Majority have ALWAYS opposed a ban on semi-auto rifles.
Assault rifles are full-auto and highly regulated.
A Class III license and FBI background check are required and because of the 1986 law restricting new registrations, they are scarce and very expensive.
“...A Class III license and FBI background check are required...” [Lurkinandloomin, post 6]
In a legal/regulatory sense, there is no “Class III” Federal Firearms License. And federal law does not require a purchaser of machine guns or other NFA-regulated devices like sound suppressors to obtain any FFL before purchasing such.
A license holder with a valid FFL (one of 11 types) must pay yet more money to obtain a Special Occupational Taxpayer stamp (one of three classes) to get approved to manufacture, import, or deal in NFA-registerable devices.
A citizen wishing to purchase a machine gun (or suppressor, etc) gets one-time approval by filling out ATF Form 4, submitting it with a photo & fingerprints, and obtain written approval from the individual’s local Chief Law Enforcement Official - and paying the applicable fee ($200.00 for machine guns and suppressors) to BATFE. The bureaucrats there mull it over, then grant approval (or not).
It’s a one-time requirement and no renewals are needed, unlike an FFL. Approved owners of NFA-registered devices must notify ATF if they move, to keep the agency current on location of registered devices.
Transport of a registered device across state lines must be approved beforehand by the agency. The applies to device owners who travel to another state for organized vents like machine gun shoots.
Local and state laws may be more restrictive.