What is the point of a civilian getting a full-auto?

Question

To start off, this is a serious question and I am not bashing guns. Please don't get rude and insulting because I am just trying to understand something. My question is, why would a civilian buy a fully-automatic gun? The only reason I can think up is target shooting, but I personally wouldn't spend the kind of money required for a gun that is less accurate and uses up ammunition much faster. It wouldn't be very good for self-defence either because you can't carry them around outside and there are much less expensive guns that do a better job at home-defence. They are both illegal for hunting and not an moral way to harvest an animal.

Answer 1

None what so ever.

Answer 2

Granted full-auto weapons have no practical civilian use.  But they are about as much fun as you are likely to have with your clothes on.

I know a guy who spends weeks reloading for his M-60, then he burns all that ammo in a couple of hours at the range.  He always leaves grinning ear to ear.  To him, ripping off a belt of .308 ammo is highly therapeutic for the stress of his job.

I've also known a few people who used their full-auto rifles and sub-machineguns for home defense.  Granted, it was overkill, but it certainly got the full attention of housebreakers faced with an M-16 or an MP-5.

I've come close to buying a sub-machinegun (a Reising and a MAC 10) a couple of times, but  thoughts of the expense of feeding the darned thing always deterred me, even when I had the money to buy the gun.

Doc

Answer 3

How would we get the chance to shoot them otherwise? I mean if it were illegal, then we would never get to shoot them, with out joining the military.  

Answer 4

When it comes right down to it

What is the point of owning any gun past simple revolvers, SxS shotguns are single shot rifles?

It is never a good idea to start picking other peoples style apart unless we are ready to have ours picked apart

But beyond that your question displays a certain training

Why can't you target shoot with an auto?

Target shooting means different things to different people but there is no reason that a target can not be engaged with an automatic weapon, in fact I have seen this very thing done many times in many different ways.

If you stay around the gun community for awhile you will also

Your personal finances do not impact on anyone but you

If I judged everyone else's extravagances but what I could afford I would be jealous every time I drove down the highway

There may well come a time when you can carry an auto down the street, but if that time ever does come there will most likely be a few laying around to pick up

And again your financial deficit should not go into anyone else's equation on what to buy for home defense or for Constitutional defense against all enemies foreign and domestic

They may be illegal for hunting, but immoral?

How so

Why would taking careful aim and shooting an animal with two to three bullets be less moral than taking careful aim and hitting it with one

Answer 5

Because thats society. The media portrays these guns.

Some examples.

Scarface

Grand Theft Auto ((All of em'))

Wanted

Shooter

......the list goes on and on.

People turning 18, living with their parents and no bills to pay, they get a check, watch a movie at the theater, then  leave to hit-up the local Gun-Shop.

And (IMO) Those guns are pretty Bada$$. lol

Answer 6

It is one of the most fun ways to spend money very quickly.

Answer 7

They are a blast to shoot.

I had the opportunity at a FA Shoot a few years ago to fire a Willis Jeep mounted M30. I never knew that little monster had enough rock and roll to actually move the jeep.

I also had the opertunity to fire what I thought was the best of all.

I dont know its name but it was a an electric gatling  gun firing 22LR

Spent my $30.00 in 22LR (1,100) rounds in less than 90 seconds.

WOW

I would love to have one of those, they run $25,000.00

Answer 8

A2 says I can

The BATF says I can if I can pony up $300 in extra taxes

The dealer says I can if I can pony up the bucks...

So,,, if I want to buy a full auto, for say, $3K and run ammo out the end of it for $80 a minute (or more) thats my business.

Since the 30's, when the law regulating full autos was passed...we have not had a crime commited with a taxed full auto weapon,

Morals has nothing to do with full auto hunting... shots 2-100 wont hit anything but brush if you missed with shot 1.

Self -defence... full auto tatctics lend to suppressing fire...forget the movies.... In self defense, shots 1 and maybe 1 &2 tell the tale.

Yea.. when I put sandbags around the house to repel the hoards maybe I may need a full auto...for know i will leave that to the deep pocketed history buffs and guys who like 'big boy toys".

Just my.02

Answer 9

Fun.  To make money (some enterprising full-auto owners allow others to shoot their guns for a fee).

If *you* personally want to spend that kind of money, then don't.  That's no reason to disallow others from doing so.

Here, check this out: http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcful...

Answer 10

Fun, mostly. And because you can.

Answer 11

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

If you don't own at least one firearm capable of defending those rights guaranteed by the Constitution, then you're dead weight.  Full auto may not be desireable to some in some cases, but it guarantees you're on a level par with the enemy in that Amendment above.

Answer 12

It's called fun.

Answer 13

Some people just do it for the thrill of firing a fully-automatic weapon.  I agree with you, it is a waste of ammo and money.  I myself have found that it is a challenge to stay on target when you go full-auto, but at the cost of ammo these days I'd rather not!

H

Answer 14

Larry,

   Ownership of a full auto receiver is the #1 investment in this country.  Had you purchased a M16 lower in 1985 for $900 it would easily sell today at $19,000.  Ownership of a full auto is a very nice return on investment.  (this was reported in Forbes Magazine last year)

    In my state, Alaska, you can carry a full auto around and take it to the city operated rifle range - no problems at all.  

    Most GI's from Vietnam to our current conflicts in Iraq trained with full auto firearms - it's what they know.  Makes sense to use what you were trained on.

     You mention hunting, accuracy and home defense.  Many full auto owners beleive in the spirit of the 2nd Ammendment - which says nothing about hunting, accuracy or home defense - if our founding fathers were concerned about this, it would have been put in there.  Then 2nd ammendment is all about the people taking back control of a government that has become oppressive - and since our military goes door to door with full auto firearms, you need a full auto to confront a full auto.  Although this might seem far fetched to you - people are killed every day of the week all over the world this way.  Look at Katrina - total lawlessness in 48 hours with armed thugs running the streets - and the governments answer was to go door to door disarming the good and law abiding people.

All gun ownership rights in the USA are the direct result from the owners of full auto and concealed carry fighting the anti-gunners.  Hunters are smug, and quick to point out what is a 'good' gun and what is a 'bad' or useless gun.  Sad truth is they are just selling themselves out - show me any firearm good for hunting - I can find a place in the US where it is not good for hunting - and on those grounds any politician or group could make any gun illegal.  

Bottom Line:  only a handful of native groups have any hunting 'rights' in the US.  The only reason Hunters still have firearms is because of the 'line in the sand'  full auto owners (NFA Owners) and concealed carry owners (Heller vs DC) have fought in the courts against anti-gunners.  If full auto ever becomes illegal - it will only be a matter of time before we are like the UK and Australia or Canada.

Hope this helps clarify things!      

  

Answer 15

As some others have previously posted there are several reasons for Civilians to own "full autos" I guess I'll add my 2 cents to this question.

1. Because the Constitution allows for it. That in and of it self should be reason enough.

2. They are a sound investment, limited number available to legal collectors helps drive up the prices

3. They are a great deal of fun to shoot, ask anyone who's done it.

4. They are pieces of history, again a good enough reason by itself.

What is the point in allowing a civilian to own a Porsche, a Ferrari, a Lamborghini etc??? All those cars are the automotive equivalent of assault weapons after all.

Fully Automatic firearms have been strictly controlled since the National Firearms Act of 1934, since that time there has been (to my knowledge) a single crime committed with a legally owned (registed) machine gun.

Answer 16

There is a market for them, and since May 1986, there have been no new machine guns manufactured for civilian production. Because there IS a market for them, prices have skyrocketed. A M16 you could have purchased pre May 86 for about a thousand dollars is now selling for over 15,000$. More rare guns, such as the Stoner 63 can command six-figure prices today. Machine gun ownership is in a large part an investment game. You invest in a part of a fixed quantity of avalible guns eligible for transferrability. As the years pass and the population grows, desire to own one of these interesting items grows along with it. The fixed number of transferrable guns ensures they become more and more rare, and thus more and more valuable as time passes.

A machine gun represents a major investment. A MAC10 purchased today for 3500$ will likely be worth over 10,000$ in 10 more years.

The major reasons for machine gun ownership are:

Investment

collecting

historical interest

scientific interest

display

competition

informal shooting

Have you ever fired a machine gun?

It's a lot of fun.

I mean its a LOT of fun.

It....it makes you GIGGLE.

Yeah, it's expensive.

But it makes grown men giggle like 3 year olds,

without even doing anything wrong!

I recomend you go to Youtube and check out some machine gun shoot videos. Type "k**b Creek" into the search box to get started.

There are a lot of k**b Creek videos there, you might in particular watch the ones with R.Lee Ermy, as they have good narriation.

The message I'd like for you to try and pick up from these videos is that this is a VERY fun pastime. Note the County Fair atmosphere!

Think of it as a horizontal fireworks show.

Machine gun ownership is a privilege of freedom granted to those who've lived their lives well enough to endure an extensive background check. They don't let just any fool buy machine guns. These are good folks. Buisnessmen. Law Enforcement Officers, Soldiers, Doctors, Lawyers, Farmers, FFL holders. Not a bunch of crazies. Just good American folks that can afford to engage in an expensive hobby and so they do.

Antique Sportscars, speedboats's and private planes ain't cheap either.

There really isn't a lot of difference between owning any of those and owning Machine Guns.

Answer 17

its extravagant.. you can show off.. its cool.. the same reason a person owns a car that can do 250 mph but will never actually go 250 mph..

Answer 18

have you ever shot one at a target?  go to a local machine gun shot and you will be offered to try it, and when you do it will make sense. But yes mostly for target practise, and a little of home defense I would presume. I don't own one.

Answer 19

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

"If you don't own at least one firearm capable of defending those rights guaranteed by the Constitution, then you're dead weight. Full auto may not be desireable to some in some cases, but it guarantees you're on a level par with the enemy in that Amendment above"

- I wonder if anyone who has read your reply actually understands who that perpetual enemy is. Anyhow I second your post.

-As for the person posing the question, I offer some history for you. During Americas early years, It was once a declared duty to own at least one firearm for every household. Fully automatic or not, the reasons for such duty remain to the day. It is this reason that I assume most Full auto owners TRULY own such firearms.

-Whats the reason? The phrase "Shall not be Infringed", please research the reasons for the amendments existence =)

Answer 20

they're fun to shoot, and if you can afford them why not?

personally i've shot both and would prefer a semi ar-15 or ak, spend less rounds and pick your shots.  For me it isn't about spraying a hundred rounds, its about a few well placed shots.  And if you need to unload, just pull the trigger faster.  

But if you can legally get a full auto, and want to , why not?  go for it.

Ammo is expensive, but as others have pointed out, people buy fast cars, boats, and other toys... why not guns.

Bottom line is,  anti-gun people want to bash full autos, and in reality a semi ar or ak in the right hands is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous because they're more readily available.  

And your last line states full autos are illegal.  Thats not true.  There's just more loops to jump through to get them.

Answer 21

Target shooting and for fun. if you dont have the money or dont want to spend the money then dont, but if others want to they can. go to a machine gun shoot and fire one. theyre alot of fun.