Your Suppressor Might Get $200 Cheaper Soon

A bill titled the Hearing Protection Act, introduced recently by Rep Matt Salmon (R Arizona) seeks to remove the $200 tax stamp requirement for suppressor purchases.

Chris Cox, the executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, stated “Suppressors significantly reduce the chance of hearing loss for anyone who enjoys the shooting sports.” This is the opinion of the NRA and the American Suppressor Association as well.

The ASA wrote “Despite common Hollywood-based misconceptions, the laws of physics dictate that no suppressor will ever be able to render gunfire silent. Suppressors are simply mufflers for firearms. In addition to hearing protection, suppressors also mitigate noise complaints from those who live near shooting ranges and hunting lands.”

Currently, suppressors are are a NFA regulated item that requires additional paperwork and a $200 tax stamp to process into your name. Additionally, if you do not have a trust set up, the whole process can take between six to eight months.

This bill would aim to deregulate suppressors and treat them simply like firearms, requiring a NICS check and no tax stamp.

A large group of elected officials and activists that are against the bill think that suppressors make firearms so quite that people will be assassinating individuals in public because they are so quite.

Realistically, suppressors, similar to just about anything Hollywood makes, does not reduce the noise of a firearm to the simple click and slide of the action. Suppressors are designed to reduce the decibels to an “acceptable” level. Most suppressors bring the level down from that similar to a “jet engine taking off” to a “vaccum cleaner” level. Below is a video of a Glock 36 suppressed. You can still obviously hear the crack and reverberation of the sound.

Additionally, any taxes paid after October 22, 2015, would be refunded.

Make sure to email or call your lawmakers to voice your opnion!