You ask about Boomers, but then bring this up... you realize there are several generations between Boomers and yours, right? I'm what was called Gen X. I'd say I missed "the golden age" by about 5 yrs. My older brothers had a friend into guns in the early 80's, he got a decent job and had some money while still in his 20's. He had a full-auto Uzi or MAC 10, I forget which, and some acres. We'd spray some trees in the banks of a little bayou, it was great fun. I was still in high school at the time. By the time I graduated high school in 86, the new laws were going into effect and full auto was out of the question.