Proposal to lower US silencer taxes

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

LAR-15

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Messages
3,385
Is something like this worth enacting into law? This proposal lowers the transfer tax on 'silencers' to five dollars



HEARING PROTECTION ACT
________________________________________
A BILL
To amend Federal law by lowering certain taxes on sound moderating devices regulated by Internal Revenue Code.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Hearing Protection Act'.
SEC. 2. TAXATION OF CERTAIN SOUND MODERATING DEVICES
(a) Section 5811 of Chapter 53 of Title 26 of U.S.C. is amended to read:


‘(a) Rate
There shall be levied, collected, and paid on firearms transferred a tax at the rate of $200 for each firearm transferred, except, the transfer tax on any firearm classified as any other weapon under section 5845 (e) or any firearm as defined in section 5845 (a) (7) shall be at the rate of $5 for each such firearm transferred.’



(b) Section 5821 of Chapter 53 of Title 26 U.S.C. is amended to read:

‘(a) Rate
There shall be levied, collected, and paid upon the making of a firearm a tax at the rate of $200 for each firearm made except for the making of a firearm as defined in section 5845 (a)(7) where the rate shall be $5 for each such firearm made.’



SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect after being enacted into law
 
Yeah it's not the $200 that's the problem. The problem is you can't buy them at the sporting goods stores next to the ear muffs where they SHOULD be.

And they are not silencers, they are suppressors. Don't play the Hollywood word game.
 
Federal law uses the term 'silencer' and so did the man who invented it Hiram Maxim.
 
Federal law uses the term 'silencer' and so did the man who invented it Hiram Maxim.
Click to expand...

Hard to argue that logic. If you invent something and call them "Whoopty Doos", guess what? They're Whoopty Doos.
 
How about callin' them mufflers? Maybe that way people will warm up to them...

I never did understand what logic was behind making them such heavily restricted items. It's a hearing protection device after all; a matter of public health.

Try restricting mufflers on automobiles, doesn't sound too good now does it?:p
 
it's not the $200 that's the problem
Click to expand...
Insofar as we probably won't get 'em sold in the earmuffs section, that is the problem.

If you're going to pay a $200 tax on something, common psychology dictates you will most likely seek to pay a price which makes such a tax palatable. If the can is $50, you're most likely going to balk at paying four times that in taxes alone, and probably not buy it as you're not getting much for your money. If, however, the can is $800, you're most likely not going to be too terribly perturbed at the 25% tax, and you're closer to getting your money's worth ... but still may not buy it thanks to the $1000 total. The psychology of tax vs. price merges into a deterrent for purchase.

However, if the tax drops to $5, then that $50 can only sees a 10% tax, which is commonly acceptable. Effective at-the-source hearing protection would become significantly more common.
 
I researched how suppressors got added to the NFA. Basically, the Fish and Game folks sponsored the amendment because too many people were using a $2 suppressor bought at a hardware store with a bolt-action .30-06 to bag a deer for the table out of season. During the Depression, when people didn't have enough to eat and getting a deer ensured you wouldn't starve. It's a classist policy and needs to die.
 
Some states require that silencers be registered with the Feds in order to be legal.

My proposal merely makes them more afforable without getting into other thorny issues with deregulating them.

It'a step towards de-regulation
 
Handguns were originally going to be added to the NFA list too. Only shotguns and rifles were going to be out of the NFA list. Women kept handguns off the list. By that I mean the politicians argued that the tax was unfair for handguns because they felt that woman should be able to afford a handgun for protection without tax due, so they kept them off the NFA list. Scary we came that close to a whole different ball game.
 
Oh crap. I thought this was a bill currently being passed around.

GET THIS TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVE PRONTO!!
 
Some states require that silencers be registered with the Feds in order to be legal.
Click to expand...

The Federal government requires that all suppressors be registered with ATF in order to be legal. States have no say in the matter except that is some states the regulations are more stringent than the Federal requirement.
 
i am for eliminating the 200 tax stamp and for making them go through the same process as a normal firearm being purchased from a dealer... i would even be willing to support non transfer of surpressors from person to person, and only be transferable through a dealer. i think that would be MORE than a fair compromise for liberals.
 
I am for making suppressors require the same paperwork as buying a muffler for your car. I would further make it federal law that no state can enact, by any means, any regulations in regarding to manufacter, possesion, transfer, use of suppressors. (unless that regulation involves harsher penalties for use in a violent crime, targeting the said user of the suppressor)
 
I would love to have a suppressor. My state might be one of the last in the Union that allow then though. :( It's going to be that way with CCW.

I really don't get the why they're such a big deal.
 
MO and KS just legalized silencers.

No reason Illinois and Michigan cant either.
 
some of you guys want no regulation... i do too... but you have to look at it practically. the anti's will NEVER pass that, no matter how you spin it. you have to throw them a bone.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

L
  • Locked
US silencer taxes
2
Replies
29
Views
2K
LAR-15
L
L
  • Locked
Modest proposed changes to the NFA- what do you think of my proposal?
Replies
23
Views
816
JeepDriver
J
L
  • Locked
Please comment on my proposed bill
Replies
11
Views
470
Henry Bowman
H
L
  • Locked
Antique firearms proposal
2
Replies
43
Views
1K
LAR-15
L
L
  • Locked
Critique my silencer proposal
2
Replies
44
Views
2K
Prince Yamato
P
Back
Top