The No Machine Guns Act - The Legal Brief!
The Firearms Owner Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 significantly amended federal firearms law. Key provisions included the Hughes Amendment, which banned the possession or transfer of machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986, while exempting government agencies. FOPA also expanded the definition of prohibited persons and introduced new regulations for FFLs, including requirements for reporting multiple sales and allowing business at temporary locations. Positively, it permitted the government to revoke an FFL only for willful violations, required warrants for record examinations (except for annual inspections), repealed restrictions on ammunition shipment to homes, and prohibited the establishment of a federal firearms registry.











