Its illegal to convert either. Full auto=felony. It will get you major problems.

Conversion of any weapon to full auto is indeed a federal offence, and draws stiff penalties. Felony = no gun rights.

You can't own an automatic weapon, that is why every weapon you buy is either a single shot or semi auto.

You can own an automatic weapon but the correct paperwork and licensing is needed, and there is a lot of paperwork.

And besides that the "Spray & Pray" method will not be very effective. I looks good in the Movie Theater, but really sux in reality, that is why the Armed at fire 3 round bursts, except for M-60 and M-2 Machine Guns. And Gatlings.

I'm glad they have tightened up the regs. Seemed really stupid to have federal regs against owning an automatic weapon and silencer but still legal to sell all the parts necessary to make one. Thirty years ago I used to see scores of ads for this junk in Shotgun News. Pretty scary.

if i get it right, supressors are legal in some states, but silencers are tough to get the permits for. either way, the sound isn't silenced as much as some people think. not that i own either, mind you.

Ontario,
You are incorrect on so many points. Where shall I start?

Now, if you choose to cobble up something in the garage for your 10/22 without going through the right process of obtaining a tax stamp for it, it will be instantly illegal. You will be tempting fate. There will be a jail cell waiting on you.

As for "making" a silencer, that's not rocket science. You can legally construct one yourself if you know how to navigate through the BATFE rules. You file the proper paperwork, wait for their approval, and obtain the Federal tax stamp for it, thus making it legal. That's a very much simplified explanation of it but it is possible. Number one requirement is having a clean background......

Buying a factory-made one is much easier but you will still have a wait for the Feds to process your paperwork and give you the OK. The Class 3 dealer you purchase it from holds the item until you obtain your tax stamp & approval.

Owning an automatic weapon follows a similar path but you cannot construct a new one (unless you are a licensed firearms manufacturer). Otherwise the firearm must be a previously licensed one(or a licensed auto-sear) and you have to go through a similar paperwork/tax stamp process with the BATFE on that for your legal ownership.

As for accuracy, my wife's uncle's suppressed .308 custom Mauser pours 'em into one-hole groups with or without the can at 100 yds. I notice some POI shift when the can is on, but as for accuracy it may even be better with it on there.

I attended a suppressed-only shoot a while back and a great deal of the folks there are VERY accuracy-oriented. I think they would raise hell if their weapons weren't accurate with the devices on. And there were a lot of big time manufacturers present. They'd be the first to hear of any accuracy issues. I got to shoot everything from .22's to a McMillan .50 - and hit everything I aimed at. If there was an accuracy issue in play it would have been my trigger pulling abilities.

respectfully,
S Ga

4trx300, thanks for the comment. Next time I'm playing the Pi Krappa Zappa fraternity, or the I Phelta Thi sorority in Tuscaloosa, I'll remind myself I still rock even though I'm old enough to be those kids' daddy....almost...LMAO!!!

Ontario, I should add too that my main reason for being a proponent of them (legal ownership of silencers) is that my livelihood (musician/sound contractor/engineer) depends upon my ears working properly. If my ears don't work right, there will be less food on the table, or a roof over that table. A deaf musician is about as useful as a busted prophylactic......

The supposition of a neighbor shooting in his back yard is flawed in several ways. He's potentially breaking the law (silenced or not) by being close to residences and/or streets or roads, and by being in a municipality if you are residing in a city.

Cowboy, if you are so enamored with machine guns I recommend you find someone who is a legal Class 3 firearm owner before you get the idea of cooking up something. Maybe go to a MG shoot somewhere that is sanctioned by a range or a shooting club. At some of these you can buy ammo and shoot their stuff under supervision. After you get to the realization that a Class 3 firearm is one of the most wasteful and expensive things to feed in the whole world, you won't be so enamored with them. Granted they are fun to shoot, but it is better IMHO to shoot someone else's Class 3 firearm and not have the liabilities of owning one.

R/s
S Ga

If you want to shoot Machine guns,I suggest you spend a few years in The Army Or Marine Corps, you will not have to buy the ammo and eventually you will get over the fascination with them I did ( After 27 years) ;)

d1996,

Incorrect. There is no 'gunsmith's license I know of. IMO there ought to be, as there are a few out there that claim to be gunsmiths, and shouldn't be allowed to even work on a Briggs & Stratton, much less a firearm. That's a whole 'nother subject altogether. A legit gunsmith will NOT do such a thing. They know to not lose their livelihood by doing something that reckless & stupid, not to mention aiding and abetting you in a felony level federal firearms crime.

As for making a full-auto weapon, the only way I know of to legally do it is to be a federally licensed and titled firearms MANUFACTURER and originate(read build from scratch) a newly serailized firearm. You can't just go to wally world and buy up some 10/22's and start converting them. That is 100% illegal. AFAIK it is illegal to convert a factory-originated semi-auto weapon into a full-auto one unless you have a previously licensed auto sear(pre-86)that has been transferred & tax stamped. If you do some research on the subject you will get clued in on the definition of the laws and what is and isn't legal.

Making the statement on your post above is somewhat reckless IMO. You are on the borderline of telling folks to do something illegal and then you are following it with incorrect information about "gunsmiths".