The anti-gun rights world is suddenly all about banning suppressors, or “silencers” as they like to call them. The once nearly non-issue firearm accessory is now front and center in the anti-gun/rights/Second Amendment community. Is it the huge problem they claim it is? Of course not, but that doesn’t stop them. Remember, the sickening mantra of the gun control extremist, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”.
As everyone is undoubtedly aware, the incident that brought this to the forefront of the extremist attention was the cold-blooded murder of a healthcare CEO at the hands of an entitled and disturbed individual.
From the videos taken at the scene, it appears the shooter was waiting for the victim to arrive, approached him from behind and opened fire. BUT… it appeared he used a suppressed pistol for this assassination. Enter the wild speculation and moronic reporting from the news media.
While the manhunt was underway, everyone from the celebrity gun pundits, retired FBI to Navy SEALS got in on evaluating the shooter’s weapon, stance and tactics. The weapon used was identified as everything from a $6,000 VP9 “Veterinary Pistol”, a $2,500 Station SIX-9, or an actual World War II-era Welrod pistol they were both based on. Of course, all of these are NFA (National Firearms Act) firearms. Good luck finding an actual original Welrod which can go for upwards of $35K. So, OBVIOUSLY a professional hit!
Back in the real world, the suspect was apprehended with the weapon still on his person. Hint: Not a professional. The law enforcement reporting now says it is either a 3D printed gun or an 80% kit, the same for the suppressor. My bet when this all flushes out in court is an 80% kit and so-called “solvent trap” suppressor.
So why the confusion about the weapon and tactics? Most likely it was from the amateur who didn’t put a piston on his suppressor and had to manually rack the slide. Not knowing what he was doing, it resulted in the empty casings and a live round being ejected.
Was the suppressor necessary to accomplish the job and get away? Hardly. Considering it was done in front of several witnesses and on video, on a busy early morning Manhattan Street, it’s likely he could have used a “loudener” (yes, it’s a real thing) and not drawn any more attention to himself.
What is the reality of suppressors?
Suppressors do not silence a gunshot, they merely reduce the amount of recoil, muzzle flash and sound produced. How much varies by the design, caliber, type of firearm and ammunition. It is NOT silent. Sadly, Hollywood is to blame for our perception of suppressors as “silencers”. In the movies, a bad guy (it’s usually a bad guy because only bad guys use “silencers”) can snap a tiny two inch “silencer” on a revolver and the only sound you hear is a little pfft.
Suppressors are legal in 42 states and hunting with a suppressor is legal in 41. As of June 2024, there are more than 4.8 million legally owned suppressors in the United States. Only eight states and the District of Columbia outright ban suppressors. It should go without saying, but those eight nanny states of gun control are California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
Suppressors are subject to the NFA along with items such as fully automatic firearms (machine guns), short barrel rifles and shotguns. NFA firearms require submission of fingerprints and a photo for the background check as well as a $200/item tax stamp.
NFA approvals have always been an issue and a hinderance to ownership. Up until recently, the wait time for approval on a suppressor was one to two years. Within the past couple of years, it has been steadily dropping from years, to months, to weeks, to days. This has dramatically increased demand as buyers no longer have to pay for the suppressor and tax stamp then wait two years to take possession. The anti-gun extremists call this a “troubling surge in silencer sales”.
Back to this case. Let’s ignore the fact that murder is already illegal in New York City, but also illegal is possessing a firearm without a license, a firearm without a serial number, a self-manufactured firearm, firearm suppressors, carrying a concealed firearm without a concealed carry license and carrying a firearm in a “sensitive location”.
Since the perpetrator used a self-manufactured firearm and suppressor, how exactly would a nationwide ban on suppressors have stopped this crime? The answer is it wouldn’t, and no gun control laws ever would.
What does the future hold for suppressors?
Up until this incident and the extremist kneejerk, emotional response to ban legal suppressors due to an illegal one being used, I would have said the future looks good. A number of visibility bills have been introduced over the years which would remove suppressors from the NFA and have them sold as simple firearms without a $200/item tax stamp. The latest version of the SHUSH (Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing Act) would have had a chance with the incoming administration.
I would even go a step further and say remove the classification as a firearm. There is nothing about them that is a firearm. Suppressors can’t load, hold or expend a projectile. They are at best, a firearm accessory. I say remove the firearm classification and licensing restrictions and let them be sold over the counter.
You might think that a bit extreme, but suppressors are regulated wildly different around the world. Some countries outlaw them completely, others license and restrict them, some treat them as accessories with no limitations whatsoever. They are rarely used in crimes in this or any country.
Just so you know, chances are very good your local law enforcement agency utilizes suppressors and justified the purchase with the same arguments laid out in the bills to remove them from the NFA, hearing protection, reduction of recoil and muzzle blast. But when it comes to a non-government person wanting to use something to protect their hearing, well, you must want to do something illegal!
Hopefully our incoming Congress and Administration will see past this latest attempt to outlaw legal use based on illegal use, ignore the reactionists calls to outlaw suppressors and approve removing suppressors out of the NFA.
Bob
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