5. Stanford Lyman, Chinese Americans (New York: Random House, 1974) p.71

6. This phrase became a buzzword with many politicians who wanted to expand their political power, and is found in numerous texts.

7. Many people have serious misconceptions of Texas law, and think of that state as one where everyone carries guns legally. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no provision in Texas law to carry a weapon for protection outside your home or automobile. Those who do are relying on the crony system to save them.

8. NFA of 1934, Section 11.

9. On March 22, 1765, Parliament levied a tax on the Colonists'

newspapers and legal and commercial documents, all of which had to carry a special stamp. The Colonists formed the first intercolonial Congress which met in October of that year to declare American rights and grievances, specifically concerning the Stamp Act. Parliament rescinded the Stamp Act in March of 1766, but coupled this recission with passage of the Declaratory Act, claiming England's supremacy over America "in all cases whatsoever". The Colonists rights and their insistence on maintaining them became the basis for the American Revolution.

10. About $5 a day, according to a conversation with Arthur Wilkes, who was an assemblyline worker during that period.

11. New York Times. Dec. 25, 1934.

12. New York Times. Nov. 6, 1936.

13. Given that the most reliable U.S. designs now in use (1919A4,

1917A1, ANM2, MG52A, M2HB, BAR, M14, M1A1) were all developed by private citizens, and the guns with major flaws (M60) were designed by companies, Chinn's comment cannot be disregarded.

14. "You could not run a coal company without machine guns" is a quote widely ascribed to industrialist Richard B. Mellon. Other large companies with union problems (auto manufacturers, for example)also purchased machine guns.

15. Special Occupational Taxpayers are those who pay an annual licensing fee to actively deal in NFA-regulated items 16. Al Capone, irritated at having fifteen of his men killed in three months by 'Bugs' Koran's North-Side gang, arranged a trap. On his orders, a truckload of stolen whiskey was offered to the North-Siders at an attractive price, with another truckload to follow if Moran was satisfied. He was, and the second truck was sent to a trucking warehouse owned by Moran. As this second delivery was being made, a car appearing to be a Chicago Police vehicle pulled up. The "officers" lined Moran's gang up against a wall, and the North-Siders assumed it was time to pay off the policemen. Instead, the men dressed as officers (but working for Capone) killed all seven of them, using two Thompson Submachine Guns. The date was February 14, 1929.

17. Pillows and blankets have been used, because they more completely eliminate the noise. Knives are also very commonly used as murder weapons.

18. Spokesmen for Olin-Mathieson and Remington-Peters state that these two companies produce over two billion rounds each for domestic consumption. With other companies and imports added in, the actual total is much higher.

19. Many European rifle ranges mandate the use of silencers for this reason.

20. The actual increase in the number of agents is unknown. The Treasury's budget for this type of work in 1932, however, was over ten times what it had been in 1918.

21 Domestic production of handguns in 1928 exceeded 5 million units Given that firearms almost never wear out, the 100 million figure may actually be low 22. This number takes known domestic sales and assumes that, on average, one out of every three soldiers returning from WWI brought back one machine gun. If the discussions I have had with WWI vets are typical, the 1 million figure is low.

23 Hiram Percy Maxim was the son of Hiram Stevens Maxim, who invented the first practical machine gun in 1884. No evidence has been found to indicate that the National Firearms Act was intended to single out the inventions of the Maxim family. It just ended up that way.

24. Noise reducers for firearms are less effective than those for engines for two reasons: first, gas pressure in a gun barrel is much higher than exhaust pressure in a tailpipe. Second, a design for a gun must include a straight, open path from the gun's muzzle to the exit end of the silencer to permit passage of the bullet. A muffler for an engine may employ all manner of reversing baffles, diffusing screens, and serpentine pathways to redirect exhaust gases that don't contain chunks of lead traveling at supersonic speeds.

25 New York Times, December 25, 1934.

26. William J. Helmer, The Gun That Made the Twenties Roar (London: MacMillan & Co., 1969) p.125

27. New York Times. April 24, 1934

28. Ithaca Gun Company produced the "Auto and Burglar" gun and Harrington & Richardson made the "Handi-gun" in modest numbers. Both are now collector's items.

29. Bringing home U.S. ordnance is technically theft of government property, but at the end of a war it is typical for a U.S. soldier to keep the weapon he carried in combat without comment from the authorities. Arms captured from the enemy have always (prior to 1968) been acceptable for U.S. soldiers to bring home.

30. WWI was the first major war fought with them.

31. Thomas J. Fleming, in a phone conversation 8/27/70

31. Thomas J. Fleming, in a phone conversation 8/27/70 page work The Machine Gun for the Department of the Navy, in a phone conversation 8/30/70 33. U.S. vs. Miller, United States Supreme Court, May 15, 1939 34. Many of the people I have spoken to who had a significant number (20 or more) of non-taxed NFA weapons and DEWATs decided to Amnestyregister two or three guns, hedging their bets in case of confiscation.

35. As the law is now being interpreted. The case mentioned before where the gun has never crossed state lines has not yet been tested in court.

36. From current price lists from six Special Occupational Taxpayers licensed to deal in these type of weapons.

37. Individual state laws may prohibit ownership.

38. Average of several advertised in dealer publications. Examples with a documented history (i.e. a weapon owned and used by "Pretty Boy" Floyd) command a premium.

39. Police and dealers I questioned were uneasy about estimating the "street value" of a non-taxed Thompson Submachine Gun. The only dealer who was willing to say anything at all suggested "Couple hundred bucks, tops" as an estimate.

May 28,1974 Damn! Ray Johnson thought as the sound of his client's .375 H&H rang out and he watched a piece of hide fly off the cape buffalo's left foreleg. How could he miss at ten yards?

The man lowered the rifle to port arms and stared openmouthed at the 1700-pound animal he had just wounded and consequently made very, very angry. He made no effort to work the bolt and chamber another round.

"Shoot! Shoot, damn it!" Ray screamed at his client, who stood frozen, fifteen feet to the side of the professional hunter.

The buffalo instantly lowered its head, turned towards the cause of his irritation, and charged. The man then did something Ray Johnson had never seen anyone do before. Al Holbrecht turned in panic, dropped his rifle, and ran.

Ray Johnson was so stunned at his client's action that he was half a second slow getting the front sight of his .458 Model 70 on the enraged bull, even though the butt of his rifle was already on his shoulder. The buffalo was passing right-to-left in front of Raymond's muzzle. The Winchester thundered, and even as he slapped the bolt rearward, Ray knew that by the time he got off a second shot, the adrenaline-filled animal would have overtaken his panicked customer.

As Ray simultaneously hauled the rifle down out of recoil with his left hand and slammed the bolt forward with his right, he saw with amazement that the bull was down, five or six feet past where he had been when Ray pulled the trigger. He was not dead, but his hindquarters were all that would function. Both of the buffalo's shoulders were obviously shattered.

Ray put his second shot through the animal's heart and lowered his rifle. He glanced to his left, and saw that the steel company president was still running. Hope he stops pretty soon Raymond thought with a shake of his head. There's a ravine in that direction, less than a mile and a half away.

"Good shot," his lead tracker said simply as he jogged over to inspect the dead beast.

"Yeah."

It was the first time Ray Johnson had used Henry Bowman's ammo to stop a charge.

It would not be the last.

"Richard Wescott Gaines," the valedictorian announced, and Richard stepped to the podium and took the proffered diploma. A cheer rose from a group of friends seated in folding chairs on the University lawn.

"Man, he's got it knocked," one of them said in admiration.

"What do you mean? I thought his grades sucked. Like almost flunking out."

"You didn't hear?" the first asked in surprise. "Some congressman where he lives got him a spot. His GPA doesn't matter."

"A job?"

"No. A state...not a state Senator, what's the other one? A state representative." He laughed. "Get this: He only has to go in four days a week from January to May, and he doesn't actually have to do anything except sit around and listen. Not even that, really. Just vote sometimes on stuff. And for five months he's getting paid more'n I'm going to get in a whole year at Monsanto."

"Shit, how do I get a job like that?"

"Beats me. Blow somebody, I guess." The two young men stopped discussing Richard Games' future when they saw that another of their friends was about to have his name called.

In point of fact, Richard Gaines did not yet actually have the state rep position his friends referred to, as the election was not until November. When that time came, however, Congressman Sloan would indeed make good on his promise, and Richard Gaines would represent a district in South St. Louis.

The rest of the young man's description of Gaines' future was reasonably accurate, although his estimate of the monetary benefits was on the low side.

"Well, I'm going to head back to the hotel until it's time for dinner," Catherine Bowman told her son. "Are there any of your friends that can join us, or do all of them have plans with their parents?" Henry's mother liked being able to include her son's friends when they were available.