OK. Disinformation aside, how about a professional explanation?
I am the president of a corporation that holds an 01 Federal Firearms License, meaning the company is a dealer in firearms other than destructive
devices. That basically means firearms that aren't fully automatic, over 50 caliber (shotguns excluded) shortened beyond the legal length, and I
don't deal in suppressors.
In most states it is not illegal to participate in an unregistered sale of a firearm between two individuals. It is, however, quite risky for the
seller, because if they make a profit (I.E. sell the gun for more than they paid for it) they are engaging in dealer activities without a license and
subject to prosecution by the BATF(E) if caught. That's how they tag gun show sellers.
However, while this may be legal, be careful. In some states, the sale itself may be legal, but you have to have a "license" for firearms, like
Illinois' FOID card. Want to know how muddy gun laws are? My federal firearms law book is 9x11 and an inch thick, with very small print. My
state-to-state law book is the same dimensions, but an 1 1/2" thick..both read like stereo instructions, too.
If you have any questions regarding legalities, U2U me. I'll answer as soon as I can.
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Now that *that's* been taken care of...if you want a good "homeland defense rifle" Get an AK-type rifle or an SKS. You can expect to pay between
$350-900+ for an AK, depending on manufacturer. The Arsenal brand is regarded to be among the absolute best...but face it. It's an AK. It isn't
meant to be a long range weapons platform. I know a fella that owns a bottom-of-the-barrel Romanian AK with 20,000 rounds down the pipe and it still
functions like the day he bought it.
AKs are deviously easy to maintain. Most people even go so far as to run 'em dry. They can be buried in the mud/sand/snow for a week, dug out, and
still run like a champ. Magazines can be had relatively cheap, too. Last week I spent $9 per mag for used Hungarian steel magazines. They work
great.
Professional advice? Here's a good "starter" shopping list.
Romanian AK. Make sure the gas tube (the tube thingy on top of the barrel, for the uninitiated) and the front sight are in a STRAIGHT LINE. It's a
pain to fix it if it's canted. Price $350
10-20 used steel magazines. Price $90-200, depending on the "deal"
XS Big Dot tritium sights. Price $100. Don't underestimate good sights. Try shooting your new AK at night and *then* tell me you don't need 'em.
I rock an Eotech 550 on *my* AK. In a pinch, you can paint the front sight with glow in the dark paint and *charge* as needed. If you're willing to
spend it, get an Ultimak scout rail and an Aimpoint red dot sight. This setup will allow you to use your red dot, and then if your sight goes down
for any reason you can still use the irons. Be forewarned, though...you'll pay more for those two items than you will for the gun itself.
1000 rounds ammo, any kind. Wolf 7.62x39 steel case is roughly $200 per case of 1k rounds. This is the absolute *MINIMUM* for SitX use.
Chicom chest rig. Price $20ish. Look around.
You might say "MAN! That's *alot* of money!" My reply would be, "What's your life worth to you?"