What arms would be popular today if not for the 1934 NFA?

[MatthewVanitas]

Greetings,
Forgive the wordy title, but it always bugs me when you can't tell what the thread is about from the subject line.

In any case, supposing the 1934 National Firearms Act (which restricted the sale of full-auto, suppressors, and short-barreled longarms) had not passed, what currently-NFA items would be best-sellers?

This question presupposes that there would not have been any later legislation equivalent to the NFA or the 1986 GCA.

I'm particularly curious as to whether folks imagine the NFA world would have continued to evolve rapidly in the US due to the demands of the civillian market, or whether the NFA items on store shelves would just be the same items purchased by the world's militaries.

Off the top of my head, I'd imagine that suppressors would be more popular for plinking without annoying neighbors, short-barreled shotguns would be popular home defense items (possibly with specific short-barrel ammo offerings), and that the Sterling subgun and M249 SAW would be popular sellers in 2004.

Random topic, but some of us here are easily amused. Take care, -MV

 

[Black Majik]

M16's, AK-47, and M14's are my opinions.

 

[Amish_Bill]

I would imagine that Thompsons would have an avid following. M16's just because they are fun, and I agree that most places would have a shelf of supressors in various calibers and colors.

Short barrelled rifles would probably be a lot more popular. Semi or full, there's just something wrong with an AR cabine with a 16" + barrel.

 

[Zach S]

I would have to second the thompson's. My semi-auto gets a lot of onlookers at the range. MACs and UZIs would be very popular for the simple fact theyre cheap.

Although I do think supressors would be the most common item if they were sold OTC. Earplugs/muffs get annoying.

The number of handloaders would probably go up quite a bit too.

Also G18Cs and 93Rs.

 

[444]

I think you would find that NFA items wouldn't sell as well as they do now.
I see it as being a case of forbidden fruit. We see this stuff and it is hard to get, so we want it more. The whole mystique. is in the fact that they are harder to get than other types of guns.
If this wasn't the case, most people are too practical and/or cheap to buy one.
Even if select fire was offered as an option, I don't think a lot of people would get it, if it cost more because they simply is no practical use for it. It would be like buying a new car or truck. You might have the option to get the super racing engine upgrade and you say: I don't need that and this thing is expensive enough. But of course some people do buy the big engine and all the options: but I think they are a minority.

 

[Taipei Personality]

I think that there would be a whole host of weapons that we cannot conceive. One of the consequences of NFA was to squelch most private research and development. In a non-NFA world there would have been a monetary incentive to develop new products for a much larger market.

 

[Brian Williams]

Things like the Serbu firearms ROF
http://www.serbu.com/rof.htm
video
http://members.aol.com/rippemanewone/rof.mpg

 

[ACP230]

In Handbook Of Handguns , Timothy J. Mullin suggests that machine pistols, handguns with a burst or FA setting, are a good weapon for close range defense.

"When the proper firing stance is used, the machine pistol can be effectie against man-sized targets at the vast majority of combat firing ranges (under 20 feet)."

The development of the machine pistols has been inhibited by "abusive regulations," Mullin says.

I think he might have a point. I fired a manufactures sample converted Glock 34 a couple of years ago and found it more controllable than I expected.

 

[4v50 Gary]

AR-15 sales would be virtually non-existent but M-16A2s and M-4 carbines would be very popular.

The "used" gun section would probably contain an ambundance of M-16A1s and ho-hum, BARs.

MP-5s and mini-Uzis would be very popular with the SMG crowd.

 

[El Tejon]

Whatever firearms are featured in movies, same as it has always been.

 

[Benjamin]

Suppressors.

Imagine talking to another shooter without hearing "What? Speak up."

 

[45King]

I'll throw in my vote for Thompsons, with M16 and its variants running a close second. Getting into the bigger calibers means having LOTS of $$ to keep those babies fed. Shucks, it could run you a small fortune for a year's worth of shooting of even the .45ACP or .223 in a full auto gun.

 

[Dain Bramage]

I think Bizons in 9x18 would be popular. At least they would be with me.

And Stechkins. Lots of Stechkins.

 

[W Turner]

As a practical matter, I would put money on anything FA chambered for .22 lr. being immensely popular. What other caliber could you really afford to enjoy the full auto goodness?

Suppressors would be very popular as well.

Imagine a 16" bbl. integrally suppressed FA Ruger 10/22 with about 5-100 round drums. You would be able to shoot up Wal-Mart bulk pack ammo a box at a time!


W

 

[HankB]

The American 180 or something similar would be popular . . . IIRC it spits out 177 rounds in about six seconds. And with a suppressor . . .

I'd personally like something along the lines of a suppressed SMG, perhaps an HKMP5SD . . . it would make for one heck of a home defense weapon.

I think suppressors would be more popular than full auto firearms . . . they'd probably even be REQUIRED at some ranges faced with encroachment by housing developments and such.

 

[MrAcheson]

Machine pistols would be huge and probably quite popular for CCW etc.

 

[Zundfolge]

With no NFA I imagine many ranges in urban areas would require suppressors.

I imagine FA would be more popular then it is, but I bet most of the NFA arms that people would want if there was no NFA would be SBRs and Suppressors.

 

[priv8ter]

As for me....

I have always thought that the cats meow would be a fully automatic .22lr...just some kind of conversion kit for a 10/22 would make me SOOOOOO happy. Cheap bricks of ammo, going full auto...oh man.

greg

 

[Dionysusigma]

priv8ter- Kinda like an M2 carbine in .22lr? I like the way you think

 

[Brian Williams]

We would probably have moved on in firearm design because it would be cheaper to be a garage firearm designer like JMB, et al.

 

[Baba Louie]

I think I'd probably own a Browning Automatic Rifle or two, maybe an MP-40 and an M2 Carbine or three.
Probably have several suppressed arms as well.

 

[oweno]

Hmmmm - my Steyr GB with 2 or 3 round burst capability would be cool - and for some reason, I've always hankered for a Marble's Game Getter - .22LR, single shot, removable skeleton stock. Quite popular in its day, I've heard. Bet both would sell well.

 

[Bobarino]

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Bobby

 

[Double Maduro]

Thompson
BAR
Grease gun
Mg 43
mg44
PPsh
Sten
Bren

and the list goes on.....


All with sound supression.
Oh how I like to dream.

DM

 

[TallPine]

Yes, a suppressed fully automatic 22 LR

With a 250 round magazine, of course

But then somebody would have to invent a automatic magazine loading tool.

Just think how much better our economy would be today without NFA ....