The only good thing about the NFA tax is that it has never been raised
To adjust for inflation.
That "menial" $200 tax was $200 in 1934. More than the cost of the weapons taxed, sometimes by a huge amount. The entire reason for the tax is to price these items out of the range of ordinary working class citizens. Only wealthy people can afford $15,000 to $40,000 for a gun that you are not allowed to hunt with, and has very little legal use except for entertainment. Federal laws have ensured that the cost to a private citizen is virtually prohibitive. While you may not consider this an infringement on our rights, how should we look at it when because of Federal Law two consecutive serial numbered guns, one on the civilian register and one not can have a cost difference of thousands of dollars. Take two identical SMGs, one legal for private sale and one restricted to law enforcement (because it is not on the civilian register). The civilian legal gun can cost $10, 15, even $20,000 or more, plus the $200 every time ownership is transferred. The law enforcement only gun costs a few hundred. Talk about an LEO discount!
Every time an NFA weapon is sold, the price goes up at least $200, due to the federal tax. If the gun changes hands 5 times in 20 years, that is a $1,000 increase in the price, just to cover the cost of the taxes that have been paid for the privilege of legal ownership. And some guns have been in the registry since 1934.
Here on this board, we have a number of people who would like to be able to own a full auto weapon, and who live in locals that do not prohibit it outright. But they are prevented from legally doing so by the excessive cost. A cost which is entirely due to the Federal laws manipulating the market. Full auto enthusiasts have always been the smallest segment of firearms owners, declining since 1934, and reaching a maximum fixed number in 1986, simply because there can be no more guns added to the civilian registry. One cannot make a new machinegun and add it to the registry, this is no longer allowed. One cannot find an old machinegun that was never registered, register it, pay the tax and have it be made legal to own. This is not allowed either. So, since the number of legal guns is fixed, and no more can be added, the price has skyrocketed in the past 22 years, well above the "regular" rate of incrrease caused by the constant addition of $200 every time they weapon changes hands.
An actual AK 47 assault rifle (the real one, the selective fire one) is legally a machinegun under US law, and while one can be purchased in many third world countries for $150 or even less, there are only a handful in the civilian registry, and their cost is more than the cost of an economy car. And there is no GMAC or Ford Credit to aid in the purchase.
Artificially causing the price of something to increase beyond the means of working class people may not technically be "infringement", but it sure looks like somebodys don't want most folks to be able to buy them from where I sit.
Another factor is the fact that owners of and dealers in NFA weapons are not very active in trying to repeal the NFA, or the '86 freeze. Very human, I can easily understand why. If I owned a gun worth $40,000, I wouldn't actively seek to change the law to one that would make it worth only $1,000.
While we do believe the 2nd Amendment means what it says, and that machineguns are protected weapons and should be available to ordinary citizens (at a cost reflective of their material, manufacture and a fair profit, like any other item), we understand that since 1934 reality has been quite different.
To adjust for inflation.
That "menial" $200 tax was $200 in 1934. More than the cost of the weapons taxed, sometimes by a huge amount. The entire reason for the tax is to price these items out of the range of ordinary working class citizens. Only wealthy people can afford $15,000 to $40,000 for a gun that you are not allowed to hunt with, and has very little legal use except for entertainment. Federal laws have ensured that the cost to a private citizen is virtually prohibitive. While you may not consider this an infringement on our rights, how should we look at it when because of Federal Law two consecutive serial numbered guns, one on the civilian register and one not can have a cost difference of thousands of dollars. Take two identical SMGs, one legal for private sale and one restricted to law enforcement (because it is not on the civilian register). The civilian legal gun can cost $10, 15, even $20,000 or more, plus the $200 every time ownership is transferred. The law enforcement only gun costs a few hundred. Talk about an LEO discount!
Every time an NFA weapon is sold, the price goes up at least $200, due to the federal tax. If the gun changes hands 5 times in 20 years, that is a $1,000 increase in the price, just to cover the cost of the taxes that have been paid for the privilege of legal ownership. And some guns have been in the registry since 1934.
Here on this board, we have a number of people who would like to be able to own a full auto weapon, and who live in locals that do not prohibit it outright. But they are prevented from legally doing so by the excessive cost. A cost which is entirely due to the Federal laws manipulating the market. Full auto enthusiasts have always been the smallest segment of firearms owners, declining since 1934, and reaching a maximum fixed number in 1986, simply because there can be no more guns added to the civilian registry. One cannot make a new machinegun and add it to the registry, this is no longer allowed. One cannot find an old machinegun that was never registered, register it, pay the tax and have it be made legal to own. This is not allowed either. So, since the number of legal guns is fixed, and no more can be added, the price has skyrocketed in the past 22 years, well above the "regular" rate of incrrease caused by the constant addition of $200 every time they weapon changes hands.
An actual AK 47 assault rifle (the real one, the selective fire one) is legally a machinegun under US law, and while one can be purchased in many third world countries for $150 or even less, there are only a handful in the civilian registry, and their cost is more than the cost of an economy car. And there is no GMAC or Ford Credit to aid in the purchase.
Artificially causing the price of something to increase beyond the means of working class people may not technically be "infringement", but it sure looks like somebodys don't want most folks to be able to buy them from where I sit.
Another factor is the fact that owners of and dealers in NFA weapons are not very active in trying to repeal the NFA, or the '86 freeze. Very human, I can easily understand why. If I owned a gun worth $40,000, I wouldn't actively seek to change the law to one that would make it worth only $1,000.
While we do believe the 2nd Amendment means what it says, and that machineguns are protected weapons and should be available to ordinary citizens (at a cost reflective of their material, manufacture and a fair profit, like any other item), we understand that since 1934 reality has been quite different.
As boards go this one is a very good for for getting information about firearms and learning other useful firearms related things. 
) firearms and will not be wishing I have bought an M-16
