Posted on 12/28/2020 5:50:38 AM PST by marktwain
Very few people are prosecuted for the illegal possession of silencers/suppressors in the United States.
One of the problems in understanding the U.S. criminal justice system is records are dispersed. Records are kept in many different formats, and not easily searchable or sortable by offense. There are both federal and state crimes. The data is not all digitized. When it is, it is not all in searchable databases available to the public.
In an academic paper, Criminal Use of Firearm Silencers, written by Paul Clark and published in 2007, the number of prosecutions appears to be very low. From westerncriminogy.org:
Perhaps a question to ask is how many people by comparison misuse silencers each year. As will be discussed below, there only appear to be about 30 federal prosecutions involving silencers each year, and it is very unlikely that there are more than 200 state and federal prosecutions per year involving silencers. It is possible that there is much more illegal use going on which is not prosecuted, but these numbers certainly suggest that silencers are a minor law enforcement problem.
By comparison, there were about 663,000 arrests for marijuana, (610,000 for possession) in 2018, the lowest in the last 20 years.
In an attempt to determine the number of prosecutions for silencer possession, a number of searches on the Internet have been done to find out in what circumstances prosecutions for illegal silencer possession occurs. Readers are encouraged to add to the list so that greater understanding will be effectuated. The following 32 cases are those found, beginning in 2015. Not all have been adjudicated. Many are simply arrests.
The cases are displayed in chronological order, so duplication may be prevented. The date is the date of arrest when known. Otherwise, the date referenced in the article is used.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Over 600,000 prosecutions for possession of marijuana in one year.
Ok. What does one have to do with the other?
Both are harmless and victimless crimes, and therefore useful for comparison.
I wasted $200 and 9 months of my time for essentially nothing?
As noted, both are victimless crimes.
It is easier to make a silencer than to grow marijuana.
There are over 2 million legally taxed silencers in the United States.
“Both are harmless and victimless crimes,”
Utter stupidity.
Your effort was well worth while.
Making silencers/suppressors normal and accepted accessories will eventually get them out of the insane National Firearms Act.
In much of the world, shooting with a suppressor is considered being polite and socially responsible.
Answer the next question: How may prosecutions for intentionally lying on an ATF Form 4473 last year?
I do not know the exact number for 2019. In 2017, The GAO reported there were 12 prosecutions for lying on the 4473.
You don’t need a suppressor if you are using subsonic ammo.
Subsonic ammo sounds no louder than a pellet gun.
.45 ACP is subsonic. It does not sound like a pellet gun.
You use subsonic ammo as an enhancer to your suppressor. By itself subsonic amommo still goes bang.
The only rounds that come close to being quiet is those that have a “reverse diesel” effect. Essentially a large rifle round with a tiny powder charge. Shoot a 308 with a powder charge small enough to be subsonic, and it will be quiet. But it will not do what a full power 308 will do.
Most 22lr pistols are subsonic, as well as 32S&W long, 380, 45acp, etc, and they are NOT quiet as a pellet gun.
Most statements like this come from those that do not own suppressors.
“Subsonic ammo sounds no louder than a pellet gun.”
Incorrect.
L
“You don’t need a suppressor if you are using subsonic ammo.
Subsonic ammo sounds no louder than a pellet gun.”
Subsonic ammo fired from a gun equipped with a suppressor is no louder then a pellet gun.
They have this law as a tool. When a gangster bumps off an associate and uses a silencer, then they charge him with that, too. They like to bring many different charges against major criminals, which gives them a lot of room to manoeuvre in the plea-bargaining.
Look at any big arrest - he’s charged with murder, armed robbery, driving without a valid license, resisting arrest, failure to file a tax return, and spitting on the sidewalk.
“Subsonic ammo sounds no louder than a pellet gun.”
I’ve used it in a rifle and they make very little noise. Haven’t tried them in a handgun yet. Saving what I have left.
Please be more specific.
What caliber?
There are .22 rimfire rounds that are designed to be quiet. They give up a significant amount of power in exchange for being relatively quiet.
There are lots of cartridges that are subsonic and loud.
What caliber, brand, and specific designation are you using? I suspect it is a .22 rimfire round designed to be quiet.
.22 LR.
Then there are Remington, Winchester, Ely, Fiocci and many others.
There are more than a hundred types of .22 LR on the market.
I have found the Aguila Colibri and Super Colibri to be very quiet, the various CB longs to be a little louder, then the Quiet .22 LR and Semi-Auto Quite .22 LR, then various .22 subsonic made for suppressors, then standard velocity subsonics...
I am curious which one you are having good luck with.
If you do not have a box on hand, it is understandable that you would not know which brand and type it is.
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