Machine gun crime before 1934(a statistics question)

[gejohnston]

3. I doubt they were common

outside of organized crime for a couple of reasons. Even then, the mob had only a few of them. One of the ones used in the St Valentines Day Massacre was also used, based on ballistics tests, in mob hits in Detroit.

They were expensive, kind of like a Barrett today. Legal and theoretically able to buy at the local hardware store, but too expensive for pre minimum wage America for most people that was useless for hunting and not as good as a shotgun or pistol for defense. Since Capone and others set up dummy security companies, not sure Auto Ordnance company policy (I'm guessing we are talking specifically the Thompson. Colt that made the BAR did offer sales to the general public, but their records show no takers.) allowed sales to the general public. That said, One of Dillenger's Thompsons was stolen from a police armory. Perhaps the question should be how good was the security of National Guard and police armories.

http://chestertontribune.com/PoliceFireEmergency/stolen_thompson_submachine_gun_returned.htm

The public outrage after the St Valentines Day Massacre not only led to congress repealing Prohibition and enacting NFA,