Full-Auto Guns in Arizona: Legality, Cost, and Where You Can Actually Shoot One
A full-auto gun (also called an automatic firearm or machine gun) fires continuously as long as the trigger is held down, until the magazine is empty. For civilians in the United States, fully automatic firearms are legal to own but heavily regulated under the National Firearms Act, and only machine guns that were lawfully registered or possessed before May 19, 1986, and are transferable under the NFA can be transferred to eligible civilians. You do not need to own one to fire one. C2 Tactical’s full-auto shooting packages in Scottsdale and Tempe let you legally rent and shoot machine guns like the HK MP5 and FN SCAR 16, subject to current inventory, package availability, range rules, and supervision by our Range Safety Officers.
What Is a Full-Auto Gun?
A full-auto gun, automatic firearm, or machine gun is a firearm that fires multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger and continues firing until the trigger is released or the magazine runs empty. The defining feature is the cyclic rate of fire: hundreds of rounds per minute, all driven by one trigger pull.
That distinguishes a full-auto firearm from a semi-automatic firearm, which fires one round per trigger pull and automatically loads the next round into the chamber. A semi-auto rifle (like a standard AR-15) can be fired rapidly, but it still requires the shooter to pull the trigger for every individual shot. A full-auto rifle fires for as long as you hold the trigger.
Some military and select-fire firearms have a third setting called “burst fire,” which fires a fixed number of rounds (commonly 2 or 3) per trigger pull. Burst-fire weapons are still classified as machine guns under federal law.
Is It Legal to Own a Full-Auto Gun in Arizona?
Yes, with significant restrictions. Civilians can legally own fully automatic firearms in Arizona, but only machine guns that were lawfully registered or possessed before May 19, 1986, and that are transferable under the NFA. This date is the cutoff established by the Hughes Amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986.
The Hughes Amendment closed the federal machine gun registry to new civilian transfers. Post-1986 machine guns are generally restricted to government use, export, qualified manufacturers and importers, and qualified SOT dealers under sales-sample rules. Sales samples held by dealers have their own regulatory requirements (including documented government-customer or demonstration need); they are not ordinary dealer-owned, civilian-transferable firearms.
The pre-1986 firearms that remain transferable to civilians are commonly called “transferable” machine guns. The transferable supply is fixed and is commonly estimated in the low hundreds of thousands of units, though exact public counts vary by source. That scarcity is reflected in the price.
Arizona follows federal law on machine gun ownership. ARS § 13-3101 defines a “prohibited weapon” to include unregistered or improperly registered machine guns, but properly registered NFA items (registered to the individual or trust on ATF Form 4) are lawful to possess.
How Much Does a Full-Auto Gun Cost?
Because the supply is fixed and demand has only grown, transferable machine guns are extremely expensive. As of 2026, typical prices for a transferable machine gun in good condition include:
- Transferable M16 lower receiver: roughly $30,000 to $45,000
- Pre-1986 HK MP5 (transferable): $40,000 to $60,000
- Transferable Thompson submachine gun: $25,000 to $45,000 depending on configuration
- Transferable Uzi: $15,000 to $25,000
- Belt-fed machine guns (M2, M249, etc.): $80,000 to $250,000+
These prices reflect both the rarity of the item and the cost of the federal regulatory process. They also do not include the $200 NFA transfer tax (described below) or the costs of ammunition, which can add up fast at a typical cyclic rate of 600 to 900 rounds per minute.
How to Legally Own a Transferable Machine Gun
If you decide to buy a transferable machine gun, here is the process in broad strokes. Note that this is general information, not legal advice; the NFA process is paperwork-heavy and you should work with a Class 3 SOT dealer and (ideally) an NFA attorney.
- Find a transferable machine gun for sale through a Class 3 SOT dealer.
- Decide whether the firearm will be registered to you as an individual or to an NFA gun trust. A gun trust is often preferred because it allows multiple trustees to legally possess the firearm and simplifies inheritance after the original owner’s death.
- Complete ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm), pay the $200 transfer tax, and submit fingerprints and a photograph.
- Wait for ATF approval. Approval times vary, but recent eForm 4 averages have often been measured in days or weeks rather than months. As of early 2026, ATF’s posted averages have hovered around a week for individual eForm 4 submissions and a few weeks for trust eForm 4 submissions, with paper submissions taking longer. Delays still happen, so check ATF’s current processing times before buying.
- Once approved, the SOT dealer transfers the firearm to you, and you must comply with all federal, state, and local laws for NFA possession. Before taking a machine gun across state lines, you generally need prior ATF authorization (commonly via ATF Form 5320.20) unless a licensee exception applies. Secure storage is also a baseline expectation.
To be eligible to own an NFA-registered machine gun, you must meet all the same requirements as buying any other firearm from a federal dealer plus a few extras:
- For a typical purchase through an FFL/SOT, expect the buyer to be 21 or older. Other transfer types (inheritance, certain private transfers) can involve different age rules.
- You must not be federally prohibited based on immigration status. Federal law generally bars people who are illegally or unlawfully in the U.S. and most nonimmigrant-visa aliens, but Form 4 rules recognize specific nonimmigrant-visa exceptions and waiver provisions.
- ATF reviews the Form 4, responsible-person information, fingerprints and photographs, Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) notification, and NICS and other checks before approving the transfer.
- You must not be a federally prohibited possessor under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
- You must be legally able to possess a machine gun under the law of your state of residence.
Where Can You Shoot a Machine Gun in Arizona?
You can shoot a full-auto firearm at C2 Tactical in Scottsdale or Tempe without owning one. We offer full-auto shooting packages featuring machine guns like:
- HK MP5 (9mm submachine gun): an iconic special-operations and law-enforcement subgun, accurate and surprisingly controllable
- FN SCAR 16 (5.56 NATO, full-auto): a modern military-style select-fire rifle
- Other machine guns and select-fire firearms as inventory and package availability changes
Booking a package is the simplest, fastest, and most affordable way to experience shooting a machine gun. You bring valid government-issued photo ID, complete a brief range safety orientation if it is your first visit, and your dedicated Range Safety Officer will set you up on a lane with pre-loaded ammunition. Availability, age and accompaniment requirements, ammo selection, and package specifics vary, so it’s best to book ahead. Check current package pricing on our Range Packages page or rental rates on our Range Info and Rental Fees page.
For shooters who want to fire a full-auto outdoors on a much larger property, certain BLM lands in Arizona allow shooting subject to local restrictions. Outside a rental range, the machine gun must be lawfully possessed and controlled by its registered owner, an authorized trustee or person on the NFA paperwork, or a qualified licensee, and all BLM and local rules must be followed. For the vast majority of people, an indoor range with package rentals is the simpler and far cheaper option.
Inheritance and Gun Trusts for Machine Gun Owners
If you legally own a transferable machine gun and you want to pass it to an heir, the heir must also meet all NFA eligibility requirements and complete an ATF Form 5 transfer process (the tax-exempt transfer for inheritance). This can fail if the heir does not qualify under federal law, in which case the firearm may need to be sold to a third party.
A common solution is to register the machine gun to an NFA gun trust rather than to an individual. The trust legally owns the firearm; you and other named trustees have authorized possession. A properly drafted NFA trust may allow continuity of trust ownership after a trustee’s death, but any distribution out of the trust, change in responsible persons, or termination of the trust must still comply with NFA rules and the relevant state’s trust law. Each state has slightly different trust law, so it is worth consulting a local attorney who specializes in NFA gun trusts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fully automatic gun for civilians to own?
Yes. Civilians in the United States can legally own machine guns that were manufactured and registered with the federal government before May 19, 1986. These are called “transferable” machine guns. Newer machine guns are only available to military, law enforcement, and specifically licensed dealers.
Is an AK-47 fully auto?
The original AK-47 designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov is a select-fire rifle capable of full-auto, but the vast majority of AK-pattern rifles sold to civilians in the United States are semi-automatic-only. A semi-auto AK-47 (like the WASR-10, AK-103-pattern rifles, and similar) fires one round per trigger pull and is legal to own in Arizona without NFA registration.
Can a US citizen buy a full-auto gun?
Yes, but only from the limited supply of pre-1986 transferable machine guns, and only through the NFA Form 4 process: $200 transfer tax, federal background check, fingerprints, photograph, and ATF approval. Expect to spend $15,000 or more for the firearm itself, plus the regulatory process.
Are full-auto guns legal in Arizona?
Yes, Arizona follows federal law on machine guns. Civilians can legally own a transferable pre-1986 machine gun that is properly registered on ATF Form 4. Unregistered machine guns are classified as prohibited weapons under ARS § 13-3101 and possession of one is a state and federal crime.
Can you 3D-print a full-auto gun?
No. Manufacturing a new machine gun for civilian possession is illegal under the Hughes Amendment. Building, 3D-printing, or modifying any firearm to fire fully automatically (without authorization for federally licensed manufacturers) is a serious federal crime regardless of the technology used.
How much does it cost to shoot a machine gun?
At C2 Tactical, shooting a full-auto is much more affordable than buying one. Our current “Rifleman Full Auto” package is listed at $149 per shooter and includes 40 rounds of ammunition, two targets, a dedicated Range Safety Officer, pre-loaded ammunition, range rental, eye and ear protection, and a C2 t-shirt. Other packages with more firearms and more ammo are also available at higher prices, and additional ammunition can be purchased on request. See the current lineup on our Range Packages page.
Related Guides
- Experiencing the Raw Power of the .50 Caliber: another big-bore range experience.
- What Do You Need to Buy a Gun in Arizona?: if you’re considering a non-NFA firearm purchase.
- Arizona Gun Laws: Essential Updates: broader context on AZ firearm law.
- 25 Fun Facts About Guns: includes the history of pre-1986 machine guns and how the Hughes Amendment shaped the civilian market.
Curious about full-auto firearms? Come experience one at C2 Tactical in Scottsdale or Tempe. Our Range Safety Officers will get you on a lane and behind a machine gun on your first visit.
Get Your Custom Training Plan
Take our quiz and get clarity on where to begin.