As usual, politicians tend to lie about everything. I once believed their lies stemmed from ignorance. However, I've come to realize they are simply dishonest individuals.

Firearm suppressors, commonly referred to as silencers, are devices intended to lessen the noise produced by gunfire. The term 'Silencer' was actually a trademark registered with the patent office. They do not “silence” most firearms. They work similar to a car muffler. They reduce the noise, but can not completely quite the firearm. The more powerful the cartridge, the less “quite” the firearm will be. Additionally, there are 3 sources of noise on a firearm operation. The action, the mechanism that fire the round, and on semi-auto, load the next round. The explosion from the cartridge and the “sonic crack”. A secondary explosion caused by the bullet breaking the sound barrier. Suppressors only deals with the primary explosion from the charge contain within the cartridge. The “sonic crack” can be reduce by shooting sub-sonic ammo, rounds that are loaded at lower pressure to avoid break the sound barrier. This further reduce noise when used with a suppressor, but still not completely quite. Also no all cartridges are available in “sub-sonic” loads. And nothing can be done to mitigate the noise cause by the action of the firearm, although typically not extremely loud, it is not quite at all.

However, you often hear politicians (mainly from the Democratic party, but Republicans are no saints) making a different assertion. Naturally, they call for large press conferences and put on a concerned act. Just keep in mind that they are intentionally misleading you. They know the specifics about suppressors and the bill's contents. They simply depend on FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) and presume that you are uninformed and easily manipulated. According to the proposed legislation, removing suppressors from the NFA won't change their classification as a “firearm”. Yes, they are and will still considered “firearms”. Which means they will continue to require their own background checks and comply with all existing regulations for purchasing and owning a firearm. The only changes will be the removal of the tax, which is unconstitutional to impose on a right, the extra registration, also ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the 1968 Haynes v. United States case, and all the paperwork and obstacles that law-abiding citizens must navigate to obtain a hearing protection device. And since the government classifies them as 'firearms', they are protected under the Second Amendment according to their own definition.

What are they lying about:

Make Guns Completely Silence: Suppressors do not render firearms completely silent, despite what movies and TV shows may suggest. Most cartridges will still necessitate additional hearing protection.

Illegal or Primarily for Criminals: Suppressors are not illegal. Currently anyone who can legally buy a firearm is also able to purchase a suppressor. In most jurisdictions, suppressors are legal to own and are primarily utilized for legitimate reasons such as hearing protection, hunting, and shooting sports. They are regulated (taxed) by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934.

Negatively Impact Performance: People will miss more and hit bystanders. No. In fact, suppressors can enhance accuracy by decreasing felt recoil, rather than harm, it aids performance. Also, people do not carry suppressors, it is mostly used for home defense, hunting and shooting sports, as well as recreational shooting.

Only for Stealth: Although they do lower noise levels, their main advantages are hearing protection, improved communication, and less noise pollution. Definitely not stealth. Nobody gonna have a shoot-out in a crowed mall without no one noticing. Sorry John Wick.

Everyone will be able to walk to the store and get a suppressor: Also no, but they already know. Suppressors will still be considered NFA controlled items subject to the same restriction of a firearm.

Realities:

Noise Reduction: Suppressors greatly diminish the sound levels produced when firing, which aids in safeguarding the hearing of the shooter and those in proximity.

Recommended by the government: While they receive approval and endorsement from government bodies, like OSHA, for hunting and shooting sports, while simultaneously being heavily taxed and stigmatized by other agencies, like the ATF.

Reduced Recoil: Suppressors contribute to a more pleasant shooting experience by lessening recoil.

Improved Accuracy: The reduction in recoil can enhance accuracy, particularly in long-range shooting scenarios.

Better Communication: Suppressors facilitate easier communication during shooting, which is advantageous for both training and hunting.

Regulated by the ATF: Currently a $200 tax, along with legal and paperwork costs, is added to the suppressors price. The suppressor is federally registered to the purchaser and cannot be used by anyone else. The buyer must be at least 21 years old and must notify the FBI if they are relocating or intend to use the suppressor in a different state.

Criminals do not register their suppressors: Regulation on suppressors, has zero effect on reducing crime. While suppressors are rarely known to be used in crimes, when the do, there has yet to be a single suppressor legally registered to a known criminal. They tend to be smarter than politicians.

What do you get when you own a suppressor:

• Less strain on your hearing during shooting.
• Reduced recoil (in most cases), leading to improved accuracy, especially at longer distances.
• For hunting, it can assist in concealing your position from the animal.
• Save you some money on unconstitutionally imposed tax. In certain situations, a permanently mounted suppressor (pinned and welded) can render a Short Barrel Rifle (SBR) legal to possess without the need for registration and tax. If the suppressor is non-removable, it is considered part of the barrel and will be included in the overall barrel length. However, you will likely still need to undergo an approval process, but you’ll save $200, plus paperwork. I hope SBRs are removed from the NFA next.

Things to keep in mind:

• Suppressors require periodic cleaning. This can be a challenging task, depending on the model and its construction.
• Most semi-automatic firearms may need adjustments or additional components to function correctly with a suppressor, particularly gas-operated semi-autos.
• A single suppressor can be used on multiple firearms of the same or similar caliber, but there is no universal suppressor that fits all. You might need to buy a few.
• Standardization has improved significantly in recent years, yet some suppressors still utilize proprietary mounting systems or specific threading patterns. This may necessitate the purchase of extra parts or custom modifications to your firearm. Make sure to do your research.
• If the bill passes… you probably won’t be able to find a suppressor in a store for a long time.

Now that you know what a suppressor is and is not, call your senators and tell them to stop whiny and lying about suppressors and remove them from the unconstitutional NFA register.

*Original Chart: Relative Sound Pressure Levels in Decibels (dB) of Firearms by National Gun Trusts July 21, 201.