Can a person buy a M16?

Answer 1

Assuming you're referring to US law, it can be done. The Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 prohibited the further manufacture of select fire weapons for the civilian market, so you would have to find a pre-86 rifle which was tax stamped and transferrable. You would also have to have your Class III tax stamp approved prior to the transfer of the weapon.

Answer 2

In the US, there are transferrable full-auto M16s which are legal for civilians to own, provided they take the necessary steps in order to own one. There's a lot of paperwork and background checks involved, and your request to own one can be rejected at any level from the federal level down to your County Sheriff. How likely you would be to be approved for the necessary NFA Class III permit is dependent upon the policies of your state and county.

Also, because the full-auto M16 is classified as a Machine Gun under the 1986 Firearms Owners' Protection Act, only an M16 made AND REGISTERED before 1986 can legally be sold to a private citizen (certain law-enforcement officers are exempt from this restriction). Thus, you would have to purchase an M16 made (and registered) before 1986, in addition to paying a $200 fee for the Federal license, undergo a background check, and get permission from the ATF. See the link below for more information about the law and ownership of a machine gun.

Due to the above restriction, guns which were made during the non-ban period are now extremely valuable; expect to pay 10x or more than the same semi-auto AR-15.

Certain states ban the possession of machine guns; for instance, in California, only law enforcement officials with a specific defined need could own an M16, regardless of when the gun was made.

Answer 3

Each US state has DIFFERENT laws, so it depends upon which state they live in.

Answer 4

It is legal to own an M-16. However, you must purchase the 'civilian' edition that has only standard reload, not semi-auto or full auto capabilities.