 In 1986, contrary to prior gun legislation, the Firearm Owners Protection Act ("FOPA") (1986), passed under the Ronald Reagan administration, enacted protections for gun owners.It prohibited a national registry of dealer records, limited ATF inspections to conduct annual inspections (unless multiple infractions have been observed), allowed licensed dealers to sell firearms at "gun shows" in their state, and loosened regulations on the sale and transfer of ammunition.However the FOPA also prohibited civilian ownership or transfer of machine guns made after May 19, 1986, and redefined "silencer" to include silencer parts.