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Bonnie and Clyde and the short-barreled shotgun
Before the National Firearms Act of 1934, short-barreled shotguns were easy to get and easy to modify. In the video, we look at how Bonnie and Clyde used an illegally modified semi-auto shotgun to outgun the police.
The history
- Gangster-era firepower: Clyde Barrow and his gang were known for sawed-off shotguns and stolen military-style rifles such as the Browning Automatic Rifle.
- Police were outgunned: many officers carried revolvers, so a shortened semi-auto shotgun was a serious advantage.
- The NFA of 1934: the law put heavy tax and registration rules on short-barreled shotguns, short-barreled rifles, machine guns and suppressors. It regulates them rather than banning them outright, and those rules still apply today.
Bonnie and Clyde were killed in May 1934, a few weeks before the NFA was signed, but their crimes were part of the public pressure behind laws like it. Always check federal and state law before you modify any firearm.
If you want to stay legal and still get a compact setup, shop gear from Brownells.
Where to buy the gear mentioned in this post
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