Silencers are gaining acceptance and support in the shooting industry. Although novel in the USA, silencers are common, even mandatory, in some countries. If you’ve ever seen the British Royalty hunting, you will notice that a silencing device is attached to each firearm. Actually, these muzzle adaptations don’t totally “silence” the discharge, yet greatly reduce the potential for hearing damage. Silcencers are legal in many states, yet a person must pay a $200 fee and wait months for a permit. Recently, an organized effort came to fruition to make the purchase of a silencing device similar to that of buying a firearm.
![silencers-rifles-AP[1]](http://griffinsguide.comwp-content/uploads/2015/10/silencers-rifles-AP1.jpg)
On October 22, the Hearing Protection Act was introduced. This piece of legislation is aimed at removing silencers from the NFA and instead having their transfer go through a traditional ATF Form 4473 – the same way you would purchase a rifle. What does this mean for the general public? No $200 tax stamp. No excessive wait times. No fingerprint cards, passport photos, or Chief Law Enforcement Officer signature. No NFA trusts. A simple process, just like when you purchase most firearms through a dealer.
Citizens should not be taxed for trying to protect their hearing while exercising their Second Amendment rights. The Hearing Protection Act also includes a provision for all people who purchase a silencer between the time the bill is introduced until the day it passes – should you purchase a silencer during that time, you will receive a $200 tax credit to cover the cost of any new silencer tax stamps you pay for… [continued]
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Photo: The Guns and Gear Store
