Saturday, December 04, 2010

More Suppressor Thoughts

Sitting around this morning watching SHAUN OF THE DEAD and dry-firing...I seem to be on a big zombie kick, but the dry-firing helps me stay prepared. I've been doing a little more thinking on the suppressor issue. My commenters are correct in that many jurisdictions where suppressors (and other controlled items) are legal for civilian ownership, it is hard, ne: impossible, to get the necessary law enforcement sign-off.

The ATF paperwork requires fingerprints, passport-type photo and a letter from law enforcement. If your local LEO is antigun, no sign-off. There are some options in that case. The first is a "gun trust." The trust is able to acquire Class 3 stuff without the fingerprints or CLEO sign-off. Ditto for corporations, including Subchapter S corps. Do I need to tell you that you need LEGAL ADVICE before you proceed down any of these pathways?

I also want to be clear that suppressors should be removed the 1934 Firearms Act. They are safety devices, not "tools of assassins" or any of the other crap they've been saddled with by Hollywood and mediocre mystery writers ("silence" that revolver, dude!). To me, the fact that we now issue AR-15/M4 carbines to law enforcement knowing that the officers will suffer permanent hearing damage if they touch that issue carbine off in a closed space...especially when the solution is simple, affordable and readily available.

There's also the issue of access to places to shoot, especially in urban areas...oftentimes the critical issue is noise, and, hey, we know how to fix that (why rub an ranges in France require suppressors).

I realize we have a long way to go, but I think if we decide this is an important issue I think we can make some headway.

5 comments:

Dan said...

Mr Bane- I think you mention in podcast #188 that you were longing for a 3.5" S&W 27. There is one at Green Mountain Guns in Lakewood, CO.


YOS,

Dan

DamDoc said...

I like this suppressor thread.. With permanent ringing in my ears, this is a big deal... I'd like to keep what is left of my hearing... I have been meaning to go that (suppressor) route, but with multipal guns, this is quite an expense and effort at this time,,,, This really is an anacronistic law...

Anonymous said...

Might be worth mentioning another little plus of suppressors:

Unlike most NFA items (MGs, short rifles, short shotguns), you can transport a lawfully registered suppressor across state lines without having to go through the B.S. paperwork of notifying BATFE in advance of your trip.

This is true of both suppressors and AOWs (like the Serbu Super Shorty mini shotgun MB plays with). But suppressors are the far more practical type of item.

Anonymous said...

(added:)
of course you would want to make sure that possession of the suppressor is legal under the laws of your destination state and the states you pass through on your trip.

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