I’d Support This Bill – And So Does The NRA

Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) has introduced the Hearing Protection Act of 2015. The act would remove suppressors and silencers from the National Firearms Act. In other words, there would be no restrictions (other than state ones) and no $200 tax anymore. You’d only have to go through a NICS check.

As someone who has both tinnitus and moderate 4000 Hz notch hearing loss, I fully support this bill. My hearing impairment came as a result of shooting firearms at earlier period in my life without hearing protection. My audiologist told me last week when she checked my hearing that I would need hearing aids in the future.

The NRA supports this bill and released this statement today:

Fairfax, Va.— The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) announced its support today for the Hearing Protection Act. Sponsored by Congressman Matt Salmon (AZ-05), the legislation removes suppressors from regulations established under the National Firearms Act of 1934.

“Suppressors significantly reduce the chance of hearing loss for anyone who enjoys the shooting sports,” said Chris Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “On behalf of the NRA and our 5 million members, I want to thank Rep. Salmon for his leadership on this important bill.”

Prevailing regulations requires buyers to send an application to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), pay a $200 tax, and pass an arduously time consuming ATF background check. Under Salmon’s bill there will be no application, no tax, and buyers would be required to pass the same National Criminal Instant Background Check (NICS) as law-abiding guns owners.

As a leading voice in the industry, the American Suppressor Association has provided valuable insight to the creation of the Hearing Protection Act.

“Suppressors benefit all involved in hunting and the shooting sports. It’s time to bring the law in line with modern technology,” said Cox.

It is currently legal to hunt with a suppressor in 37 states. 41 states allow private ownership of suppressors.

The bill has not been assigned a number yet but I’ll update this post when it does.

Michael Bane related a conversation he had with someone in the suppressor industry in his most recent podcast. The gist of it was that if suppressors had been invented now instead of the early 20th century, we would be required to have them and we’d be able to pick them up at a corner store.

I believe that is correct. I do know that I’ll fight tooth and nail for this bill. I don’t want today’s younger shooters to have to deal with even moderate hearing loss.

UPDATE: The American Suppressor Association released a statement on the introduction of this bill. As you can imagine, they are very, very pleased with this bill.

It said, in part:

“The American Suppressor Association believes that citizens should not have to pay a tax to protect their hearing while exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of the ASA. “The removal of suppressors from the National Firearms Act has been our ultimate goal since day one. For months, we have worked alongside Rep. Salmon’s office and the National Rifle Association to craft this legislation. Although we recognize that introducing this bill is the first step in what will be a lengthy process to change federal law, we look forward to working with Rep. Salmon and the NRA to advance and ultimately enact this common-sense legislation.”

UPDATE II: The number of the Hearing Protection Act of 2015 is HR 3799. You can quickly send a letter to Congress showing your support by using this PopVox link.

The “Big Money” Behind Silencers?

Chicago’s ABC 7 I-Team is going to let us know tonight about the “big money” who is behind a move to legalize suppressors in the state of Illinois.

Big money? Bwa-hah-hah. The suppressor industry – with perhaps the exceptions of Remington Outdoors and SigSauer – is made up of a number of small businesses. Some are mom and pop operations while others may have 2-300 employees.

Silencers are a safety item. They do not totally cut out the sound; they merely muffle it to a safer decibel level. Anyone who says differently is just restating myth and legend.

I just had my annual hearing checkup on Monday. I shot some in my younger days without hearing protection, attended some auto and boat races with no hearing protection, and, of course, a few rock concerts. I now suffer constant tinnitis (ringing in the ears) and some hearing loss.

About the only “big money” who would benefit from keeping suppressors banned are the hearing aid manufacturers and I doubt even they would want to build business that way.

How Do Silencers Work?

I am a sucker for a really good infographic and SilencerCo has put one out. They are the Utah-based manufacturer of silencers/suppressors for rifles, pistols, AND shotguns.

SilencerCo has always put a lot of effort into educating people on the legality, history, and usage of silencers. This infographic is their latest effort. Interestingly enough, it has caught the attention of the business press. BusinessInsider ran a story featuring the infographic below on Monday. Unlike most stuff you see in the media, it was accurate and non anti-silencer.

As someone who has a hearing related problem – tinnitus – due to shooting without hearing protection earlier in life, I really wish silencers and suppressors were not NFA items. At most, they should be listed as AOW or any other weapon and have a $5 transfer fee. The reality is that hearing loss is a public health issue and silencers, despite all the myth and legend about them coming out of Hollywood, are a hearing safety device.

And For Georgia Readers

Daniel Defense is supporting efforts to repeal the ban on suppressors for hunting in the state of Georgia. To this end, they have developed a pre-composed email that will be sent to your local Representative and Senator as well as members of the Game, Fish, and Parks Committee.

Georgia is currently the number two state in the number of suppressors registered under the National Firearms Act. If Senate Bill 93 is passed, Georgia will become the 32nd that allows suppressors for hunting.

The link to the email is here.

Suppressors Should Be Treated As An AOW

This promo video of a photo shoot for Gem-Tech suppressors at Nellis AFB in Nevada brought to mind the thought that suppressors should be treated as AOW or Any Other Weapon under the National Firearms Act – at the very least. While still requiring the background check, the tax is only $5 instead of the current $200. In many foreign countries, while it it difficult to get a firearm, getting a suppressor for that firearm is no big deal. Even better would be the removal of suppressors from the NFA altogether as they are NOT a weapon and because shooting suppressed reduces sound pollution and protects one’s hearing.

If the Obama Administration wants to continue to emulate the European countries, this is one thing they could do that would get my agreement.

Suppressed KRISS Vector

Thanks to Sean Sorrentino for taking this video and for insisting that I *had* to shoot the Kriss. While the full auto version was down for cleaning, I did get a chance to shoot the suppressed semi-auto version. It was my first time shooting anything that was suppressed.

Suppressed firearms should be encouraged and not saddled with a six-month delay and a $200 tax stamp. I think the first step is to consider suppressors and silencers as AOW’s or Any Other Weapons under the NFA is a good one. Even better would be to ditch the archaic attitudes towards sound suppression and remove them from the NFA list altogether.

New Zealand Is A Civilized Country

In the United States if you want to own a sound suppressor (or silencer) for your .22 rifle or pistol, you must fill out an ATF Form 4, pay a $200 tax, submit both a picture and fingerprints, get the signature of the chief law enforcement official in the jurisdiction of your place of residence, undergo a background investigation, and then wait. This is in addition to the cost of the suppressor which, I understand, begins in the $200 range.

In New Zealand, you drive on down to Gun City in Christchurch, pay NZ$39.99 or about $29.91 in U.S. dollars, and walk out with your suppressor. As their ad says, “There are no age or licence restrictions on silencer sales.”

 Of course, for the price you aren’t getting the top of the line suppressor. However, if you want a suppressor for plinking on your .22 rifle or pistol, it will work just fine.

And your hearing is protected.

It is utterly ridiculous that at a time when so-called environmental groups are suing the EPA over lead ammunition to “protect hunters” from airborne lead exposure among other things that a reasonable method of reducing “noise pollution” and protecting the hearing of shooters still requires a $200 tax stamp.

H/T Oleg Volk