• TranscendentalEmpireEnglish
    33·
    18 hours ago

    the decibels a bit for hearing protection reasons

    I mean, I’ve heard that from groups trying to pass laws to get rid of the tax stamp, but in all honesty everyone I’ve known who has a suppressor only has one because they think they are cool.

    I mean you still have to wear hearing protection with them, especially if you’re at a range where the vast majority of people aren’t using a suppressor.

    • frezik@midwest.socialEnglish
      1·
      1 hour ago

      Right now, the market for them is distorted by the tax stamp. Only a few people bother with the paperwork and fee (even though it’s been highly streamlined in recent years). That means companies producing them have to make up their costs with high prices rather than volume. It’s almost a stealth tax on top of the stated tax.

      That results in only a few well off people getting them. This has little overlap with skill or appreciation for the hobby.

      Drop them from the NFA, and now everyone with a 3D printer can just run one off. Even in traditional manufacturing, you have a much larger customer base, and the company can sell on volume rather than high prices.

      • TranscendentalEmpireEnglish
        1·
        26 minutes ago

        Right now, the market for them is distorted by the tax stamp. Only a few people bother with the paperwork and fee (even though it’s been highly streamlined in recent years). That means companies producing them have to make up their costs with high prices rather than volume. It’s almost a stealth tax on top of the stated tax.

        Oh I agree, I’m not saying that the system we have is great. I just don’t think the majority of people are buying suppressors because of the added hearing protection.

        Personally I just don’t see the point of suppressors. Maybe if I had a bunch of land or something and got to shoot by myself all the time. But me having a suppressor isn’t going to help much if the guy in the lane next to me is shooting with a muzzle brake.

        The cost of subsonic ammo alone is enough that I wouldn’t run a suppressor even if they were cheaper.

        • frezik@midwest.socialEnglish
          1·
          18 minutes ago

          If I had a suppressor on my AR-15, I’d still be using hearing protection. I really should be doubling up on ear plugs and muffs together, but I tend to have a lot of earwax buildup, and properly inserted ear plugs tend to compact that problem.

          Subsonic 5.56NATO is a joke.