If you live in a small town like I do, many things remain taboo. Unfortunately, this spills over to the firearm sales industry, specifically in regards to a silencer / suppressor / can.
You’ve probably watched many action movies where the bad guys are on a mission to kill using suppressed handguns. Ever notice how it’s rarely the good guys? This tends to portray a notion that you have to be a clandestine and shady member of the Russian Mob just to use or own a suppressor. Bogus!
Nearly 28,000 civilians legally purchase a silencer every year in the United States. Surely they all don’t go to members of organized crime! It’s amazing how many people think that suppressors/silencers are illegal. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that there is a large parity between hunting and tactical applications in my neck of the woods. Many local folks who own guns to primarily hunt with don’t realize that having a suppressed weapon can provide significant benefits in the woods. Hearing damage is minimized, accuracy is improved, and recoil is minimized for improvement of second-shot recovery. In some states, it’s legal to hunt with silencers, so check there first!
If your thing is home protection, think about how much silencers could lessen the amount of recoil during an attack. Not only would you completely minimize the amount of sound from the shot, but also you’d be able to get your second shot off more accurately. Granted, a silenced handgun is not easy to conceal carry. However, a silenced weapon in your home could be a huge added benefit to your home arsenal.
Owning a silencer / suppressor requires some paperwork and a $200 tax fee per silencer. Your local Class III dealer can help walk you through the process. When I say process, it’s definitely a process. It could take anywhere from one to five months for the paperwork to approved by the BATFE. Locally, one of the hurdles we face here is an unwilling Sheriff. Unwilling? Yes. He refuses to sign any of the paperwork regarding Class III weapons, silencers specifically. Suppressors shouldn’t be regulated by elected local officials, in my opinion. Luckily there is a way around such an obstacle. Setting up a trust, LLC, or corporation are all means of sidestepping your Sheriff. These are topics for another time, but just know that it can be done.
Owning a silencer / suppressor is just another (typically legal) way of exercising our Second Amendment rights. Perhaps silencers on the big screen will help to curb all the negative vibe. When you find the perfect silencer, don’t be afraid to pursue the purchase! Befriend a local Class III dealer and enjoy the world of firearm suppressor ownership.
This post was penned by Mike Dean, a guest blogging assistant for Silencerco and SWR Suppressors. Mike loves reviewing the laws surrounding the right to bear arms and informing the public about them. Visit Silencerco.com to download a free brochure on gun silencer ownership.