In case you guys missed this, there is a new effort to help loosen restrictions on firearm suppressors and it’s called the SHUSH Act.
The Silencers Helping Us Save Hearing, or SHUSH, Act has two versions – House Bill H.R. 3139 and Senate bill S.1505. Both versions the legislation are aimed at reclassifying suppressors so they are treated as firearm accessories.
Currently, suppressors are heavily restricted under the National Firearms Act of 1934. The NFA classifies suppressors the same way it does machine guns and requires buyers to go through a lengthy registration process and pay a fee of $200.
Suppressors are also regulated by the Gun Control Act of 1968, which treats them as regular firearms and requires retail purchasers to go through a background check.
In the past, suppressors were the tools of movie assassins and secret agents. Now their popularity continues to grow among recreational shooters as well as hunters.
Unfortunately, there is not much information yet on the either version of the SHUSH Act except that both versions were introduced June 29. There’s not even a summary available.
The SHUSH Act should not be confused with the Hearing Protection Act, which was introduced Jan. 9 in the House as H.R. 367 and the Senate as S. 59.
The HPA keeps all regulations under the Gun Control Act -- which treats suppressors as ordinary firearms – but it removes suppressors from the National Firearms Act. If passed, buyers would not have to pay the $200 fee.
Kitup is going to try to provide updates on both of these efforts as soon as we hear of any action taken on Capitol Hill, so stay tuned.
