Josh Waldron, CEO of SilencerCo on the Future of Silencers

Ammoland ^ | 8 June, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Part 1 dealt with legislative efforts. At the NRA annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, I was able to talk to Josh Waldron, CEO of SilencerCo.

(snip)

I talked to people at the SilencerCo booth during the NRA annual meeting in Louisville, KY.  I was told that SilencerCo produces about 65% of the silencers in the United States.  The company is growing so fast that it was hard to keep up with the number of employees, currently about 330 and rising quickly.  There is no doubt that SilencerCo holds a dominant market share and is growing at an exceptionally fast rate.

The National Firearms Act (NFA), passed in 1934, imposes severe regulation and a $200 tax on legal silencers.

I asked Josh about the future of silencers and silencer legislation.

Do you have a plan, and can you tell me about it?

“It starts as education. Ever since we started the company in 2008, we have had a focus on education and advocacy.  When I first started the company there were only 18,000 silencers were sold in the United States each year, and that was every manufacturer.”

“From the time we have started until now, there were 18,000 then, we are now selling about 18,000 silencers every month, just SilencerCo.

In the last five years, this has been the fastest growing segment of the firearms industry.”

“People are just starting to understand. This is not a ‘cool accessory’ as much as it is a personal protection/personal safety device, just as you would consider any other device that keeps you safe while you shoot, such as safety glasses.  It is really the only true way to hunt while you protect your hearing.”

[marktwain]

The plan is to eliminate the tax *and* the registration.

Probably will happen if Trump is elected.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2016/06/an-interview-with-josh-waldron-ceo-of.html

[Axenolith]

That would rock!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Remember back in the 1980s when it was found a two liter soda pop bottle worked as a decent silencer for several rounds.

Someone started making an attachment for them and the FEDS promptly taxed it out of existence.

[Covenantor]

Just measured the ID of two L soda bottle, a hair larger than 13/16". Don't now own a pistol which front sight plus barrel diameter would clear that opening.

Assuming the only reasonable use would be for sub-sonic round,.22 cal. Anybody actually ever seen unable parties try that in the real world?

[Covenantor]

Correction: should read un-nameable parties. Wouldn’t want to bring down agony on anyone.

[wrench]

It was shown in a movie, so it has to be true........

[rickomatic]

Not sure if $20 is accurate, but the price would definitely be lower. Unless you’ve already invested in some machine shop equipment, your typical Form 1 (ATF approved home built) suppressor is going to run you anywhere from $150-$400 in readily available parts, plus the $200 stamp, depending on what materials you use.

[IYAS9YAS]

Remember back in the 1980s when it was found a two liter soda pop bottle worked as a decent silencer for several rounds.

Magnum P.I. was going to use one to assassinate a visiting Vietnamese official he remembered from the Vietnam War. Don't remember the specifics as to why, I just remember him creeping through the brush with his rifle and the soda bottle on the muzzle.

[Covenantor]

hickok45 has a youtube vid showing that the oil filter suppressor works on .22 cal pistol and rifle.

https://youtu.be/7t_pcWPdSDs

back in 2006, the soda bottle thing was an item of interest on the gun boards as well as the fabled potato.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I still have lots of the old gun magazines from the 1980s. The one about the soda bottle silencer is in FIREPOWER July 1984.

“The Pop See Challenge” by Richard Stanley. Page 54. The adapters were made by SWD,Inc of Atlanta Ga.

[Jack Hammer]

Must-have product for the future.

[SgtHooper]

5 months on my last one.

[Red in Blue PA]

I bought 3 Silencerco suppressors in the past 12 months. Had zero before that. They are going mainstram.

[Myrddin]

I would love to own 3. My 300BLK, 5.56x45 and .22LR rifles are built with threaded muzzles. The cost and wait is what puts me off.

[Red in Blue PA]

If you get one for 7.62, it could fit both your 300 BLK and 5.56. Or you could get a new Hybrid which fits both pistol and rifle. Personally, I think it is better if you get a.specific suppressor for the type of.firearm you will mount it to.....provided of course resources are available to purchase it.

[Squantos]

Save the planet .... get a “solvent recovery trap”........ :o)

[Secret Agent Man]

These are accesories, not guns.

There should be no tax.

There should be no registration.

I am not going on another govt red list for this sh1t.

[marktwain]

I believe there should be no tax on guns, either.

This gives us an incremental step toward that goal.

[Myrddin]

Great idea :-) Seriously, I did purchase specific rifles with the intent to add a can. Bolt action 300BLK, .22LR with threaded muzzles. Not sure I will every act on that interest. I just dropped $1500 on a laptop with quad core i7, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVMe SSD, 4K touchscreen, GPU and Win 10 Pro. I can generate revenue with the laptop that can pay for a can later.

[Myrddin]

My FFL pointed out that a 7.62 can from SilencerCo can be fitted with a 5.56 end cap to do double duty. I'm attracted to the new Ruger .22 cal device. At $449 it's affordable and easy to clean. Nice match to my .22LR rifles and pistols. Would be great for rabbit hunting.