Suppressor ownership no longer suppressed
Here’s some good news for people who like to shoot.
Suppressors have been federally regulated since the passage of the National Firearms Act of 1934. But a move to make it easier for gun owners and sportsmen to purchase suppressors in the 42 states where it’s legal to buy them is on the horizon.
The Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 367) is picking up traction in 2017. It was recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, along with U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), who is also a member of the CSC. There are 43 co-sponsors of this bill.
A similar bill was introduced in 2015, but never made it out of committee despite support from many outdoors organiza- tions. Things are changing in Washington, D.C., though, a city notorious for the red tape that keeps everyone, Democrats and Republicans alike, from making meaningful progress on just about everything.
The HPA is legislation that makes sense for the 21st century. Despite the fact that this proposed legislation has only one Democrat signed on as a co-sponsor, making it easier for millions of Americans to protect their hearing really should be a bipartisan issue.
Many hunters and recreation- al shooters suffer significant damage to their hearing over the years from gunfire. High quality and affordable suppressors are available from several vendors. Now it’s time to make it easier for gun owners and sportsmen to practice their sport and own the right accessories to do so in the safest manner.
Hollywood has depicted suppressors as tools for nefarious and evil-doing criminals. But suppressors don’t actually silence a gunshot. They are more like mufflers for firearms. Suppressors simply reduce the noise of gunfire by about 20 to 35 decibels on aver- age, which generally reduces the sound of a gunshot to a level where it won’t damage the human ear. Not only do suppressors protect the shooter’s hearing, they also reduce the noise that often bothers people who live near shooting ranges and hunting areas.
Under this proposed act, a person will be able to purchase a suppressor from a federally-licensed firearms dealer after passing the standard National Instant Criminal background check. The people who are prohibited from owning firearms won’t be able to purchase a suppressor.
For law-abiding citizens, this means no more NFA forms, fingerprinting or creation of legal trusts, lengthy delays, as well as the current cost of the $200 tax stamp. In fact, if this law passes, it might put some money back in your pocket if you purchased a suppressor after Oct. 22, 2015. The HPA