Blanksguy wrote:H S Arms,
Could you shed a little "light" on the differences....and the pros/cons of the "Manufacturers-License" over the "FFL/SOT" ?.....and maybe a little into present costs?...and maybe some of the restrictions of both licenses for us.
I know I would really like to know about both types.
Thanks in advance for any information that you can share.
RichardS.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net
PS: How would having a "Class III/07 Manufacturers License"....or FFL/SOT be as far as "reenacting" with WWII Weapons play into any of this if possible?
To have a manufactures license you must have a manufacturing facility, it can be a basement with a milling machine, drill press, disc sander, lathe, maybe not that much but you have to be able to make something from nothing, how little you can get away with I'm not sure, but 1st timers had better have some equipment, and to buy Post Samples you still need the Law Letter, so yes most people could make a Sten or another tube gun, but you need a lot of experiance to make a MG 42 or a MG 34 or a B.A.R. or a number of other guns from parts kits, the manufacturers I know are all machinests, tool makers or have that kind or experiance, and you have to be zoned for manufacturing, and that has to be OKed buy your township supervisor, and you have to file forms for Hazordus waste disposal,

and zoned comerical also or get a variance from the township ( they are worried about traffic and such ) and a number of other things also, best bet is to get the Machine Gun Dealers Bible, it will answer most of your Questions, not all but most. Cost $150.00 for 3 years plus $500.00 per year for the SOT.
To be a dealer you have to get the FFL,($200.00 first time for three years $90.00 renewal for three years ) and pay the SOT $500.00 per year. The ATF will come to your place of business and do an interview that takes about two hours, they will check with the Township to see if it is OK for you to have a FFL at your house or business address, you go to the court house and get a small business license (before interview, I think, can't remember for sure, small point anyway) It may help to be a member of a couple of gun clubs in the area, so you can do business as a regular FFL, you still have to sell at least five guns a year to keep your license. The ATF agent will tell you after interview if he is going to recommend to give you a license or not, if you get the license all you do is pay the SOT fee and your a Machine Gun Dealer. Now go get that Demo Letter and you can buy your first machine gun, of course there is more to it than that but you get the idea. Get the Machine Gun Dealers Bible and read it for more info.
Cost of Post Sample Weapons, AK's $200.00 to $900.00 for a Krink, H&K MP5 around $1,000.00, MG 42 $1,000.00, MG 34 $700.00, Sten $200.00, UZI $500.00, M16 about $900.00 new, You still need the Demo letter for all these guns,
I think when my renewal comes up this time I will go to a Manufactorers License, it has taken me a couple of years to get the connections to go to the different license, it is not an easy deal, and I live in the country, I don't know how bad it would be if you lived in a big city. I'm certain I missed some things sorry about that. Hope this helps. Harry. H S Arms.