Not really mysterious. They were put in the law in an attempt to stop the poaching of deer. The idea was that without silencers, poachers could be heard and more easily caught by game wardens. And because of that stupid reasoning, we shooters have to worry about losing our hearing.
“They were put in the law in an attempt to stop the poaching of deer.”
It was not mentioned at the time. Much of what the Roosevelt administration pushed was ad hoc, poorly thought out,and simply a grab for more power.
One of the major reasons the Depression lasted so long, is no one knew what way Roosevelt was going to jump next. No one wanted to put their capital at risk when it might be confiscated or taken by regulation at any moment.
Roosevelt was a disaster for this country.
Another objection to the “deer poaching” theory is that deer poaching was clearly a state issue at the time. At least the ganster story was connected to gangsters transporting guns across state lines to commit crimes. That has a little basis with Bonnie and Clyde, Dillinger, and Al Capone.
Deer poaching... not so much.