suppressors now legal in Vermont

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furiousMG
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suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by furiousMG »

Governor Shumlin just signed bill H5 into law on June 17th.
Suppressors are now legal in Vermont after being banned over a hundred years ago.
I will be starting paperwork on some very soon. :D
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Killerapplesauce
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Killerapplesauce »

Congrats!
Kramer
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Kramer »

I guess now that it's 41 states.
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Storm7
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Storm7 »

So it seems there is a sunset provision built into the law that automatically goes into effect on July 1, 2017. See Secs 18 & 19 in the law below (also quoted). Repeal text bolded below.
Stricken text is marked in Red

Sec. 18. 13 V.S.A. § 4010 is amended to read:
§ 4010. GUN SUPPRESSORS (a) As used in this section:,
(1) “Gun “gun suppressor” means any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a gun suppressor, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

(2) “Sport shooting range” shall have the same meaning as used in 10 V.S.A. § 5227(a).
(b) A person shall not manufacture, make, or import a gun suppressor, except for:
(1) a licensed manufacturer, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921, who is registered as a manufacturer pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 5802;
(2) a licensed importer, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921, who is registered as an importer pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 5802; or
(3) a person who makes a gun suppressor in compliance with the requirements of 26 U.S.C. § 5822.
(c) A person shall not use a gun suppressor in the State, except for use by: (1) a Level III certified law enforcement officer or Department of Fish and Wildlife employee in connection with his or her duties and responsibilities and in accordance with the policies and procedures of that officer's or
employee’s agency or department;
(2) the Vermont National Guard in connection with its duties and
responsibilities; or
(3) a licensed manufacturer or a licensed importer, as defined in 18
U.S.C. § 921, who is also registered as a manufacturer or an importer pursuant to 26 U.S.C. § 5802, who in the ordinary course of his or her business as a manufacturer or as an importer tests the operation of the gun suppressor; or
(4) a person lawfully using a sport shooting range.

* * * Effective Dates * * *
Sec. 19. EFFECTIVE DATES
This act shall take effect on passage, except that:
(1) Secs. 3 (permanent license for persons with disability), 4 (report on
permanent license for persons with disability), 6 (mentored hunting license), and 14 (moose permits for veterans) shall take effect on January 1, 2016.
(2) Secs. 15, 16, and 17 (gun suppressors) shall take effect on July 2, 2015.
(3) Sec. 18 (repeal of authorized use of gun suppressor) shall take effect July 1, 2017.

http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/D ... ficial.pdf
johndoe3
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by johndoe3 »

Congrats Vermonters, 103 years of suppressor prohibition ended.

The nice thing is that now Vermont provides another place of escape to the oppressed in NY and NJ who might be able to afford a place where they can shoot and keep their guns that are outlawed in NY/NJ (PA is another place of escape).
You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time...and those are pretty good odds.
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furiousMG
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by furiousMG »

Vermont.gov has another version posted with different wording and different dates.

http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/D ... df#page=96
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Storm7
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Storm7 »

furiousMG wrote:Vermont.gov has another version posted with different wording and different dates.

http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/D ... df#page=96
I see the difference in text. I'm not sure what that means legally, though Sec 18 looks the same. The only difference I can see is Sec 19 [Effective Dates].

The version I posted was from this page (top) titled "As Passed by Both House and Senate Official" Note the usage clause in Sec 18 (c) (4) is still struck in the version you provided.

ETA: I found this article from last month on the bill. It doesn't discuss the (potential) expiration, but does mention the restriction of use to "shooting ranges" http://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/a ... uppressors
srs
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by srs »

Maybe, in a not too distant future session, the Vermont legislators will expand it to all lawful purposes and no sunset.
furiousMG
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by furiousMG »

Yes, the dates are inconsistent. The one says effective July 2nd, the other says effective upon passage, and if you scroll down to section 28 it says effective July 1st.

I think this is a huge step forward for Vermont. We can work on expanding their use to hunting etc. in steps. General Dynamics is supposed to begin manufacturing suppressors at their Vermont location to fill military contracts.
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by RJT »

So what do you do 2 years later? Throw them in the safe, and look back at all the fun you used to have?
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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Emilio
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Emilio »

Congrats ! I once lived in a state that finnally got approved and know how exciting it was.

Now I live in a state that allows everything and still hate shooting unsuppressed. :D sooooo, buy buy buy, you can always move to a free state if things get stupid. :mrgreen:
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sillycon
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by sillycon »

I have to wonder what on earth they expect to happen if it sunsets. Is there any sort of grandfather clause or do legal suppressors just magically become contraband overnight?
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Storm7
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Storm7 »

sillycon wrote:I have to wonder what on earth they expect to happen if it sunsets. Is there any sort of grandfather clause or do legal suppressors just magically become contraband overnight?
The law is oddly written, in that it authorizes "use" only in specific places (i.e. gun ranges). My interpretation is when that part of the law expires, assuming another law isn't passed to supersede it, that possession will still be legal, but you won't be able to shoot it anywhere. This is similar to Washington State a few years back. You could buy, own/possess a suppressor, but you couldn't shoot it in state. IIRC, many suppressor owners in WA would go over the border into Oregon or Idaho to shoot suppressed. Since then WA changed that law and you may now shoot suppressed in that state.

Yes, it's really silly and messed up.

From this article I provided previously:
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) objected. His committee had spent weeks agonizing over a gun-control bill and the notion of legalizing gun suppressors never came up, he said.

"I'm worried that we're making decisions at the last minute," Sears said. "We’ve had, since the Al Capone days, a law against silencers."

By Friday afternoon, Sears relented after he succeeded in limiting the use of suppressors to shooting ranges. The Senate easily passed the measure.
furiousMG
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by furiousMG »

I believe as VT shooters begin to see and hear suppressors at ranges or get to try them their support of them will grow. Many of our shooting enthusiasts in VT are completely unfamiliar with the benifits of using them. There is also the appeal of getting to have something that was banned for the last hundred years.

I see here the ASA is going to continue to advocate for us. http://americansuppressorassociation.co ... ve-july-2/
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MJF1911
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by MJF1911 »

RJT wrote:So what do you do 2 years later? Throw them in the safe, and look back at all the fun you used to have?

Owners should be protected by the Grandfather Clause, just like people who manufactured machine guns prior to '81 or whenever that was.
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usmcvet0331
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by usmcvet0331 »

MJF1911 wrote:
RJT wrote:So what do you do 2 years later? Throw them in the safe, and look back at all the fun you used to have?

Owners should be protected by the Grandfather Clause, just like people who manufactured machine guns prior to '81 or whenever that was.
This was my question too. I believe the law will be extended. You would have the option of selling too. I just left my LGS and plan to buy 2 SF Ryder Cans. Now I am trying to decide which rifle can. I am leaning towards a 7.62 SF because I want a 300 AAC upper. All I have now are 5.56 and .22 AR's.
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Storm7
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Storm7 »

*** News ***

Vermonters, ASA is hosting a Suppressor Rally at Barre Fish and Game Club on July 2nd. Spread the word.


Thursday, July 2 at 10:00am - 2:00pm in EDT

Barre Fish and Game Club, Inc.
PO Box 130, Averill & Gun Club Roads, Barre, Vermont 05641

The American Suppressor Association wants you to joins us as we celebrate the legalization of suppressors in Vermont!

Located minutes away from the Capitol, this live fire event serves as an opportunity for members of the public and interested dealers to shoot suppressors for the first time in the Green Mountain State. During the event, the ASA will recognize those who worked hard to legalize suppressors in VT. This event is open to the public, and is free to attend. All ammo will be provided.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1464510317192909/
usmcvet0331
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by usmcvet0331 »

Storm7 wrote:*** News ***

Vermonters, ASA is hosting a Suppressor Rally at Barre Fish and Game Club on July 2nd. Spread the word.


Thursday, July 2 at 10:00am - 2:00pm in EDT

Barre Fish and Game Club, Inc.
PO Box 130, Averill & Gun Club Roads, Barre, Vermont 05641

The American Suppressor Association wants you to joins us as we celebrate the legalization of suppressors in Vermont!

Located minutes away from the Capitol, this live fire event serves as an opportunity for members of the public and interested dealers to shoot suppressors for the first time in the Green Mountain State. During the event, the ASA will recognize those who worked hard to legalize suppressors in VT. This event is open to the public, and is free to attend. All ammo will be provided.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1464510317192909/
I plan to be there. Anyone else going?
usmcvet0331
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by usmcvet0331 »

Yesterday was an awesome experience. I updated my trust with a purchase of Wildcat 's NFA trust. Thanks Aaron.
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Storm7
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Re: suppressors now legal in Vermont

Post by Storm7 »

usmcvet0331 wrote:Yesterday was an awesome experience. I updated my trust with a purchase of Wildcat 's NFA trust. Thanks Aaron.
Awesome! Congratulations!
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