The "Hearing Protection Act" -- Grave Danger? ...or Much Ado About Nothing?

I watch a few gun-nut channels on youtube, and they're all sure now that trump is prez, he's going to pass the "hearing protection act", given that he has a republican controlled house and senate behind him.

...So what is the hearing protection act? A disingenuously named bill if ever there was one, the "hearing protection act" will make buying silencers as easy as buying regular gun supplies. No more jumping through hoops and waiting months and months -- gun enthusiasts will be able to "protect their hearing" at the range, thanks to readily available suppressors.

In a normal country, cops (and everyone else) would be dead set against such a thing. After all, not only hand-guns, but even sniper rifles can be fitted with "suppressors". That puts cops in real danger if they want to keep killing people with impunity like they do.

...But we're in bizarro world now, so soon enough, every dylan roof, micah johnson, kkk, islamic state, etc. etc. might be able to walk into a gun store (or go to a local gun show) and buy a silencer.

...So what do you think of this "Hearing Protection Act"? Good thing? Bad thing? Inconsequential?

On the one hand, it makes taking a nature walk in the wrong part of the country a real adventure...

On the other hand, it's not the silencer that kills you -- it's the bullet, and those are already widely available...

 

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3799

Silencers (or suppressors) are already legal to own in 39 states, if you can buy a gun, you can buy a silencer in those states. This bill is more about making them more affordable by removing an additional tax.

"The bill entitled the "Hearing Protection Act" would remove a $200 tax stamp requirement for gun suppressors, more commonly known as silencers."

Hearing Protection Act of 2015
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) eliminate the $200 transfer tax on firearm silencers, and (2) treat any person who acquires or possesses a firearm silencer as meeting any registration or licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to such silencer. Any person who pays a tax on a silencer after October 22, 2015 may receive a refund of such tax.

 

Oh -- did not know that. According to the two gun channels I visit from time to time, the act (if passed) would save collectors both hundreds in cash and the months it takes to get a tax stamp. I thought the tax stamp rigmarole was nationwide.

Good to know. Gotta wonder why those things aren't more widespread among the gangsters/criminal element then.

 

Could only venture a guess, but silencers don't really work the way that most expect, they do reduce sound to some degree but not as much as you see in movies/tv, so the extra cost is probably not worth it to the criminals.