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Why are fully automatic weapons illegal (I understand there are certain grandfather laws etc)?

As I understand it, the National Firearms Act of 1934 was reactionary legislation to address Depression Era bandit and organized crime activity. The Gun Control Act of 1968 was a enacted due to fears over civil rights and increasingly violent anti-war unrest in the wake the JFK assassination. As is often the case, knee-jerk legislation makes for bad laws.


JYD #60