil'!

STATE?
The state is Ca.

WHY?
I want it because it's an engineering masterpiece of its time, and a work of art. I'd love to see what it feels/sounds like to empty that thing.


QUESTIONS:
1) can it be done?
2) How?

I have heard all kinds of folk rambling on this subject, but never with any authority. There are some very informed people (or very convincing *expert* bullshitters) on this board, so here's where we find out.

1) Move out of California. You're not going to have a good time getting one there. California hates assault weapons. California hates high-capacity magazines. California hates Class III weapons (I assume that you want a fully automatic capable Thompson, thus making it a Class III weapon).

2) Establish residence in a state that isn't so very anti-gun. Nevada comes to mind.

3) You may very well have to become a US Citizen. I'm far from a Class II expert, but in these times, it may be right difficult for a non-citizen to obtain Class II licensing.

4) Save your pennies up. Regular semi-auto Thompsons from Auto-Ordnance aren't cheap. They run between $800-1000 with one stick mag. The drum being a coupla hundred extra IF you can find 'em. An original Thompson will be obscenely expensive.

Now, speaking of Nevada, I went to a coupla the ranges in Las Vegas the last time I was there. LV's gun laws aren't too harsh on shops that want to rent out class III weapons for use on their own internal ranges. One of the shops I went to had a Thompson with drum that you could rent. Again, not cheap, but it will allow you to experience full-auto without having to shell out the obscene money assuming you can locate an original Thompson. Then you can likely comfort yourself with owning the modern, and far less expensive, semi-auto version.

Good luck, and check with your local legal types before you do anything. I am only going off of what I know, which is a smattering of local (Virginia, in my case) and Federal laws regarding Class III weapons. Your best bet is a local police officer or lawyer.

Moonduck has it right. Commiefornia isn't exactly friendly to Class-3 stuff, and Thompson Guns are rediculously expensive; 12,000 dollars is a good starting price, with an extra 300 or so for each drum.
You will need to be a US Citizen to purchase a Class-3 weapon, I believe.

You will also need a class 3 license from the ATF. This is gonna set you back another couple of hundred dollars.

Does the ATF/FBI background check cost as well? (I'm sure it does)

I know that the transfer/tax stamp for the gun is $200.

(great gun to fire, btw)

liek someone said before... simply move out of Cali. go see what FREE AMERICA has to offer as far as Gun laws :)

you didnt mention in your post ..
are you getting a semi or a selective fire weapon?


you can buy and own semi's while not a citizen .

you can not however own a seletive fire weapon .. a " transferable machine gun" < muist be a resident alien at the very least i believe>

this is what the form says
18 U.S.C. 922(g)(5)(B) generally makes it unlawful for any nonimmigrant alien to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition;
or to receive any firearm or ammunition which has shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
A nonimmigrant alien is an alien in the United States in a nonimmigrant classification. The defintion includes, in large part, persons traveling temporarily in the United States for business or pleasure, persons
studying in the United States who maintain a residence abroad, and certain foreign workers. The definition does NOT include permanent resident aliens.

and here is the acuall form http://titleii.com/pdf/5330-20.pdf

so if your not a nonimmigrant alien ....and are a resident alien.. you are ok..



still wanna know if its a semi or a full-auto :)

and yes the $200 Tax stamp does cover the FBI/ATF BG check.

Thanks for citing the code, guys. What I posted was from memory.

I find it funny Lebell will warn an anti-gun person about politics on this board but lets you guys talk all you like.

Talk about free America...

This is mainly just teasing Lebell by the way. Not trying to make waves.

Thought I would post what I was talking about though. :)
I know this was a Snatch quote and I know Lebell now gets it but still, he did warn before hand.

But then you guys say stuff like this hehe.
No big deal…just wanted to be a pain for a second. I enjoy this board although I wish more people owned and discussed knives and swords. I have started a collection of both.

Anyway, carry on. Good luck on that Tommy gun!

*shrug* Given the likely demographics of this board, Lebell looked at that quote and, missing the reference, thought someone was making a narsty comment about some other country for political reasons. That ain't kosher by the Rules of Conduct. Here, you have people making snide comments about a section of what is very likely to be their own country. Thus no biggie.

Then again, there is a trend towards tacit free-fire zones regarding certain subjects. Religion is one as Christianity is usually freely abused on most internet message boards. I am also on one board that will ban you in a heartbeat for rascist comments about blacks, yet allows people to make all sort and manner of rascist jokes about Asians. In the above example, Germany is a touchy subject, and very much not in the free-fire zone here. California, however, is.

And, for the record, Califronia looks down on bladed weapons. You'd likely find your collection illegal there, however minimal the likelihood of law enforcement actually prosecuting notwithstanding.

Barring the citizenship and residence issues, wouldn't an original Tommy gun fall under a C&R?

that's some jolly useful info guys, thanks a lot.

Isn't C&R for stuff older 1898? Tommy Gun came out in 1923, I believe.

well you could come up to eugene oregon and go to the barons den and rent theres for a little while. but that might be a little much to just shoot a fully auto thompson at an indoor range one time. try gunbroker.com and move out of cali cause like already stated cali hates guns. however i have a feeling that will change with arnold.

Everyone else has said it, but if you want a firearm like that, move out of California. Seriously. There is a world of difference between states in gun laws, and California is one of the worst and most restrictive.

Moonduck is correct, curio and relics standing is for stuff older than 1898. Gatling gun, anyone :)

Didn't they make a C&R exception for Gatlings, Maxims, and the like? Can't remember.