According to the
ATF's own rulings, those shotguns were classified as Destructive Devices by ATF Ruling 94-1 and 94-2, and not during the Reagan era (see Page 146 of the PDF linked above).
The ATF did classify the following semi-automatic pistols and pistol-caliber "rifles" as NFA firearms during the Reagan era: KG-9 (Ruling 82-2), SM10, SM11A1, and SAC (Ruling 82-8), YAC Sten Mk III (Ruling 83-5). However, all of those classifications were based on defining said firearms as machineguns rather than relying on the sporting purposes clause. If you look at this list of ATF Rulings: (
http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/rulings/) the only rulings covering importation of firearms issued during the Reagan Administration are 80-8 (Applications to import non-sporting firearms for LE use; must include LE purchase order), 81-3(Importation of firearms of U. S. Citizens acquired abroad), 85-2 (NFA weapons imported for LE samples must have some LE purpose) and 85-10 (Frames and receivers alone of C&R weapons are not eligible for C&R importation).
Senator Craig's staff's research aside, the first example I can find of the sporting purposes clause being used to deny importation of a firearm based on the sporting purposes clause is
Ruling 69-309 which among other things explains that military service members may not import rifles and shotguns which are of surplus military origin and must meet the sporting purposes requirement.
I see we are both typing at the same time...
Quote:
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USAS 12: See BATF ruling 85-10
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No,
Ruling 85-10 deals with importation of frames and receivers only for C&R firearms.
It may be that Senator Craig's staff have access to a Private Letter Ruling from the ATF; which is basically when you have a question on legality and write the ATF requesting an opinion on what you are about to do. The letter is good only for the recipient and those rulings are unpublished - which would make it near impossible to find unless the guy who received it decided to self-publish.