According to August figures from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Firearms Act (NFA) division, last month saw a significant uptick in suppressor applications.
In August, the NFA division registered 60,942 Form 4 applications. This figure is 11% higher than the 54,988 Form 4 applications the ATF received in July. In August 2023, the NFA division received 36,246 Form 4 applications. On a year-to-year basis, the NFA division recorded 68% more applications than in August 2023.
Suppressors, or silencers, are non-lethal firearm accessories that hunters, marksmen, and sportsmen use to make their shooting experience safer by lowering the muzzle blast, noise, and recoil of the firearms they’re shooting. Contrary to Hollywood depictions, silencers don’t completely silence firearms. The last few decades have witnessed a rollback of several gun control measures at the state level, such as concealed and open carry restrictions. The same pro-gun momentum has been moving in the federal direction in recent years.
Several elected officials such as Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) have introduced legislation such as the Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing (SHUSH) Act to scrap the stringent regulation of suppressors. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) introduced a companion bill in the House.
In a press statement, Lee highlighted the amount of red tape lawful gun owners must go through just to acquire a silencer:
“Currently, citizens who wish to buy silencers must petition the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) through a tedious process that requires completing two copies of ATF Form 4, filling out TF Form 5330.20, obtaining a certification from a local chief law enforcement officer, obtaining two copies of finger prints, obtaining two passport photos, and mailing all of these items plus a $200 check to the ATF. After doing so, the approval process can take another 9-12 months. These requirements make the purchase of a non-lethal firearm accessory onerous and prohibitively costly.”
In effect, the SHUSH Act would have eliminated onerous fees, registration requirements, and taxes. No-Compromise Second Amendment organizations such as Gun Owners of America and the National Association for Gun Rights have endorsed the SHUSH Act and similar legislation.
Despite the gun control regulations in place, American gun owners are not fazed in the slightest. The desire to arm themselves remains strong. It’s a well-rooted aspect of American politics that grinds the gears of gun control proponents. With respect to silencers, gun owners are going the extra mile to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
As long as this relentless pro-gun spirit exists, the restoration of the Second Amendment is still in the cards. It then just becomes a matter of getting the right people in office to ensure that gun control is rolled back and gun rights are reaffirmed.
