If you could... what machine gun?

You have a budget of $25k. What machine guns interest you? And where are good places to shop?

Thanks.

PS I understand the budget is not big in that arena.

You can get an M2 carbine, a grease gun, a MAC subgun, a Ruger AC556, a conversation AR, Browning 1919, and a few others that people are going to chime in about for that much.

For fun, coolness and historical collectibility: Devil’s Paintbrush.

Think my buddy got his full auto mini 14 for 18k -ish.

Cool little gun but not worth it imo.

Too much muzzle rise to shoot accurately.

Would love a 3 round burst M16

For $25k you can get lightning links. Infinitely repairable, adaptable to other platforms, basically the next best thing behind a DIAS. There's a video on Sturmgewehr of a dude who put his LL into a 12ga VR80. That's a fun time lmao.

I'd go look at some machine guns in a museum. Then I'd take the $25k and buy new tires for the pickup and bank or invest the rest and then be glad I didn't have a machine gun I couldn't afford to feed.

Where do have to shoot it? That makes a big difference. Almost no public ranges allow belt feed, many don't allow any full auto (FA). Some indoor ranges allow FA.
Shooting a non suppressed 556 indoors is painful!

M11/9, UZI or Sterling (correct builds on both), M11/9 for 9mm. 9mm ammo is averaging $0.26/rnd before tax and going up(?).
M16, you can buy a Sendra RR if you shop around. 556 ammo is about $0.60/rnd before tax and going up.

Don't buy anything you can't get parts for. Beltfeed parts are getting hard to find and expensive. Barrels are big issues for all non US types. UZI barrels are made here now, someone was making Sterling barrels but quality was spotty. UZI extractors use to be $5, now $75, etc.

Also buy what you can get mags for. UZI mags are plentiful and not expensive, Sterling mags $75-100+, M16 mags $10. MAC 11/9, LOTS of parts available, easy to trick out.

Registered receiver UZI full conversion ($15-17K), suppressor, buy 20-30 mags, 1-2 parts kits, and a BUNCH of ammo.

OR!!!

M11/9, Lage slow fire 9MM upper, Lage 556 upper (don't remember the model), suppressor(s), mags, optics, and a BUNCH of ammo.

Remember most of the older type SMG's UZI, MAC's are open bolt. Follow strict safety procedures. I know of people with holes in their hand from poor gun handling and safety procedures with open bolt guns.

The only full auto weapon that ever impressed me is the M2HB, and I think they are obscenely expensive.

I would go to a gun range that rents them and you will have an assortment to try out.

Not worth it. Go to a range or something. Dragonman’s museum in Colorado maybe, he has a range and stuff.

I just can’t help it. You look at a full auto rifle for $25k and realize, the same thing in a semi auto gun is literally less than a tenth of the price.

If you must have it get an actual machine gun. Something bigger, heavier, and belt fed with a bipod. A 249 SAW is a good option for a gun that you could realistically shoulder fire, not completely unweildy. But still heavy enough and with a bipod. Probably gonna be outside $25k though, I don’t know.

Go to the Oklahoma Full Auto Shoot in June and try a bunch out if you are serious. They will have everything from Micro Uzi and G18s to miniguns. Took my ex a couple of times and shot several varieties.

OK Full Auto

Well, I just 'pulled the trigger' on a Mac-10 with a Lage 10/45 slow fire upper and a new suppressor. My reasoning is that I can also get the Lage 10/15 upper and effectively have both a subgun and an LMG using the same lower receiver. From everything I've read, the early Powder Springs frames are difficult to damage and relatively easy to repair. I certainly would like to get a registered M16/AR type machinegun as well. Can swap out uppers for different calibers, or even a belt fed Fight Lite upper! With both type of guns, parts are readily available, and not too expensive. The Mac and M16 platforms are both very versatile. As much as I'd love an M60 or SAW, getting parts is much more difficult.

If you hunt auctions on gunbroker, Rock Island, etc, you might get an M-10/M-11 slightly under $10k With a budget of $25k, you MIGHT be able to get an M16 as long as you aren't choosy about who the manufacturer was.

You could always sell me your Porsche for super cheap and have around $100k for machine guns.

Maybe I'll sell rides. I like your idea, thanks. I doubt there's much interest in this crowd though.

The Ruger AC556 catches my eye. Lots of good info. Man I didn't realize how much I don't know about this world!

Yes sir, otherwise, M1919

Didn't know about this great suggestion. Thanks.

Does it have 4WD?

10mm MP5

First dibs on the GT3 😂 but just a heads up I’m a poor [censored] mofo.

Collector's Firearms has an RPD for 8k$ but looks like you need to be a dealer to buy: https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/...e-56-rpd-post-sample-762x39-r37803-.html That would be awesome though.

Bryan C - There is only 1 known transferable M249. It just sold in September 2034 at Morphy's for $588,000.
Many thought it would go over $1,000,000. This gun has been discussed in the C3 world for years, real or myth!!

https://auctions.morphyauctions.com...e_nationale_m249_minimi_l-lot573819.aspx

A M240 transferable sold in December for only $381,375. There are more M240's in the system. Auction says 11. I don't know.

https://www.rockislandauction.com/d...ss-iiinfa-fully-transferable-machine-gun

Prices on M10/45 have come down in the last few years with people moving to M11/9 with the Lage M11/9 slow fire uppers being more available and Sub Gun competitions around the country and 9mm vs 45acp ammo cost. Lage uppers, initially, were hard to get and a long wait.

Don't buy a M10/9, mags are an issue $$$$.

Good grief. How much we take for granted opportunities in life.

My best recommendation then, is join the Army Infantry and volunteer to be a machine gunner, and do a good job. It is a hard life but you will shoot so a machine gun so much it might literally make you feel ill!

I’ve shot just about everything from a M2 on down and just don’t have a use for any of them. If I was given one I would choose a 3RB IMI UZI rifle.

?????

3 round burst UZI.

My uncle has a few. He’s got an Uzi, AAC 556, Thompson, M16, and a (I believe) M249 or variant of it. He was buying an MP5 but that turned into a lawsuit. Of the ones he has, the AAC 556 and M249 are my favorites and easiest to shoot & control

I agree. There is a reason all the shoulder fired full auto weapons are select fire. It’s only useful in an absolute worst case scenario at very close range.

But it is a lot of fun to play with! I might go with sonething like a suppressed MP5 if it can be had. It’s probably a million bucks.

Was there ever a 3 round burst Uzi?

Spoiler - no. 3 round burst is just too finicky to implement well with an open bolt SMG, and doesn't really provide any additional functionality with a gun that has such a slow ROF like an Uzi.

Chiming in again with my thoughts on the M11/9 since I own one. It's super duper fun, and the Lage slow fire uppers really do make it a wonderful package. I haven't shot one of the Lage 11/15 5.56 uppers, but I'm still considering getting one and turning it into something like a 5.56 RPK. Maybe I'll get a windfall and grab one of the uppers.

But the 9mm versions are just a hoot. My most recent experiment is this guy - I call it my anti-aircraft mac. Lage Max 31 with a Suomi drum or coffin mag mounted to a tripod using custom spade grips.

9mm is cheap to feed, easy to find, and low recoil for everyone to enjoy. This thing (in a shoulder-mounted version) spreads more smiles at the range with a wider demographic than any other gun I've got. And once you get over the initial dopamine rush for owning it, that is the real reason to continue owning an MG.

https://streamable.com/htzome

I am not aware of a 3 round burst UZI. You have any details? Never saw an open bolt 3 round burst. Closed bolt only.

UZI’s are closed bolt guns. The 3RB were not available to the public.

That's very confidently incorrect.

The 3 shot burst is the UZI Pro and fires from a closed bolt and you’ve never seen one because they weren’t available to the public. The Micro UZI fires from a closed bolt too. That was the common closed bolt UZI.

https://iwi.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IWI_UZI_PRO_brochure_2021_EN.pdf

https://www.parnisariarms.com/userd...0WEAPON%20INDUSTRIES/IWI_UZI_PRO_SMG.pdf

There is no reference to 3 round burst in the literature. Do you have something that shows that option? There is reference to "three-stage safety".

Mini's SMG's are open or closed bolt.

Government contracts had the burst available.

AN-94

https://dealernfa.com/shop/fn-fnc-paratrooper-w-sh-sear-2813-s012838/

I just came across a story about the black market for russian weapons in lebanon and syria and the like. I believe you could get a PKM for around 3k from what i read - of course you’d never get it here but it might be fun to use for a bit. I have no idea how the quality of something like that would compare to some of those listed above though.

MP40 but $25K is going to be pushing it.

Same here. Ive heard and not for sure the secret service uses or did use them.

Same here. Ive heard and not for sure the secret service uses or did use them.

I would love to have an old time 1920’s Al Capone Model Tommy.

Back in the 1960’s , I was on the USAF rifle and pistol team. One time the Base range officer showed up with an old gangster model tommy. We each got to shoot a short burst. It sure beat the M16 on auto.

I've been fortunate enough to have shot at least one mag through "most" everything mentioned above..(including the 249 and PKM)

Based on my limited experience with machine guns, for my money, I'd be looking for an MP5.

.

I didn't even know you could spend $25k on a gun...

Might be a bit off track but
I always wanted to shoot a full auto as I knew it would be fun, and a couple of years ago my son bought me some range time with a full auto SCAR.
Damn thing rattled my head so bad I had a headache for a week. It was only a 5.56.
Could have been that particular gun or my shooting ability ( or lack of it )
I would not do it again.
But thats just me....

Going cyclic with a belt fed weapon is almost as much fun as you can have with your clothes on

A friend of a friend offered to let me shoot one of his full-auto rifles many years ago. I don't even remember what it was, but I do remember not really enjoying it because all I could think of was how long it would have taken me to load up all that ammo on my old Rock Chucker, and how quickly that thing burned it all up. I did get to fire an M16 using the 3-round burst feature courtesy of National Guard pals on one occasion. Somehow the consumption of all that ammo didn't bother me a bit, and that WAS fun.

The only way I have shot a UZI with a 3 round burst was only put 3 in the mag and what fun is that?

I have shot 3 full autos UZI, M16 and M2 carbine. Really liked the M2 if for no other reason that is what my Dad carried in Korea.

H&K G36 was fun to shoot a few years back.

Seems like plenty of M1/M2 carbines are available under $20k

MP40 is the best one I’ve shot.

Or the Glock with the fun switch.

I'd get a M3A1 grease gun. I shot one while in the Army and loved it. I carried a pig (M60C) for 7 years and loved shooting it too but the grease gun is just plain fun and easy to shoot well. Plus who red blooded American doesn't like the 45ACP round?

When looking at buying a MG today, you must looks at parts availability. IF you are going to shoot it. If you buy it and shoot it 1-2 times a year for a few mags, maybe take the risk.

Because of import parts bans and many of these guns may not have been made for 40 -80+ years parts are a huge issue. FNC, Grease Gun, Smith 76, MK760, MP40, Sterling, etc are all great guns, but parts are a huge issue. Do you want a $25K machine gun down because you can't get an extractor? I know people that bought a "spare" FNC semi just to have spare parts for their MG. That's a $4-6K investment for parts. People with Smith 76's can't get extractors so they don't shoot them. There is a guy that makes a run every 1-2 years and they sell out immediately. If you miss the run, oh well.

Think about bolts, extractors, trigger/sear parts, and barrels. What if you get a squib in a barrel? In a MG, you will end up with more than 1 stuck bullet if shooting full auto. It happens, even with factory ammo. I have seen several.

Look for guns you like but also has parts available, then STOCK UP!!! It's only going to get worse for parts. Even UZI parts are starting to dry up, extractors are going for $70+ and there are some JUNK extractors on the market. There are now some 3rd party UZI barrels bring made and some of them are junk also. UZI parts kits that use to be $200 are now $500-800 with no barrels (mostly). IE the barrel import ban.

Also think about magazines. UZI mags are still relatively available and not too expensive. $25-35 for 32 rnd IMI if you look. Sterling mags that use to be $20-25 are now $75 in poor shape if you can find any, same with Smith 76, MK760, MP40. Many people modify Swedish K mags to run in Smith 76/MK760 but that is work and some work, some don't. Grease guns mags are readily available because they were US manufacture. There are tons still floating around NIW but they have gone from $12-15 to $40-50 each.

I am not saying buy an UZI, just using it to compare parts price and availability. I have had all the above and like them all. But if I can't get parts to work on it or keep it running when something breaks, I don't want it.

Some version of a ma deuce (probably couldn't find one or at that price) but never-the-less a FUN choice. Mounted with a star light scope on top. Excellent sniper weapon. A buddy of mine used to fire quad 50s mounted in the back of a five ton truck.

I used an M60 a lot and also an M14 a few times. After firing these three I think you just become spoiled about which fully auto you like to shoot the most. The M16 was a full auto but no where near as fun as the other three.

Very sound advice.