[opee]

First time poster here:
Considering a Class III for a SMG. Want to spend around $3-$6K first time around. Live in TX, have a C&R and CHL liscense currently. Getting CLEO to sign off should not be a problem.
Have contacted a local Class III dealer and he said to buy 100 rounds of 9mm and 223 ammo and come by his place to shoot a few Class III weapons.
Questions:
1. What are the most desired/reliable SMG's in either a 9mm or 45 ACP? S&W 76, Uzi, Mac 10, Mac 11, Cobray, Spitfire, etc?
2. Will a C&R enable me to bypass any of the process of obtaining a Class III other than CLEO sign off?
3. Is a MAC 10 9mm with a .22 conversion upper considered 2 guns, or can I own under one Class III?
4. Is a 22 conversion SMG reliable and worth the investment?
5. Main reason for doing this is to get one while I can legally, and for shooting fun, and investement. Have other Class III owners found you really like the ownership of a SMG?
Please excuse ignorance on these questions, but I have to start somewhere.
Comments appreciated...Opee

[c3shooter]

About the only firearms you list that you can TOUCH in your price range may be the MACs. LEGAL, TRANSFERABLE full autos are very pricey. My personal preference is the Uzi, but there is no accounting for tastes. If you can go shoot several, try that, and see what you like.

You do not "get" a class III license- you have ownership of a full auto transferred to you by a dealer that has a Class III endorse met to his license.

The only effect a C&R has, is that there are certain C&R machineguns that can be transferred directly to you- but you still have to do the whole National Firearms Act thing- prints, CLEO, $200 tax stamp, yada yada.

Have it transferred to a properly structured trust will bypass the CLEO approval and prints. Use a real lawyer for the trust, not a computer program.

Only full auto .22LR I have seen that impressed me was the American 180. Designed for .22 LR from the ground up. The firearm is the serially numbered parts (except for a few that have a registered SEAR.

Not to give you an abrupt answer, but sounds like you have a good Class III dealer- go talk with him, let him educate you. When you see prices, and the cost to feed one of those hungry critters, you may reconsider.

I do sympathize with you- I want an M60.

[DrJason]

First off, Welcome to the forum, please stop by the Introductions section.

My limited experience with CL III is that as c3 said the only thing in your price range is a MAC. That said the MAC is a highly customizable SMG. You can get the Lage upper that will slow the rate of fire and the .22lr conversion looks pretty slick, I have no 1st hand experience with either (yet, but hopefully will soon).

The "ban" is a double edge sword, it makes the price of guns high because of limited supply but is also ensures that you will most likely not loose money on any CL III gun you buy (and may actually make some money on it as they tend to appreciate in value).

If you have a good CL III shop, they WILL be your best resource.

[KingTiger]

1. As stated, a MAC is the only weapon in your price range.
2. Already answered.
3. The lower receiver is the registered part, so a .22 conversion does not
count as another NFA part.
4. I've got a .22 conversion for my M11/9 with Lage Slow Fire upper. It's a
barrel insert & different bolt that takes about 30 seconds to convert. It
uses 40 round Black Dog mags built specifically for the MAX-11/22
conversion. Rate of fire is 800-900 RPM. There is no recoil & it's meant to
run on cheap bulk pack ammo. It runs well.
5. It's the most fun you can have while still keeping your clothes on. Using
147 gr. subsonics w/the Gemtech Viper-9 suppressor, it is hearing safe.

[anm2_man]

There is an advantage in Buying a C&R NFA Weapon. There are several states that only all C&R NFA weapons. Texas is not one of them. So purchasing a C&R weapon has an advantage when you go to sell it.

Next, your price range is quite wide $3k-$6k. I just seen for $6k a nice Sten 9mm SMG that was up for sale. You maybe able to find a UZI or a S&W76 (Which is a C&R gun ) for around $6 so don't limit your scope. There are also clones for the S&W 76 called MK760 (See ad here NFA Firearms Ads ).

So there are a lot of options even in your price range.

Good luck

PS: My favorite SubGun is my S&W76.

[opee]

Guys,
Thanks for all your input. After this little Texas cold snap warms up a bit I am going to visit the Class III dealer down the street and ask as many questions and hopefully shoot a couple of models to get a feel for how these different machines run. Trying to put 2 kids through college so funds may be limited, but if the right weapon comes around I could always find a way.
Have always wanted to own a Thompson, but probably beyond my means unless I could justify the appreciation of value as investment. The S&W 76 looks really nice and seems to fit the niche I am looking for, and price may be in line. Did not know it was a C&R.
Just out of curiosity, do most owners spend a lot of money on repairs of these machines? Do they break parts alot? Shot out barrels?
When you buy ammo, do you just buy tins of a 1000 rnds and enjoy shooting it all up? I assume I would shoot it 4-6 times a year, but would be eager to hear how often you guys are shooting your SMG's. Thanks again.