2 Dumbest American Gun Regulations That Target Gun Owners
Last updated: September 12, 2018 · Originally published: August 20, 2018
Do you want conspiracy theories? This is how you get conspiracy theories.
If you’re ever curious about how some segments of the gun-owning population come to believe that American gun laws are specifically designed to punish gun owners for exercising their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, all you have to do is take a good look at these two gun regulations. Of course, these bad laws at the national level are only the beginning—many state and local laws are even more ridiculous—but these are the two most likely to negatively impact the lives of average, everyday citizens.
Treating suppressors as if they were machine guns
Under the National Firearms Act of 1934, suppressors (also known as silencers) are regulated as if they were machine guns. Why is a lump of metal that has no function other than to reduce the amount of noise generated by gunfire covered with the same onion-like layers of red tape as a full-auto Uzi? As you no doubt know, gunfire is really loud. Even a .22 can produce enough report to cause permanent hearing loss. Traditional hearing protection can generally reduce that sound by up to 32 dB…but if you’re shooting centerfire ammunition or a shotgun, wearing that ear protection is really only going to help you go deaf more slowly. What’s more, in Europe—the gun-control Utopia that anti-gunners tout as the model for America—one can buy a suppressor in hardware stores, no questions asked.
Part of the problem here (as always) is public perception of suppressors, which (as always) is largely driven by fictional media. Suppressed gunfire does not sound like a spitting llama—it sounds like gunfire, only a little less painful. (The exception, subsonic .22 ammunition fired through a suppressor, is pretty much silent…but it doesn’t make that little PSSSSH! noise that Hollywood’s Foley artists have been adding to sound reels for decades.)
It’s kinda hard to tell gun owners that the government isn’t out to get us when the government seems to be determined to punish us with permanent deafness for enjoying our hobby. It’s also kinda hard to get us to listen when we literally can’t hear you.
The patchwork of CCW laws
Right now, if you live on the East Coast, it’s possible to wake up in the morning as a law-abiding citizen, lawfully don your CCW rig, drive an hour and become a felon simply by crossing state lines. Your North Carolina drivers’ license is valid in Boston. Your Florida marriage certificate still means you’re married even if you move to California. So why doesn’t a permit you got from the government (the same government charged with defending your natural right to keep and bear arms) work from state to state? Why does your Pennsylvania concealed-carry permit not protect your right to carry in New Jersey?
Part of the problem here is inertia. In order to “walk back” restrictive legislation that’s been in place for decades, we need a certain critical mass of citizens who are negatively affected by that legislation to speak up and make their voices heard. Although gun ownership is extremely common, it’s much less common for a gun owner to travel interstate enough that their rights are being demonstrably infringed. And it’s that “demonstrably” that’s the tricky part—basically, in order to enact legislative or judicial change, citizens have to prove they’re being harmed by this arbitrary and irrational patchwork of contradictory gun laws.
It’s further complicated by the fact that there is a legal way to transport your guns interstate under the “Peaceable Journey” section of the 1986 Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA)—it’s just that that way is cumbersome, potentially dangerous, and defeats the purpose of CCW. Boiled down, the law supposedly protects you as long as your guns are locked in your trunk, unloaded, with your ammunition stored separately. That means that in order to comply, you’d need to pull over, unholster your EDC, unload it, and lock it in your trunk—in full view of whoever’s interested enough to watch.
It’s kinda hard to tell gun owners that the government isn’t out to get us when we can be transformed from a law-abiding citizen into a felon by taking the wrong exit off the freeway.
So if you’ve ever wondered why some gun owners are deeply suspicious of “sensible” gun regulations…well, now you know.
9/12/18 Correction – The citation of the Gun Control Act of 1968 was incorrect in reference to regulation of suppressors. This has been amended to cite the correct legislation – the National Firearms Act of 1934.
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Or you could do as other law abiding citizens such as I do. Fuck CWP Permits! I’ve read the 2nd amendment hundreds of times and nowhere in that amendment does it limit where, when or how you can keep and bear arms. It simply gives you the RIGHT to do so, with certain logical exceptions. If you’re carrying properly you have nothing to worry about right? A permit such as a Drivers License which a permit such as a CWP changes a RIGHT into a PRIVILEGE, exactly what the powers that be want for you to believe it is. A PRIVILEGE can be revoked at any time. A RIGHT is irrevocable as it is a RIGHT granted by a higher authority than any criminal political hack.
It was the National Firearms Act of 1934 that regulated suppressors, not the 1968 Gun Control Act. The suppressor inclusion was a last minute rider thrown in ostensibly to keep suppressors, like full automatic firearms, out of the hands of gangsters.
In truth, it was to prevent “poaching” of game animals by people trying to provide food for their families during the Great Depression.
Whoops! You’re right; the relevant legislation was passed in 1934, not 1968. (Maybe I’m in on the conspiracy! J/K. We’ll correct the cite.)
The SHARE act is floating around in Congress now. The Sportsman’s Heritage and Recreactional Enhancement act. Among other things, it includes the Hearing Protection Act.
If passed, purchasing a suppressor is just like purchasing a firearm. Fill out the form, they run a quick background, and you leave with your suppressor. No tax stamps, no year wait. Contact your Senator and make your voice heard. Pass the Share Act now.
The Share Act – and Concealed Carry Reciprocity have been in limbo (or is it a black hole?) in CONgress (both parts) for a year and a half plus. Seems little doubt in my military mind that there is not sufficient will (or backbone) to pass either – DJT ‘said’ he would sign such legislation but it has to get to him first. It would be a good thing, but I ain’t going to hold my breath.
GC is also a subset of keepings weapons from the hands of the “lower classes” and a part of rascism.
If a reciprocity case makes to SCOTUS after Kavanaugh is confirmed, hopefully the same logic that requires all states to accept same sex marriages from any state would (and should) apply to concealed carry. Constitutionally protected reciprocity would be a great day for all law-abiding citizens. Criminals don’t care because they, by definition, don’t follow the law.
JG – a couple of points, as you indicate, laws are only effective for the law abiding. The anti gun types ALWAYS claim that there should be NO laws if they don’t ‘prevent’ crimes. I suppose that they ‘think’ we would end up in a constant “Purge” society without laws as ;everyone’ would then go rogue. You cannot reason with folks like that.
As to the ‘same sex marriage’ as a comparison, it is NOT driven by logic at all, it is solely based on ‘feelings’ – and their desire to do whatever they want.
That’s because most liberals are emotionally retarded individuals. They’re the same people that argued that when Florida passed the first up to date CWP laws going from may issue to shall issue 20 years ago argued that blood would run in the street. 2.5 million permits later it had the opposite effect and none have stepped forward and admitted their mistake. Liberals are like children and should be treated accordingly, remember the old saying “children should be seen but not heard”? It applys to guns.
Gun control is only about one thing. Totalitarian governments throughout history have taken the means of self protection away from citizens in order to control the people. Those who continually advocate for more gun control want nothing more than absolute control. Guns scare them because they know that we see through their tyrannical scheme and have the means to stop them.
Any law that limits where, when, how or what arms I choose to carry is an infringement on my right to bear arms and is therefore unconstitutional.
Gun control has everything to do with control, and nothing to do with guns.
Truth and common sense will prevail as patriotic Americans awaken to the insidious creep of socialism! Thank GOD for POTUS 😊
You nailed it.