FAST FACTS . . .

Automatic Firearms / Machine Guns

• The purchase of any machine gun requires an in-depth government background check, letter of authorization from local law enforcement, fingerprinting, registration of the owner, registration of the gun with ATF and an annual tax.

• No civilian has ever legally-owned a machine gun and used it in a crime.

• As part of the Firearms Owner Protection Act (FOPA), which passed in 1986, Congress outlawed the sale of new machine guns (manufactured after May 19, 1986) to anyone except law enforcement and the military.