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National Firearms Act (NFA)

The National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) requires the registration, with the federal government, of fully-automatic firearms (termed “machineguns”), rifles and shotguns that have an overall length under 26 inches, rifles with a barrel under 16 inches, shotguns with a barrel under 18 inches, and firearm sound suppressors (termed “silencers”). The Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) placed “destructive devices” (primarily explosives and the like, but also including firearms over .50 caliber, other than most shotguns) under the provisions of the NFA. In 1994, the Treasury Department placed revolving-cylinder shotguns and one semi-automatic shotgun under the NFA.

The GCA prohibited the importation of fully-automatic firearms for private purposes and a 1986 amendment to the Act prohibited the domestic manufacture of fully-automatics for private purposes. However, short-barreled rifles and shotguns have becoming increasingly popular for home defense and defensive-skills-based marksmanship training and competitions, and sound suppressors have become increasingly popular for marksmanship training and competitions, and for hunting.

Issue Articles
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News  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

NRA Fact Checks the Washington Post

A recent piece in the Washington Post on the SHARE Act, legislation in Congress aimed at protecting the ...

NRA Backed SHARE Act Passes Committee

News  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

NRA Backed SHARE Act Passes Committee

“Today marks an important step in protecting the Second Amendment freedoms of America’s hunters and sportsmen and strengthening our ...

The Hill  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Lawmakers spar over suppressor bill

The measure from Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) is in a broad sportsmen’s bill, the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational ...

Washington Times  

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

House panel weighs legislation that would loosen restrictions on suppressors

Lawmakers on Tuesday kick-started a renewed debate over guns with a hearing on a sportsmen’s bill that includes ...

Boston Globe  

Monday, September 11, 2017

Should Massachusetts allow guns to be equipped with suppressors?

I’m an instructor who teaches the safety classes required by the state for firearms license applicants. In spite ...

NRA Applauds Reintroduction and Expansion of SHARE Act

News  

Hunting  

Friday, September 8, 2017

NRA Applauds Reintroduction and Expansion of SHARE Act

On Sept. 1, U.S. Congressman Jeff Duncan introduced H.R. 3668, the Sportsman’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act (SHARE Act), a wide-ranging package ...

NRA Applauds Introduction of Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act

News  

Hunting  

Thursday, September 7, 2017

NRA Applauds Introduction of Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act

The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) applauds the introduction of H.R. 3668, the Sportsmen’s Heritage ...

McClatchy D.C.  

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Can Jeff Duncan silence opposition to his gun bill?

Growing up, Rep. Jeff Duncan didn’t wear earplugs or muffs when he went out to shoot guns with ...

Americans for Responsible Solutions Claims NFA Isn’t Burdensome

News  

Second Amendment  

Friday, September 1, 2017

Americans for Responsible Solutions Claims NFA Isn’t Burdensome

Earlier this week, gun control group Americans for Responsible Solutions continued their confused campaign against the Hearing Protection ...

Let Your Congress Members Know that You Support the Hearing Protection Act

News  

Friday, August 4, 2017

Let Your Congress Members Know that You Support the Hearing Protection Act

As we’ve previously covered a number of times, the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) is a federal bill to ...

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.