Moving to a Free state, where to start?

[KodeFore]

I have retired and I am moving to an nfa friendly state. I don't have the budget to go crazy, but I want to take advantage of gun freedom.

Can i convert an existing ar into an sbr or would I need to buy an AR pistol to start the process. I'd also like to put a can on it, so that's a separate tax stamp right?

What's most budget friendly to get into nfa? Where would be a good starting point?

I doubt I can select fire, so I'll just settle with my previous exp on the m16a1, a2 & m60. (85-89) Kinda funny back when that stuff was just part of life after high school it really didn't seem like a big deal at the time.
TYIA

 

[Jonny2guns]

You could simply buy a pistol upper for your rifle lower (with the tax stamp of course).
That would be one your cheapest options.

 

[Hoser]

A rimfire suppressor, a 308 suppressor and maybe a short barrel or two.

 

[dogtown tom]

...Can i convert an existing ar into an sbr or would I need to buy an AR pistol to start the process.

You can make an SBR after receiving an approved Form 1 as the "maker" (not manufacturer). Whether the original firearm is an AR stripped lower, pistol or rifle does not matter.

I'd also like to put a can on it, so that's a separate tax stamp right?

Correct. Every NFA firearm requires its own stamp, to either transfer (a Form 4) or to make (a Form 1).
Some choose to use an integrel silencer, to avoid the second SBR stamp.
Example: You attach a 7" silencer to your 12" barrel on your SBR......you are at 19"
vs
A 16" barreled upper with the silencer permanantly attached....you are shorter than the above configuration but don't have an SBR.

What's most budget friendly to get into nfa? Where would be a good starting point?

Buy a short bbl upper for your AR.
Buy a .30/6.62 silencer.....you can shoot pretty much anything smaller through that hole.
Remember there is a $200 tax for each. You only pay that one time.

I doubt I can select fire,

Machine Guns start at around:
AR15/M16.....$25000
Uzi's...... $15000
MAC's.....$10000
The $200 stamp will be inconsequential.

 

[Elkins45]

^^^ I agree with all the above, but I will add that it’s worth the extra $$ to get a dedicated rimfire silencer. Standard velocity 22LR and a can means you can shoot in your backyard and the neighbors will never know (assuming that is legal, of course.)

 

[horsemen61]

Paging @MachIVshooter

 

[N555]

Don't forget about sawed off shot guns, grenade launchers, ect too.

 

[MachIVshooter]

Paging @MachIVshooter

Present!

So, there's nothing really "budget friendly" about NFA, but there are certainly many things cheaper and more useful than the machine guns lots of people lust after.

SBRs and suppressors are most worthwhile for sure. Short shotguns and some AOWs can be fun range toys, and destructive devices are cool if that's your game and you have the coin for it, but there's a good reason silencers and SBRs dominate the registry. Incidentally, they are the 2 classes that have the least business being NFA in the first place, but I digress.

I don't think I really need to extol the virtues of SBR, they kind of speak for themselves, and the only real downside to them is having to file Form 5320.20 to travel interstate.

Suppressors are my game, of course, and while most of us are aware that outside of .22s they don't achieve the kind of quiet represented in hollywood, they are still well worth it. Even when the decibel levels are still above what could be considered "hearing safe", they are a lot lower than without, so far less damaging if you do happen to light one off without ears. They will generally allow comfortable and safe shooting with just foam ear plugs versus doubled up protection, and they eliminate a ton of the noise that transfers though tissue and bone to your eardrums regardless of worn hearing protection. You can have the best plugs and muffs in the world, but they will not stop that conduction, which can still be quite damaging at high SPL.

And on that note, choosing the right suppressor(s) is going to send you down a rabbit hole. There are myriad considerations, and muzzle end suppression is frequently not the top priority, especially with autoloading weapons that typically have considerable port and piston pop regardless of can. Diameter, length, weight, durability, ease of installation, flexability/adaptability-all these things matter, and it's a game of trade-offs. Everyone wants a 4" long, 4 ounce, 1.2" diameter full auto rated suppressor that costs $200 and will sound like a brad nailer on everything from .22 LR to .50 BMG. Such unicorns obviously do not exist, and real "do-all" cans often excel in only one role (if any) while being pretty mediocre for other purposes, so we prioritize attributes and assess value.

 

[AlexanderA]

Ridiculously long processing times. That, to me, is what kills the NFA "game" these days. The prerequisite is to have the patience of Job. By the same token, on the other end, the items are illiquid when it comes time to sell them.

 

[dogtown tom]

Ridiculously long processing times.

Patience is a virtue. I waited until I was 17 years old to buy my first car, didn't get my first silencer until I was 50.

ATF NFA average processing times for Form 4's is a whopping 9 months. For Form 1's its 40 days. Thats the slowest time in several years.
The reason is volume of applications. Lower volume, faster processing time.

That, to me, is what kills the NFA "game" these days.

For you sure. Not for the millions who want to play the game.

The prerequisite is to have the patience of Job.

Yup. In this age of next day delivery, people have become spoiled with near immediate satisfaction. Maybe a little sitting and waiting is a good thing.

By the same token, on the other end, the items are illiquid when it comes time to sell them.

I disagree. While the market for used silencers is almost nonexistent, the market for transferrable machine guns is finite and as liquidity depends on how much $$$$ you are willing to take. Similiarly, the demand amongst 07FFL/SOT for dealer samples and nontransferable machine guns has driven those guns value upward as well.
SBR's, SBS's and some AOW's can easily be reconfigured as Title I rifles or shotguns without affecting their value.
"Illiquid" would seem to only apply to cheap silencers.