[Greg Bell]

I would like an SOT/FFL. I would like to be able to assemble full-auto kits and import interesting guns like SIG 552s, G36s, etc. What are the practical hoops involved?


GHB

[TheBluesMan]

I'm not sure what SOT means, but for federal requirements, I'd start here: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/index.htm

Don't forget to check your state, county and local laws too.

Good luck! :)

-Dave

[Hkmp5sd]

To save you some time, even if you go through the extensive and expensive hoops to get a manufacturers SOT, you still cannot assemble and/or import machineguns at will. It will take a letter from some government agency or police department requesting a demonstration of a specific machinegun before you can even receive a single, existing post-86 dealer sample, much less manufacture or import a new one.

[CleverNickname]

A Class 2 SOT (manufacturer) can make any gun they feel like, without getting a demo request letter from a law enforcement agency. They just make it and file a form 2 with the ATF within 24 hours to notify the ATF of the fact that a new title II firearm exists. The demo request letter is only required when any class of SOT wants to transfer a post-sample machinegun from another SOT.

As to the original question, if you want to get into legally manufacturing machineguns, there's a minimum of $1200 in taxes each year to the feds, plus your business has to be in an area that's zoned for manufacturing. This is in addition to any state or local regs. Plus, you have to actually operate it as a business. IE, you can't just make machineguns for your own use, and pay $1200 a year to make them legal.

[Hkmp5sd]

A Class 2 SOT (manufacturer) can make any gun they feel like,
Yup. I should have used "assemble" instead of "make". Sounded like the question was about buying existing machinegun parts and putting them together and importing new machineguns for personal use instead of setting up the tooling to actually manufacture machineguns for sale/export.

[Greg Bell]

Can't a SOT import weapons for research purposes?

[Hkmp5sd]

I don't have any idea about importing for "research". I've wondered if a person could become a designer/inventor of machineguns without being a manufacturer. I have no desire to open a full fledged manufacturing plant, but would very much like to work on designs, modifications and customizing machineguns with the intent of getting patents and then selling the patent to the manufacturers.