None of this makes any sense until you realize that HANDGUNS were originally included in the NFA of ’34 but were removed due to public pressure. All sorts of quirky provisions aimed at preventing you from converting a rifle into a handgun remained in the bill and became law.
Also, much of the law was aimed specifically at the Thompson Sub Machine gun and its unconventional 10” barrel and removable butt stock. The so called “Gangster Weapons” were targeted because they were short enough to be concealed under a rain coat. Therefore, guns with removable butt stocks were outlawed because it made them more concealable. The funny thing is, adding the forbidden removable butt stock to a pistol makes it much more difficult to conceal and any potential gain in long range accuracy is pretty much moot at “bank robbery” distances. Again, the original bill outlawed ANY firearm shorter than 26” (or 27”for a shotgun) But you can bet that many bureaucrats in the BATF never met a gun law that they did not like and these quirky regulations will not only remain, but will be enforced to the fullest extent, even if they make no logical sense in a country where you can still legaly buy a handgun.
Perhaps the Special Agent assigned to monitor this forum could expand on this... or not.
