Colt 21

[Norm]

In 1934 congress passed the NFA act. From that point on, to buy any NFA weapon required ATF approval and a $200 tax stanmp ($5 for AOWs.)

 

How did the original Colt 21s make it onto the regestry? I know that some probably made it in the 1968 amnesty.

 

Was there an amnesty period back in 1934 to allow Colt 21 owners to register?

 

Thanks,

 

Norm

 

[Sig]

I believe all weapons were required to be registered regardless of transfer at that time.

Of course any transfers would have been duly required to be registered and pay a tax.

Then of course any that failed to do any of the above by 1968 had one last chance during a brief (1 month?) amnesty.

 

[21 smoker]

Norm, Sig,... not to hijack this....but this post made me think about the history of the Colt21 and the NFA Act of 1934...good ,bad or indifferent...the 21 is what started it all...the` hollywood hype`started with the 21,the kneejerk lawmaking,the crime sprees,the newspaper stories,...the later WWII models,the world wide instant recognition of a `Tommygun`...indeed the very reason we are here on this forum...all of this is because of the original...Colt21... a peice of machinary...15,000 total...it sure has had a far reaching influence on us all... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/wink.gif

[fred]

Smoker,

 

You're right. In fact, why was the transfer tax set at $200? Check out the retail price of a Thompson in 1934. $200!

[skoda]

Geez PhilOhio, don't give them any ideas. $200 is a lot easier to take today than it was 70 years ago. Like $2/gal gas is easier to accept today than $1/gal was in 1979.

 

We probably wouldn't have had the hi-cap mag ban if Billy-Bob Ruger hadn't opened his mouth.

[1921A]

Norm

 

To answer your original question, "How did Colt Thompsons get into the national registry in 1934?"

 

To comply with the 1934 National Firearms Act, A.O.C. sent the Treasury department a list of the entire "remaining inventory" of unsold Thompsons. Those guns formed the nucleus of the original registry. There is surviving evidence that A.O.C. sent letters and registration forms to most of it's existing customers in a effort to register previously sold guns.

 

In addition, police/government agencies could register NFA weapons anytime, without restrictions, until the GCA68 took effect.

 

Greg Fox