by Lee Williams
In the early 1980s, in order to meet a growing customer demand, several firearm firms released semi-automatic firearms that fired from an open bolt, which were never subject to the National Firearm Act, or NFA. Fully automatic versions of these guns were flooding the movies and popular culture, but the semi-autos were easier to own. Over the years, these guns became highly sought after and were known as “pre-ban” open-bolt semi-auto pistols and carbines.