If they’re $20 other places, why do they cost $500-$1200 here even before I pay the tax stamp? Grrr.
Because government intrusion has distorted the market.
Because of the absurd Federal regulations placed on the manufacturers: Special licenses, an absurd amount of record keeping,serial numbers for each suppressor etc.
Because of the regulation and taxes, American silencers have become the best in the world. They will last nearly forever, because no one is going to go through the trouble to get a silencer that only lasts a year or two.
Also, a silencer that works for a .223 will also work for a .22 LR, but not the other way around.
Another problem is that silencers are produced in small numbers because of the regs. If produced in mass quantities, economies of scale kick in.
As an Economist, that's an easy question to answer. It's the law of supply and demand. The sellers of the suppressors have to be specially licensed by the Federal Government to sell them as do the manufacturers and importers. They have to keep impeccable records of the suppressors they manufacture, import, and sell, as well as records of who they sell the suppressors to. The numbers of such suppressors they can sell is extremely limited so the demand is very small. . . resulting in the suppressors that are made are usually hand made, rather than being assembly line in large number. Since they will be ordered single lot to order, they will be made one at a time by a skilled craftsman. . . and not made in large lots. All of this means higher costs and therefore higher prices.