Five-O
Member
Where is it legal to buy/use/own/have, a suppressor in the U.S.?
suppressor
- Thread starter Five-O
- Start date
- Status
Riss
Member
Look over on NRA site. http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/ They should have the info you seek.
Five-O
Member
Riss, I misunderstood. I thought "suppressor" was a silencer. I had always thought they were illegal all over the U.S. When I saw threads about "suppressor" I was thinking silencer. Above quote is from the NRA link you provided.
Thanks for your help
Riss
Member
Suppressor is a silencer. NOT prohibited widely. Actually allowed in more states than prohibited. IF allowed in your state, find on, do the paperwork, if approved wait a month or 3 or 4 and then pick up from your local dealer. Only a class 2 or 3 can readily transfer to you. Otherwise a $200 tax stamp everytime it changes hands. A transfer from another dealer to yours, in your state is no tax. To you is then $200 tax plus the paperwork fees and time spent getting a law enforcement signoff.
AL, AR, AK, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MO, MS, MT, NE, ND, NV, NH, NM, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, and WY. Of the other states which do not allow civilian ownership, CA, IA, KS, MA, MO, and MI allow Class-3 dealers and Class-2 manufacturers to own silencers.
CA only allows licensed dealers, manufacturers, police and military to possess silencers. If guns are important to you, then I suggest that you move away from CA.
WA bans use; some states like FL and TX ban them but make it an affirmative defense to prosecution that they are registered with the ATF.
http://www.subguns.com and http://www.silencertests.com are two good resources on the net for info. Also take a look at the ATF homepage. There are a few forms to fill out (ATF form 4, 5330.20), fingerprints, mug shots and local sheriff's signature to obtain. Some people use a trust or Corp. to own it for them. This way they can avoid the finger print cards, photos and sheriff's sig. ATF approval is routine and I have never heard of any application being denied as long as it was properly filled out.
Ranb
I think it is sad that the NRA would be describing silencers in this manner. It would not hurt to describe them as a means of protecting hearing and reducing noise pollution.
Only a few states prohibit silencers. The Feds do not. Although their method of controlling them is BS, I have never heard of a person who was denied a silencer transfer after submitting a properly filled out tax stamp application. Has anyone here ever heard of such a thing?
One thing I have also never seen was the NRA actively opposing laws that restrict title 2 weapons or 50 BMG rifles. Has the NRA ever done this? Thanks.
Ranb
Five-O
Member
ranb, guns are important to me, all kinds, but just curious, what good is a silencer? When would it be needed? In home defense where there may be more than one perp I would think that the sound of a .45 might scare off all but the one that's on the floor.
I bought a house in Utah with the intention of moving there upon retirement. Health issues currently puts the move on hold. I think that as soon as my two adopted granddaughters are off to college in three years, I and my wife will surely go. Hopefully by then my health problems will all have been worked out. In the meantime, I'm still working full-time. (I'm 71)
btw, I have a Utah issued CCW permit.
Albert A Rasch
Member
5-O,
Besides the cool factor, a suppressed 22, for instance, makes a great varmint control weapon. With subsonic rounds it is virtually silent. A suppressed 308 is a great firearm for those that like to shoot high power but are a little worried about noise. Likewise a suppressed home defense .45 auto would be the cats pajamas.
Quiet frankly the health benefits aren't to be looked askance at either. Hearing loss is a serious ailment that should be avoided.
Albert
Hunting African Lions in the Front Yard
Besides the cool factor, a suppressed 22, for instance, makes a great varmint control weapon. With subsonic rounds it is virtually silent. A suppressed 308 is a great firearm for those that like to shoot high power but are a little worried about noise. Likewise a suppressed home defense .45 auto would be the cats pajamas.
Quiet frankly the health benefits aren't to be looked askance at either. Hearing loss is a serious ailment that should be avoided.
Albert
Hunting African Lions in the Front Yard
Most gun owners that use silencers use them for the same reasons that car owners use mufflers. Can you imagine what additional restrictions would be placed on cars if they went around blasting away as loud as machine guns?
Silencers reduce noise by about 20-30 decibels, or a factor of 100 to 1000 times. This can make some of the smaller guns safe to shoot without any hearing protection. The higher powered rifles like 308 win and the larger magnum calibers are also greatly tamed when using a good silencer. While they will not be hearing safe under weather protection or in an enclosed area, using them with ear plugs makes for much more comfortable shooting.
They also reduce noise pollution when used at rifle ranges. Noise complaints as housing areas encroach upon rifle ranges are some of the reasons why there are fewer place to shoot these days. Hunters also find them useful when hunting in areas near houses.
I have personally introduced two people to shooting suppressed weapons. While they had been intimidated by guns due to the noise and muzzle blast, attaching a silencer reduced the noise so much they were comfortable shooting and enjoyed it enough to continue.
Ranb
Five-O
Member
Ranb, I like your explanation. Sounds reasonable (excuse the pun) and logical. However, I kinda like that loud report. Sorta like hearing two dragsters peeling off at a drag race. Without all that noise it just ain't the same. Or how about an F-16 catapulting off a carrier? When I was on the Bonnie Dick (CVA-31)way back in the late 50's I was working the flight deck. We had those huge F-8 Crusaders, the largest carrier a/c in the Navy. When they revved up the engines just before launch you could not only hear but feel the powerful noise in your bones! Can you imagine a silencer on those planes?
I'll stick to ear protection.
I'll stick to ear protection.
Riss
Member
Nothing beats hitting a bottle of tannerite from a silenced rifle at 100+ yards. The loud report of the boom resonating across the mountains gets me going. Its also much easier to teach someone to shoot with a silencer. No hearing protection. And I certainly agree with Five O that the boom of a firearm means that we are having fun.
I certainly understand the "big boom" attraction. Since I can not use my silencers in WA (use is banned) I am normally in hearing protection anyway. Silencers just add something different.
One time I was home in MN and brought a 50 bmg with so that the sons of one of my high school classmates (one of the pretty girls back then) could try it out. It was very foggy and we could see the shock waves coming from the muzzle brake and moving through the fog. My former classmate said of the gun smoke, "that smells good". I turned around and told her, "where were you when I was looking for a wife?"
Ranb
One time I was home in MN and brought a 50 bmg with so that the sons of one of my high school classmates (one of the pretty girls back then) could try it out. It was very foggy and we could see the shock waves coming from the muzzle brake and moving through the fog. My former classmate said of the gun smoke, "that smells good". I turned around and told her, "where were you when I was looking for a wife?"
Ranb
- Status