The National Firearms Act (“NFA”) was enacted in 1934.  Congress’ purpose with the NFA was to create what it believed was a constitutional means of discouraging citizens from purchasing or owning certain types of firearms which Congress asserted were the ‘weapons of choice of the gangsters’.   These weapons included machine guns, short barrel rifles, short barrel shotguns and suppressors. Congress knew it could not ban civilian ownership based on what can be learned from the