Gun silencer sales in the United Sates are exploding as firearms owners are looking to accessorize.
Silencer sales to civilians shot up 37% in 2013 to nearly 500,000 units, increasing from 360,000 in 2012 and 285,000 in 2011, CNNMoney reports. There’s now a nine-month wait to register silencers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The silencer buying frenzy is the second wave of gun-related purchases in the last two years. After the Newtown massacre, gun owners feared that a weapons ban would be enacted and rushed to buy assault rifles. Now that last year’s push for universal background checks has failed, gun owners have a lot of guns on their hands, and are outfitting them with gadgets including silencers, flashlights, laser scopes, stocks, pistol grips and rail systems.
“People have gone crazy buying guns, but they’re done buying them for the time being, so they’re buying accessories,” Ben Shim, a firearms instructor and gun industry analyst with CRT Capital Group told CNNMoney.
Okay so if the rationale for owning a firearm is for protection of home and family, what is the rational for owning a silencer?
Even if you are one of those sovereign citizens types who believe that any minute the Feds might break down your door to take your guns, and make you pay taxes like any other reasonable person, why would wanting to fire back at them silently make any sense?
It wouldn't.
This is an accessory that is only required if you want to kill without being detected.
And the fact that these are being purchased at this rate, should alarm everybody.
You've watched too many movies. Modern suppressors are good but there still is a fair amount of noise from the explosion of the primer, expulsion of subsonic gasses, mechanical movement of the action, etc They certainly wouldn't allow you to "kill without being detected" if other people were anywhere near. What they "suppress" is the supersonic "crack" of the gasses leaving the muzzle. Suppressors have a useful purpose - they allow you to target shoot without wearing hearing protection and they allow you to shoot without making a ton of scary noise and bothering or alarming everybody for a mile around you.
ReplyDeleteIf you want registration, background checks and licensing - then for suppressors, you have it. No one can buy one without a full NFA check which requires fingerprints, sign-off by local law enforcement, payment of a $200 transfer fee, and possession of their NFA stamp (or a copy) when they possess the suppressor.
Ahh, I was waiting for this explanation to surface.
DeleteHowever I don't think it adequately explains this rash of silencer purchases.
We know that the main reason that there was such a spike in gun sales since Obama's election was because the NRA and other pro-gun entities actively promoted the idea that he would usher in new gun laws.
The groups that were targeted by this propaganda were the sovereign citizens, 2nd Amendment activists, and militia types.
These were not first time gun owners, and in fact often have an arsenal of weaponry at their disposal, as well as an abiding fear they will have to defend those guns from the Federal government.
So if you are arguing that these individuals are willing to pay up to $1000 a pop, possibly for more than one firearm, to suppress the "crack" of their muzzles, when they could get a fine set of ear muffs for $50 or less, which could accomplish the same task, then I think that is lacking some credibility.
I should also mention that it was the attempt to purchase silencers for his guns that caught the FBI's attention in the Schaeffer Cox case here in Alaska.
We all know what HE intended to do with them.
No - I'm arguing that they aren't buying NFA suppressors to sneak up on people and shoot them.
DeleteThe recent uptick is panic buying just like they panic bought guns. You're right that good hearing protection can be found for around $100. The $50 ones aren't nearly as comfortable if you wear them for more than a few minutes. But it is pretty neat to be able to actually hear clearly while shooting and not have your ears ring. It's also nice to be able to shoot small game in the fall without spooking every moose in the valley away.
As for Cox, the article is talking about NFA purchases not illegal purchases. Cox was a criminal trying to buy on the black market. He would never have qualified for an NFA transfer because of his DV and pending weapons charge. They actually discussed buying NFA in one of the recorded conversations that was played at trial and ridiculed the dealer because he was a "Fed" I still don't know if Cox could have successfully picked his nose but he certainly had the intent to do damage to many people he considered enemies.
Most of the people who are into NFA weapons and accessories are not militia or other fringe types. Those people don't have the money, have complications in their lives (like not paying taxes for a couple decades) or don't want to end up on any government "list"/ They are wealthy men and women (a huge percentage of them seem to be doctors and dentists) who can afford rare expensive weapons and the ammunition that they consume at alarming rates.
NFA isn't gun porn but it is the gun equivalent of a Rolex or corvette. A $50 timex keeps better time and a Toyota will be way more reliable to drive. A short barreled rifle or shotgun or a select fire or suppressor gets noticed by other gun owners. They pull it out at the range and everyone goes "ohhhhhhhh." Then the owner, self-assured that he has the largest penis at the range, can shoot.
Suppressors will be used against the Oppressed.
Delete9:27-10:15 Hear Hear!
DeleteSomeone who actually knows what they are talking about on the IM boards re guns!
Conservatives Plot To Overthrow Obama and Democrats and Appoint a Permanent GOP Majority
ReplyDelete...Phase two requires one million or more patriots to stay in D.C. to see Obama, Biden, Reid, Pelosi, McConnell, Boehner, and Attorney General Holder removed from office, and replace Boehner by the senior Republican in the House as Speaker. In Phase three, these unswerving Constitutional loyalists will end Constitutional elections and task the House with electing a Republican president and vice president, and to deal with Democrats forcibly removed from office, “a tribunal comprised of Allen West, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Jim DeMint, Rand Paul, Scott Walker, Paul Sessions, and Darrell Issa will assume authority to recommend charges against ousted Democrats and government employees.” In a suspension of the judiciary, they will all be tried and convicted by “the new attorney general appointed by the new president” elected by the Republican House.
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/04/24/conservatives-plot-overthrow-obama-democrats-appoint-permanent-gop-majority.html
Babygate related?
ReplyDeleteWhen did Track return to Alaska after his 08 graduation that Sarah and Todd attended?
I came across a website with a nice pic including Trig. Track is holding him, smiling proud, with Piper beaming his side, wearing what looks like a city sports uniform.
You can only see half Trig's head, but his hair is that dark newborn hair like at the baby shower.
???????
DeleteWe have some very f-cked up people in the United States of America. They are not going to be happy until citizens are killing each other across the nation! I cannot imagine having to be the POTUS and govern these idiots!
ReplyDelete9:33 If they try this (which I sincerely doubt they will!) there will be a mass killing....as an example...there are many of us that respect and honor our POTUS and VP Joe Biden. People will not stand by and let the above occur.
ReplyDeleteThe Republican party is detested across the nation.
Gryphen, you crack me up, except I think you are serious. The only thing that should concern you is if suddenly there was a corresponding uptick in the number of people being shot with silencer equipped firearms. And it's not happening. Just like it's not happening that most people killed by guns are being killed by those big scary "assault rifles". Rifles in general and "assault rifles" specifically kill a very small percentage of the people who die from gunshots. But they are what have your panties in a knot.
ReplyDelete"And it's not happening."
DeleteJust because something has not happened does not mean it never will. Action is preceded by possibility and so, your argument falls flat on its face.
Yes, now we need to legislate for every possibility under the sun and in your imagination.
DeleteAnd my argument doesn't have a face so falling on it isn't a possibility.
10:53 AM You are an insecure person. You gun nuts always have your panties in a wad and cower in fear whenever you have to store your guns.
DeleteGiven the numbers, one would think that if there was a problem with particular rifles, we would see it by now. Depending on your politics or knowledge base they may look scary. The suppressed SBR in the picture above looks a little scary. But despite their looks, they really aren't very good at killing the bulk of the people who die from guns - suicide victims.The geometry of arm to head distance just works better with handguns.
DeleteAnd 11:49 - I'm perfectly happy to keep all my guns in a safe. I just don't believe that I "have" to.
12:35 PM Obviously you don't fly on commercial jets, you would panic without your penis extender. You gun nuts feel inadequate without a weapon.
Delete10:53
DeleteExcellent post. All the Immoral Minority gun control enthusiasts want to have control over everyone else for things they have zero knowledge of.
2:11PM
DeleteExtra time on your hands since the slowdown in SarahPAC donations, Fat Boy? Don't you have any other siblings or nieces to occupy your time since Sister Sarah® quit giving you those free feels and tuggies?
Support the NRA and the 2nd Amendment
ReplyDeleteStand your ground
With or without a silencer
Mano a mano, wimp. We don't need penis extenders.
DeleteOh, goody, NRA TROLLS
ReplyDeleteYou need a silencer on your gun so the deer don't hear you when you shoot into the herd. Duh
ReplyDeleteYeah, all those REAL commandos ( the ones driving the piece of shit Ford F150s with lift kits, chrome all over, and rebel flag decal) need them some silencers because... because... Obama. Benghazi!!!!
DeleteDon't be messin' with my cows. Y'all go find yer own that'll back up to the stump in the pasture when they see ya headin' that way... Oh Beefy!
You seem to know an awful lot about beastiality. You seem to have personal experience. Which is fine I don't judge people by the characteristics unlike liberals and Democrats do to firearm owners. They do that almost as well as they try and infringe upon other Americans Constitutional rights based on the outward appearance of a firearms or what movies and comic books portray. It would also be advisable to know what you are trying to ban as to not sound like a complete fool! Ask yourself a question: how would you feel if some group or political party was attempting to take away or merely restrict your right to free speech? Or your right to not self incriminate? What are the answers to your questions? So please do yourself a favor and research before you speak on subject you know nothing about so next time you don't have to post an immature post because you just want to ban them because they are scary!
Deletetsk, tsk, tsk.... all those guns and their dicks still don't work.
ReplyDeleteOvercompensation?
ReplyDelete