How is a supressor on an air rifle not a class 3 device

[PTK]

Again, right on the BATFE website, there is documentation on this issue.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#m30

Numerous paintball and airgun silencers tested by ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch have been determined to be, by nature of their design and function, firearm silencers. Because silencers are NFA weapons, an individual wishing to manufacture or transfer such a silencer must receive prior approval from ATF and pay the required tax.

If it can silence a paintball gun, airgun, or BP gun, IT'S A SILENCER.

 

[dogmush]

One day, I would like to have the money to take the ATF to court over this.

Based on their wide net, anything that has an internal volume greater then the internal volume of your weapons barrel. I think a $200 tax for a 2-liter bottle of soda would be unaccaptable to most folks.

The BATFE really needs some kind of logical oversite on their rulings.

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

If it can silence a paintball gun, or airgun, it may be a firearm silencer.

Corrected for you. The quote states it MAY be a silencer, not that ALL airgun silencers are FIREARM silencers . Likely in this case they determined it is NOT because it can't be readily removed from the gun.

It isn't removable. It isn't even attached to the end of the barrel. It literally is the barrel of the airgun.

 

[PTK]

The BATFE has not yet found any sound reducing device for a modern projectile weapon anything but a silencer.

Anything any of you do, be ready to face serious consequences if caught with an illegal silencer.

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

Anything any of you do, be ready to face serious consequences if caught with an illegal silencer.

Aren't charges & fines for selling "illegal silencers" equally stiff.

I originally saw this model in 2006. It has been discussed online since early 2007. Gamo isn't even hiding it. Not only does their website mention it but every store website mentions it also. The physical box mentions it. The air rifle is sold at some of the largest chains in the US. Don't you think by now BATFE would have raided Gamo fined them thousands of dollars per violation (easily could be hundreds of millions by now), arrested CEO and other officers, shut down the company? Not only that gone after the distributors, and the retail locations for illegal trafficking in uncontrolled class III items? If Gamo, Wallmart, Midway USA, Sportman's Guide, and litterally hundreds of other stores don't think it is a liability I think it is safe to say it isn't illegal. Often stores will drop products even on the chance it could cause liability issues. If the lawyers thought there was even the slightest risk of a raid by BATFE they simply wouldn't sell it.

For someone in the BATFE looking for a promotion wouldn't "stopping the sales of thousands of silencers from falling into the hands of terrorists" be a nice bullet on their resume?

Strangely it hasn't happened.
Gamo is still open for business. Hundreds of stores are selling the air rifle.
Likely tens of thousands have been bought ever year for last 2 years.

Sometimes the sky isn't falling.

 

[jackstinson]

Gamo isn't even hiding it. Don't you think by now BATFE would have raided Gamo fined them thousands of dollars per violation

Heck, this is old news. GAMO is a very late-comer to the scene of air guns with silencers. The PCP (Pre-Charged Pneumatic) guns have been sold with silencers for years. Look into Career, Sumatra, Talon, Logun, etc and see the huge variety of air rifles available with integral and detachable silencers. A quick trip to Pyramyd Air's rifle section should suffice for a perspective: http://www.pyramydair.com
All can be purchased online and shipped in the mail or UPS (except a couple of states). Many of these guns develop 30+ fpe and when suppressed properly, all you hear is the valve pin click as you pull the trigger.
BTW- Most springer guns like GAMO sells don't make much of a sound at all once they are properly broken-in. Most of the noise you hear originally is over-lubrication dieseling upon compression. Once broken-in, a springer makes sort of a soft "sproing" sound. PCP's bark loudly though, unless suppressed.
I shot suppressed PCP guns a lot until I realized Super Colibri's and CB's would give me similar low/no noise with far less expensive and more versatile guns. My last PCP rig set me back over $1000....just to shoot .22 pellets out to 35 yards.
Jack

 

[jason10mm]

Out of curiosity, can folks safely hunt deer and bobcats with a Gamo? In their commercial they show a lot of game taking that seems to be pretty incredible from an air rifle. Maybe I'm ignorant on this level of air rifle. I take it a gamo is a bit too much for backyard plinking in a suburb?