Silencers/suppressors

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Grassman

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What's the legality on silencers? Do you have to pay a tax stamp, or are they illegal? I really think they would be great for varmint hunting, for obvious reasons. I have a Remington 700 in 22-250 that I would like to suppress. Or should I just shove a potato on the end of my barrel?:confused:
 
Go here

This web site has tons of info. http://www.silencertalk.com/forum/

Legality depends upon your state laws. Federal law allows ownership of a suppressor after completing BATF paperwork and paying the $200 tax.

While a potato may quiet a gun (concern about it being a bore obstruction) your accuracy will be zilch.
 
In a nut shell, yes, they are legal. IF YOUR STATE ALLOWS THEM. Find what you want, find a title II dealer to transfer it to, You'll have to pay for it up front and then the delaer will hold it while your Form 4 goes through all the background checks. Oh, and don't forget the $200 tax you have to pay in addition to paying fror the silencer.
Form 4 requires two finger print cards, two passport photos, CLEO sign off and a longggggggg waittttttt.......
 
What a beating of a process.........Again the law abiding citizen pays the price.........
 
Too bad they are "basically" illeagal, though I realize not technically illegal. They are pretty neat. I was using one on a .22-250 in Namibia, where legality is not an issue. Hot loads sounded like a .22 LR and accuracy was not effected. The point of impact changed, but not the accuracy, i.e. you had to sight in differently with it on or off.
 
I was really just kidding about the potato.....
Click to expand...

Yeah I know, even though it doesn't work still looks cool in movies. :D

Oh and IBTGATC, (In before the get a trust crowd).

Also I am guessing you will need to get or have the barrel of the 700 threaded, should it be legal for you to obtain the can.
 
Texas Statute said:
It is unlawful to possess, manufacture, transport, repair or sell a machine gun, explosive weapon, short-barreled firearm,
or silencer. Federal registration of such an item under the
National Firearms Act is a defense to this prohibition.
Click to expand...

I pulled this off the NRA website. Initially , to me, it seems they are illegal in Texas, but that last sentance throws me off. One sentance says its illegal, then the next says its legal as long as you abide by NFA rules and regulations.

If they are legal, you need $200 for a tax stamp and expect to pay $400-$700 for a silencer and wait 6 months to a year to recieve it. Then its a whole other issue if you can have your rifle threaded and whether the supressor has to be permanately attached.

A possible cheaper alternative might be to buy a rifle that is already suppressed at a liscensed dealer. You can get all your paper work done there and wont have to pay the gunsmith to thread your barrel or possibly have to register the rifle you already own, along with another tax stamp for having it threaded. We have a couple shops where the sell firearms that are already suppressed.
 
I bought a SWR Trident 9 for my 9mm's, it's sitting at my class 3 dealer's until i get my permission slip from the BATFE. I can't wait until I get it, I'm gonna run it on my 9mm SBR AR (5.5in 3 lug TROS barrel) and my glock 19 for now. I think you will get the best results from shooting sub sonic ammo through the things as the crack from the sonic boom creates the most noise. I'm going to load up some 147's (9mm) for mine going about 950-1000fps.
 
I pulled this off the NRA website. Initially , to me, it seems they are illegal in Texas, but that last sentance throws me off. One sentance says its illegal, then the next says its legal as long as you abide by NFA rules and regulations.
Click to expand...

I had no problem buying my integrally-suppressed Ruger MkII in Texas. I was told by the local NFA dealer that the Austin Chief of Police wouldn't sign off, but the Travis County sheriff would, and had no trouble from him.

I got a couple more NFA items waiting at my dealer, and am forming a trust to do those, just so that I can share them with family in the future more easily.

Too bad they are "basically" illeagal, though I realize not technically illegal.
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Getting a suppressor in most U.S. states isn't much harder than buying a handgun is in stricter U.S. states. There's a minor paperwork hassle and a few months' wait, and the $200 expense is annoying, but it's certainly quite doable.


It was definitely worth it for me, as the .22LR can is a lot of fun. Plus it's great to be able to introduce other people to the wonder of suppression.
 
One of the advantges of being in Europe. Silencers are legal, easy to get, and relatively cheap. I have one for my .22, and had one for the .260.
While they do reduce the sound and recoil dramatically, they do not suppress the bullet going supersonic.
 
Apply as a LLC

One of the common problems to getting a NFA item is the background check delays and then getting the chief law enforcement officer to sign off on it. An alternative is to form a LLC and then apply as a corporation. BATF can't do a background check on a LLC and no requirement for local law enforcement to sign off. There is an additional cost for the LLC ($100 here in Idaho) but then anyone who is listed on the LLC can have possession of NFA item.

My son did this when he was getting his suppressor and has my name on the LLC. So I can legally take it out and use it. I have plans to apply for a Form 1 to build a suppressor and will use the LLC so he too can use it.
 
One sentance says its illegal, then the next says its legal as long as you abide by NFA rules and regulations.
Click to expand...

Basically they are legal if you fill out the proper federal paperwork. I asked a lawyer about this several years ago and was told that there are often laws written in this manner so that local LEOs have authority to arrest you for violating a state law if you didn't fill out the federal paperwork. He said they would usually just call the feds to deal with the prosecution, but it made the arrest paperwork easier if they could say "State Trooper Smith arrested Mr. Jones for violating state law section xxx."

Grassman, it seems like a ton of work, but really it is just filling out paperwork, waiting, and paying the $200 tax. I'll warn you though, most people that own one end up owning more than one, and it can get pricey. As someone mentioned, be sure to factor in the cost of things like barrel threading and such.
 
Moosehunt, why would you say "Too bad they are "basically" illeagal,"? Just because a person has to obtain government authorization and pay a tax does not make them anywhere near illegal. You wouldn't tell that to a person who is driving their car on a public road would you? Government permission and a tax are also required for driving the car there.

I'm sure you have never heard of anyone being denied authorization to make or buy a silencer as long as they filled out the paperwork properly.

Ranb
 
The only person who asked to see my form 1's was the range officer at the range I was using them at. I did not have to show them, but as the facility was privately owned, I had to show them if I wanted to use them there.

Ranb
 
Jeez, let's get picky! If you don't have a special permit they are illegal. Yes, the permit can be attained. I maintain, they are basically illegal, but not technically, because one can attain a special permit. The intent of the law was to make them illegal for the average guy, because when the law was made, $200 was a lot of money few would part with. I have nothing against them, in fact I think they are pretty cool, as mentioned above. Not cool enough for me to spend $200 on, not mention cost of the suppressor, but each to his own.
 
I prefer to be picky, especially when it seems to me that a person like yourself seems to be promoting the idea that the federal government bans some guns. There are no federal laws banning any small arm. Post a link if you know of one. The feds also do not require any license or permit for a person to make or own any kind of firearm except machine guns made after May 1986. The tax stamp is not a license or permit, it is merely proof the tax was paid and the firearm registered. The only people that get a license from the ATF are those who import, manufacture or deal in firearms as a business. Those who merely want to buy, sell, own, or make them do not need a license or permit.

That you say otherwise does not help gun owners at all. While the backers of the NFA of 1934 may have wanted guns banned, they did not succeed. They only made them more difficult and expensive to own. They do not need gun owners to help them any more than we already do.

A $200 tax plus the cost of making one ($20-$100) is not too much to own a silencer. I spend much more on ammo for any of my guns than the cost of a silencer.

So what did you mean by "can be obtained"? Those tax stamps or permits as you call them are a routine matter and always issued by the ATF unless the paperwork is not filled out correctly. If you think I am being too preachy, is it because you are not promoting (in this case) gun ownership on a gun website. Let the VPC and Brady bunch do that, we do not need to do it to each other. Sometimes I think we are our own worst enemy.

Ranb
 
Well, since we want to get all touchy about who supports gun owners and defend our crooked government, please consider that things like silencers, "black" rifles, and concealled carry have done more to degrade gun owner support than anything in recent years. I have absolutely nothing against any of them, BUT, in the non-gun owner group, which unfortunately is a big majority of the populace, they are PERCIEVED in a very negative light, hence having a very negative effect on our future right to pocess firearms. That right will soon be gone with the forthcoming communist regime that takes office in a little over 3 weeks. For clarity, while I personally have no interest in silencers, concealled carry, black rifles, or full auto firearms, I am very OPPOSED to ownership/use restrictions on any of them (except for felons, mentally unsound, etc). So, please don't accuse me of supporting the enemy. To me, when it is said that something is illegal unless you attain a special permit, it has been basically stated that said entity is illegal. That is my angle, and if you don't see it that way, so be it.
 
Too bad they are "basically" illeagal
Click to expand...

Never have been since invention to now. They're easy to get, relatively inexpensive, and USEFUL.

Here's a quick comparison of 30-06 silenced vs. unsilenced, and .45 silenced vs. unsilenced...

45acp

30-06
 
It is people like you who refuse to do the slightest bit to educate themselves on gun law and are willing to spread this ignorance by calling perfectly legal firearms “basically illegal”; that are degrading gun owner support. Is a person more likely or less likely to support the right to own a certain firearm if they believe you when you claim they are illegal?

You have done absolutely nothing in this thread to support the right to keep and bear arms. If you want to change how silencers are perceived, then you are not going to get anywhere on this thread by claiming they are illegal. What have you ever done to get non-gun owners to support the RKBA’s? I hope you are doing a lot better than you are convincing silencer owners that their silencers are legal to own.

So what is this special permit you keep talking about? When are you going to get a clue? You sound just like one of those Zumbo supporters that think AR-15’s are terrorist weapons and should be banned.

Ranb
 
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