| On your journey to getting your Federal | | | | |
| Firearms License, (FFL), you'll undoubtedly | | | | Machine gun--This is any gun with the ability |
| run across a wide variety of acronyms, | | | | to discharge more than one cartridge from a |
| confusing definitions, and just plain dense | | | | single trigger pull. Also included within |
| legalese. At first glance, the task of | | | | this category are the parts that make up a |
| getting an FFL may seem insurmountable, but | | | | machine gun. |
| it's not. Don't let this be a deterrent. As | | | | |
| cryptic as these regulations seem, once you | | | | Short barreled shotgun, (SBS)--This includes |
| familiarize yourself with the terminology and | | | | any smooth bore shotgun with a barrel length |
| basic ideas behind them, getting a license | | | | of less than 18" or an overall length of less |
| becomes much easier. With that in mind, | | | | than 26" |
| let's talk about the NFA and the types of | | | | |
| weapons covered by it. | | | | Short barreled rifle, (SBR)--Much like the |
| | | | Short barreled shotgun, the short barreled |
| When dealing with firearms, you'll often run | | | | rifle is any rifled bore firearm that has an |
| across the term NFA firearms or NFA weapons. | | | | overall length of less than 26", or an |
| It stands for the National Firearms Act and | | | | overall barrel length of less than 16". |
| is a law that was enacted in 1934. Not only | | | | |
| does this law call for the mandatory | | | | Silencers--These include any devices or parts |
| registration of all Title II weapons, it | | | | that are designed to silence, muffle, or |
| requires that an excise tax be paid on the | | | | disguise the sound of any portable firearm. |
| manufacture and sale or transfer of these | | | | |
| weapons. Another important facet of this law | | | | Destructive Device, (DD)--This category |
| is that it requires that any transfer of | | | | encompasses two separate classes. The first |
| title II weapons across state lines is to be | | | | covers grenades or explosive devices, poison |
| reported to the Department of Justice. | | | | gas weapons, or bombs and incendiary devices. |
| | | | The second class covers large bore, |
| So what are Title II weapons you ask? Well, | | | | non-sporting firearms. By definition |
| in the eyes of the government, there are two | | | | anything that's not used for sporting with a |
| types of weapons--Title I and Title II. | | | | bore over 1/2" falls under this class. |
| Title I weapons are primarily rifles, | | | | |
| shotguns, and handguns. Title II weapons are | | | | Any other Weapons (AOW)--This category is for |
| machine guns, silencers, short barreled | | | | weapons and parts that don't fit the other |
| shotguns, short barreled rifles, and the any | | | | categories. It covers any shoulder fired |
| other weapon category, (AOW). One common | | | | weapon with a barrel length between 12"-18". |
| misconception regarding Title II weapons is | | | | These can be either smooth or rifled bore. |
| that they're often called class 3 weapons. | | | | It also covers smooth bore pistols, cane |
| This is wrong, there is no class 3 weapon. | | | | guns, and pen guns. |
| class 3 refers to the class 3 SOT, a special | | | | |
| class of license that's needed to become a | | | | This is only a general overview and should in |
| dealer of NFA firearms. | | | | no way be considered as definitive. If |
| | | | you're in doubt or need specific answers, |
| Now that you know a little bit about the NFA, | | | | check directly with the Bureau of Alcohol, |
| and the two types of weapons, let's look a | | | | Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Their |
| little closer at the Title II weapons that | | | | technology branch can definitively answer any |
| are covered by the NFA. | | | | of your questions. |