National Firearms Act of 1934 Forms Basis for U.S. Weapons Regulation, Including 'Class 4' Items
Modern weapons regulation in the United States is rooted in the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. This act was established in response to widespread gangland violence and the use of military-style weapons during that era. The NFA created a system of taxation and registration for specific categories of arms, initially including machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, destructive devices, and silencers. The law aimed to make these items difficult and expensive to acquire for criminal purposes while still allowing legitimate commercial and private ownership. Although the term 'Class 4 weapons' is not explicitly in the NFA, it has become a common shorthand for heavily regulated firearms defined by their operation, configuration, or potential for automatic fire. This category includes machine guns (distinguishing between pre- and post-1986 models), short-barreled rifles and shotguns (SBRs and SBSs), destructive devices (such as grenades and large-bore rifles), and 'Any Other Weapons' (AOWs), which ...
