Gun Cleaning HQ

  • Gun Cleaning Kits
    • Best Gun Cleaning Kits – Reviews and Guide
    • The Best AR Cleaning Kits of 2021 – Gun Cleaning HQ
    • Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kits – Under $40
    • Best Handgun Cleaning Kit
    • The Best Shotgun Cleaning Kits of 2021: Gun Cleaning HQ
    • Top 5 Compact Gun Cleaning Kits
  • Gun Maintenance Tools
    • The Best Powder Trickler: A 2021 Guide
    • The Best Bullet Puller: A 2021 Hammer Style Puller Guide
    • The Best Foaming Bore Cleaner: A Top 5 Review
    • The Best Gun Cleaning Brushes: Top 5 
    • Top 10 Best Gun Cleaning Solvents Reviewed
    • Top 10 Best Gunsmith Screwdriver Sets
    • Best Bore Snake Kit Reviews
    • The Best Gun Cleaning Box For You: A 2023 Guide
    • The Best Gun Vise & Maintenance Centers of 2021 – Gun Cleaning HQ
    • The Best AR Cleaning Tools For 2021 – Gun Cleaning HQ
    • Top 5 Best Gun Cleaning Rods Reviewed
    • Top 5 Best Gun Cleaning Mats
    • TekMat Gun Cleaning Mat
  • Gear Reviews
    • The Best Tactical Gloves for Men: 2022 Edition
    • The Best Budget-Friendly Taser for Women
    • The 5 Best Quick Draw Holster Alternatives
    • The Best Gun Ear Protection in 2021
    • The Best Leather Gun Belt in 2021: Top 5 Review
    • The Best Gun Cabinet: Our Top 5 Picks
    • Best Eye Protection For Shooting: 5 Top Options!
    • Best Handgun Range Bags
    • Top 5 Best Rifle Case Under $100
    • Best Biometric Bedside Gun Safe
  • Gun Cleaning Tips
    • Identifying and Understanding the Parts of a Pump Action Shotgun
    • How To Clean Bullets Like a Pro
    • How to Check If a Gun Is Clean: Easy Gun Cleaning Tips
    • How To Clean a Bolt Action Rifle
    • How to Clean a Rifle: All About Maintenance in 2022
    • How to Refinish Gun Stock in 7 Easy Steps
    • Can Gunshot Residue Be Washed Off After Discharging a Gun?
    • Can You Over Clean Your Gun?
    • Cleaning Your Guns with WD-40? A Comprehensive Guide – Gun Cleaning HQ
    • Gun Oil Vs Grease: The Best Gun Lubricant
    • How To Use Your Gun Cleaning Kit
    • How to Select the Best Biometric Gun Safe
    • How to Keep Guns from Rusting While in Storage
    • Should You Clean Your Gun After Each Use?
    • How to Build a Gun Safe Room Inside Your Home
    • How to Move a Large Gun Safe in 10 Easy Steps
    • How to Hide a Gun Safe in Plain Sight: 7 Options
    • How to Keep Moisture Out of a Gun Safe and Protect Your Guns
  • Bargains
    • Best Shooting Gifts
  • Blog
    • The Ultimate Guide to the Best Caliber for Concealed Carry
    • 300 Blackout Pistol Build
    • How has COVID-19 Affected Gun Sales?

What Are Class 4 Weapons: Answered

January 15, 2023 By Edwin Leave a Comment

Class 4 weapons, also known as destructive devices (DD) by the National Firearms Act, are a widely debated topic in the firearms world. Famous action and suspense movies like “The Purge” further popularized this weapon class.

You may have heard of different classes of weapons and limitations regarding them, but what are Class 4 weapons exactly? Are there any other classes of weapons? Read along to find out!

What Are Class 4 Weapons?

Class 4 weapons or Class IV weapons are the final and highest class of weapons that includes DDs. Anything that shoots flames, explodes, or launches an exploding item is classified as DDs or a Class 4 weapon.

Other than duly licensed military personnel, law enforcement officers, and government officials, it is prohibited for any American citizen to sell, own, manufacture, trade, export, import, or own parts for Class 4 weapons. Bombs, nuclear weapons, grenades, flame throwers, rocket launchers, dynamite, tanks, Harrier Jets, Javelin Missile Launchers, and so on are examples of destructive devices.

Different Classes of Weapons

Let’s look into the different classes of weapons, their categories, and permits:

Weapon Class Description Permit Type
Class 1 Weapons Title 1 firearms are the most prevalent and include rifles with barrels of 16 inches or longer and shotguns with barrels of 18 inches or longer. Common Title 1 guns have bolt actions, semi-automatic actions, lever-actions, pump-actions, and break or hinge actions. No federal permit is required for Class 1 (local laws might be different).
Class 2 Weapons Class 2 weapons are only semi-automatic, meaning only one round can be fired from the barrel each time the trigger is pulled. This includes rifles, handguns, and shotguns made in the United States. No federal permit is required for Class 2(local laws might be different).
Class 3 Weapons Title 2 firearms, also known as Class 3 firearms, are fully automatic. An automatic firearm is described as a gun that constantly fires shots as long as the trigger is pulled or held. This comprises guns with a high rate of “burst fire.”

Also, in this class are short barreled rifles and shotguns, any other weapon (AOW) and suppressors.

Citizenship is required. Class 3 tax stamp per weapon. Local permits/laws are possible.
Class 4 Weapons The final and greatest class of weapons, often known as Class 4, is what the NFA refers to as DDs or destructive devices. DDs or Class 4 weapons cover anything that shoots flames, explodes, or launches an exploding device. Federal permit is required for class 4 weapons.

What Are Class 3 Weapons?

Class III weapons include short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), short-barreled rifles (SBRs), and fully automatic rifles and handguns. Short barrel weapons have a buttstock and an overall barrel length of fewer than 16 inches from muzzle to breech.

The short barrel definition makes it logical to assume that mounting any form of stock to a handgun will categorize it as an SBR and hence, a Class III weapon. Non-felon, Class III licensed citizens can own these firearms in the United States, and they can only be purchased from Class III FFL dealers.

What Are Class 4 Weapons

Types of Federal Weapon Charges

A federal offense can be the most serious charge against you — you broke not only state law but also federal law.

So if you own any Class 4 weapons, here are the four different types of federal weapons charges:

Felon in Possession

If a convicted felon is found in possession of a firearm (especially class 4 weapons), they could face federal charges. This is a Class D felony that carries the following penalties:

  • Three years of probation
  • Up to ten years in prison
  • $250,000 in fine

Selling of Illegal Firearms

Even if a person has an official license to sell firearms, certain firearms especially class 4 weapons are prohibited from being sold to anybody. The sale of machine guns, for example, is not permitted at the federal level. Furthermore, selling a firearm to a juvenile or a convicted felon is prohibited. A person guilty of these offenses could face a jail sentence of five to ten years.

Weapon Trafficking

You must have a government license to sell weapons except for class 4 weapon which is prohibited to sell . If you sell a firearm without a license and cross state lines, you could face criminal prosecution. A criminal convicted of selling a gun without a license might face up to five years in federal prison.

Making False Claims

Sellers aren’t the only ones who need to be cautious while dealing with firearms. A firearm buyer may be charged if they make fraudulent claims on the paperwork used during the purchase. It’s also against the law to use a straw man to represent someone who isn’t otherwise eligible to buy a gun. These gun offenses can result in a sentence of up to ten years in jail.

Violent Crime

A federal criminal offense is automatically classified as a violent crime if a weapon especially any class 4 weapons is present at the time of the offense. As a result, even if there was no physical harm or death, the offense will be classified as a federal violent crime.

Needing a new holster for your handgun? Check our article on the best quick draw holster.

What Are the Weapon Categories?

Weapons are divided into various categories listed below. The types of weapons you can lawfully obtain and use depend on your license type and reason for wanting the weapon in the first place.

Category A

Category A weapons include:

  • Cannon with a barrel length of less than 120cm that is a muzzle-loading cannon with black powder, a naval gun, or depicts a scale model of an archaic artillery piece
  • Rimfire rifles (except a self-loading rimfire rifle)
  • Paintball guns
  • Shotgun other than a lever-action shotgun, pump-action shotgun, or self-loading shotgun
  • Single or double barrel shotguns
  • Air rifles
  • Rimfire rifle and break-action shotgun combination
  • Powerheads
  • Air gun

Category B

Category B weapons include:

  • Center-fire rifles (other than semi-automatic)
  • Muzzleloader
  • Shotgun/rifle combinations
  • Repeating center-fire rifle
  • Double-barrel center-fire rifle
  • One-shot center-fire rifle
  • Lever-action shotgun with a magazine capacity of less than five rounds
  • Break action shotgun and center-fire rifle combination

Category C

Category C weapons include:

  • Semi-automatic or pump-action shotguns (less than 6 rounds) and semiautomatic rimfire rifles (less than 11 rounds)
  • Semi-automatic shotgun with a magazine capacity of less than five rounds
  • Pump-action shotgun with a magazine capacity of fewer than five rounds
  • Semi-automatic rimfire firearm with a magazine capacity of fewer than ten rounds

Category D

Category D weapons include:

  • Semi-automatic center-fire rifles
  • Lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than five rounds
  • Semi-automatic shotguns (greater than five rounds) and semi-automatic rimfire rifles (greater than ten rounds)
  • Non-military style self-loading center-fire rifle
  • Self-loading center-fire rifle developed or modified for military use or a weapon that closely resembles a gun in design, operation, or appearance
  • Pump-action shotgun with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds
  • Self-loading shotgun with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds
  • Lever-action shotgun with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds
  • Self-loading rimfire rifle with a magazine capacity of more than ten rounds

Class 4 weapons are not included in this category as it is illegal for regular citizens to own one.

Does your gun needs to be clean but you have no time? Check our article on how to find the nearest gun cleaning service.

What Is an ATF Form?

The ATF is a United States Department of Justice law enforcement agency. They protect society from violent criminals, illegal firearms use, criminal institutions, trafficking, illegal explosives use and storage, terrorism, arson and bombings, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.

Choosing the correct ATF form is relatively straightforward. Here are some general guidelines to remember about each form:

ATF Form 1

The ATF Form 1 is used to manufacture and register NFA items. People who want to build their own NFA products generally use this form.

The fact that you can e-file this ATF form as a corporation in just a few weeks makes the entire process more enticing. This is currently the quickest way to obtain an NFA product.

ATF Form 3

This form is for tax-free transfers of NFA products between FFL dealers or between a government agency and an FFL dealer. Before an NFA item may be delivered to another FFL, the ATF Form 3 must be authorized, which means the purchase may be unduly delayed if the FFL isn’t on top of the list.

ATF Form 4

The ATF Form 4 will require you to pay $5 when transferring any other weapon or purchase a $200 federal tax stamp for an SBS, silencer, or short barrel rifle.

If you aren’t registering as a person, your agent will have you fill out this form, which will require your address and name, fingerprints, and details about your corporation or gun trust.

Unless they built their item using Form 1, every holder of an NFA weapon would use ATF Form 4 at some time during the transfer or purchase process.

Endnote

What are Class 4 weapons? Anything that sprays flames, explodes, or launches an exploding item is classified as a DD or Class 4 Weapon. Class 4 weapons are only authorized for licensed law enforcement officers, military personnel, and government officials.

Ultimately, there are four classes of weapons. The most important thing to remember is that you cannot legally own any Class 4 weapons.

Owning any Class 4 weapons will put you to jail, so make sure that you don’t illegally buy one.

If you want another defensive weapons other than a gun, read our article for the best taser you can buy legally on the market.

Filed Under: Gear Reviews Tagged With: what are class 4 weapons

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
Tweet

Search
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in comments
Search in excerpt
Filter by Custom Post Type
Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kits

The Best Universal Gun Cleaning Kit Under $40 for 2023

We're always searching for the best universal gun cleaning kit and in this list, you’ll discover

Best Gyn Cleaning Solvents

Top 10 Best Gun Cleaning Solvents Reviewed

We’ve received many questions about what we think the best gun cleaning solvents are. In this review,

Best Bore Snake Kit Reviews

Best Bore Snake Kit Reviews

People often ask me what the best bore snake kit is and you'll find them here. We've

Gun Vise

The Best Gun Vise & Maintenance Centers of 2022 – Gun Cleaning HQ

In this review, we take a look at the Top 5 gun vises on the market. A professional gun

gun cleaning case

The Best Gun Cleaning Box For You: A 2023 Guide

Most people don't like the gun cleaning box that comes with their cleaning kit and usually opt to upgrade it.

Best Gun Cleaning Rod

Top 5 Best Gun Cleaning Rods Reviewed

Image by Bryce M. Towsley, http://www.brycetowsley.com The reason why many of the gun cleaning kits get

Best gun cleaning mat

Top 5 Best Gun Cleaning Mats

Gun cleaning mats are designed specifically for gun cleaning. Some of the things you will find in

Best AR Cleaning Tool

The Best AR 15 Cleaning Tool For 2023 – Gun Cleaning HQ

If you own an AR 15 then you know how often you have to clean it. Most people think that they'll

Gun Cleaning Tips

The Best Gun Cleaning Brushes
Which Shotgun Choke Is the Most Open
Cleaning Your Guns with WD-40
What Are Class 4 Weapons
how to clean nickel plating

Copyright © 2023 - Gun Cleaning HQ

  • Gun Cleaning Kits
  • Gun Maintenance Tools
  • Gear Reviews
  • Gun Cleaning Tips
  • Bargains
  • Blog