No, Machine Guns are not illegal.
Quote:Contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly legal for a law-abiding American citizen to own/possess a machine gun (sometimes called a full-auto firearm or automatic weapon).
Of course, there are some restrictions on machine gun ownership/possession for non-government/law enforcement personnel.
For example, a private citizen can lawfully own a machine gun only if:
As you can see, machine gun possession is regulated based on the person (possessor), the firearm itself (when it was made), and where the firearm is possessed (which state).
- the possessor isn’t a “prohibited person,”
- the full-auto machine gun was made before 1986, and
- their relevant state law does not ban that the firearm (whether banning machine guns outright or any firearm with certain features).
Quote:Machine gun owners can’t be “prohibited persons.”
Well, to be more accurate, a “prohibit person” can’t lawfully possess a machine gun – ownership is irrelevant.
A “prohibit person” is a class of person defined under federal law who is not allowed to posses firearms nor ammunition (not just full-auto machine guns).
The category “prohibited person” includes anyone who:There’s a few nuances that you might need to be aware of if you think that any of these apply to you – especially the “convicted of any crime punishable by more than a year,” “unlawful user of a controlled substance,” and “restraining order” provisions. If you’d like to learn more about these prohibited person categories, see Prohibited Persons / Firearm Possession.
- is a felon
- has been convicted of any crime punishable by more than a year in prison (whether or not they were ever sentenced to or served a day in prison)
- is under indictment for any crime punishable by more than a year in prison
- is a fugitive
- is an unlawful user of any controlled substance
- has been adjudicated as a mental defective
- has been committed to a mental institution
- is an illegal alien
- has a dishonorable discharge from the military
- has renounced their U.S. citizenship
- is the subject of a restraining order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the child of an intimate partner, or
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
Source
Once A Rogue, Always A Rogue!