Some of my fellow statesmen and I are organizing a push for legalization of suppressors in our state (GA). We have collected some data, and are strategizing our attack.

Something I feel would be vital to our efforts is to provide info on the legal use of suppressors for hunting in other states.

What states allow suppressed hunting of any type of game?

While we are targeting deer hunting, I figure any info on legal hunting would be beneficial to our efforts.

TIA
Kletz

kletzenklueffer wrote:Some of my fellow statesmen and I are organizing a push for legalization of suppressors in our state (GA).

Georgia . . . USA?

Suppressors are legal to own in Georgia

At this time, the following states allow private ownership of silencers: AL, AR, AK, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, and WY.

Information and Map from Advanced Armament

John Hollister wrote:

kletzenklueffer wrote:Some of my fellow statesmen and I are organizing a push for legalization of suppressors in our state (GA).

Georgia . . . USA?

Suppressors are legal to own in Georgia

At this time, the following states allow private ownership of silencers: AL, AR, AK, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, and WY.

Information and Map from Advanced Armament

John,

He meant: In which states is it legal to hunt with suppressors?

Dear kletzenklueffer:

You may want to modify slightly your vocabulary. If you do, you will have, I think, greater chances for success.

For example:

". . . are strategizing our attack."

Try "are planning our campaign. "Strategy" and "attack" are seen by many in the general public as too martial, too threatening.

"we are targeting deer hunting"

Try "we are focusing on deer hunting." Again, less threatening.

Why am I being so picky? Because the general public is scared about guns and suppressors. Suppressors are unknown, unless they are seen on movies and TV as horrible, unethical devices that ruthless assassins use to murder people. So these kinds of words can easily be demagogued by the anti-gun forces.

And the anti-gun forces are going to be looking for anything, including internet forum postings, for any wordings that you use that they can trump up to scare to the general public.

Just some thoughts,

Buzz

Demo the silencer for them. Put it on a .308 rifle. First with the silencer and then with out. If they still feel that you don't need your hearing after that.....

Texas allows hunting of non-game animals with any legal firearm.

Thanks for the answers guys.

We are planning to demo a few cans. I have an M40A1 clone, and I'm planning to pick up a 40X wood stock to tone the appearance of the rifle down, so it doesn't look so much like a sniper rifle.

Buzz, you're right on the language. Wording can certinaly make or break the deal.

I've gotten some info from Finland, and I think that Italy, England and France also allow use for hunting.

This is going to take some time to accomplish. The state only has public meetings every two years, and the last one was earlier this year, and we weren't fully prepared at the time.

It’s legal to hunt in Virginia with a silencer. Law only states no automatic machine guns but allows all modern firearms. Been hunting with one for 4 years now and will never go back. Some states banned it because of the depression people were hunting without a license. Some will say its because its unfair to the game you are hunting because it does not create a 'spook' effect for other animals to flee.

best of luck.

Got this from the state of Orygun.


There is no law that currently prohibits the use of such a device.

-Travis

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Information and Education Division
www.dfw.state.or.us

and this from OPS

According to ORS 166.210 (3), "Firearms silencer" means any device for
silencing, muffling or diminishing the report of a firearm.

ORS 166.410 Manufacture, importation or sale of firearms. Any person
who manufactures or causes to be manufactured within this state, or who
imports into this state, or offers, exposes for sale, or sells or
transfers a handgun, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun,
firearms silencer or machine gun, otherwise than in accordance with ORS
166.250, 166.260, 166.270, 166.291, 166.292, 166.425, 166.450, 166.460
and 166.470 is guilty of a Class B felony.

ORS 166.272 Unlawful possession of machine guns, certain shot-barreled
firearms and firearms silencers. (1) A person commits the crime of
unlawful possession of a machine gun, short-barreled rifle,
short-barreled shotgun or firearms silencer if the person knowingly
possesses any machine gun, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun
or firearms silencer.
(2) Unlawful possession of a machine gun, short-barreled rifle,
short-barreled shotgun or firearms silencer is a Class B felony.
(3) A peace officer may not arrest or charge a person for
violating subsection (1) of this section if the person has in the
person's immediate possession documentation showing that the machine
gun, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun or firearms silencer
is registered as required under federal law.
(4) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of violating
subsection (1) of this section that the machine gun, short-barreled
rifle, short-barreled shotgun or firearms silencer was registered as
required under federal law.

Therefore, "silencers" require a federal permit. If you obtain one of
those (which I have been told are very expensive), there is apparently
no Oregon law against it. All of the other laws/rules pertaining to
hunting seasons, hours, etc., apply, of course.

Any typographical errors in the preceding statutes are mine and not
included in the statute(s).

Nancy Simonsen, Administrative Specialist
Fish and Wildlife Division

Sounds like a whole bunch of nonsence. But until some Jackass screws it up. I guess you can here.

kletzenklueffer, I'm interested in this in GA also. Could you PM with some of the info that you have collected or just post it? Also are you going to have an organization pursue this or just a group of individuals?

kletz, good to bump into you here! I'm buying that new AAC can this week, so maybe by the time we can demo something we'll have another rig to use.

pokey, kletz and I post over on ar15.com a good bit. There is a Hometown Forum for GA there and this topic came up a few months ago.

kletz and I started compiling a white paper of sorts, but really didn't ahve a lot of time before the DNR meeting. As he mentioned, they only consider law changes like this every couple of years. I'll dig out some of what I threw together in the next couple of days and post some info here.

BTW, I live in the Braselton area and kletz isn't too terribly far from me.

Hey Bookhound,
How bout sending me a PM so I can email you direct. From what I gather I'm pretty close to both of you. I may be able to help your plight.

PM on the way.

kletzenklueffer,

Good luck with your efforts. Let us know how it goes...


Frank

I've checked the Alaska Fish and Game regs, and found no mention fo the use of suppressors for hunting. It did, however, prohibit the use of machine guns.
I hope this helps.

I've looked and looked but I cant find where it says I can't hunt with a suppressor in ARK. I just don't want to get some know nothing possum cop trying to get my weapon and put me in jail cause he/she does not know the law. SOOOOOOOOOO, I am still looking to try and find the accual statute that clears all this up and I plan on carring it with me hunting. End of problem I would think. Oh, and a copy of my batf papers for the silencer. Any suggestions?

Good to go in Wisconsin

Oklahoma
Silencers may not be used to hunt game animals, game or nongame birds.

BELTFEEDISBEST wrote:I've looked and looked but I cant find where it says I can't hunt with a suppressor in ARK. I just don't want to get some know nothing possum cop trying to get my weapon and put me in jail cause he/she does not know the law. SOOOOOOOOOO, I am still looking to try and find the accual statute that clears all this up and I plan on carring it with me hunting. End of problem I would think. Oh, and a copy of my batf papers for the silencer. Any suggestions?

I've been told by hunting friends in Arkansas that there is no statute, nor game and fish regulation for or against.

Please do not make noise about it (pun intended) to your state officials.

In GA, where in the regs does it say that it would be illegal? Would I be exempt from this if I had a deer control permit to hunt 24-7?

shark31 wrote:In GA, where in the regs does it say that it would be illegal? Would I be exempt from this if I had a deer control permit to hunt 24-7?

F.S., that you?



Mark

F.S., that you?



Mark

Yeah Mark,
I called DNR about it and it took about 3 more times calling and leaving messages like "Is it legal for me to shoot deer with a silencer on a pest control permit" for some guy to call me back and simply state "you cannot persue deer with a silencer". I don't think they usually get questions like that. When I told him that I had seen some guys from the DNR doing it in PTC that had the same permit as I have, he "had to call me back". When he did call me back, he just restated that I couldn't "persue" deer with a silencer.

Oh, get back with me about your lunch the other day, I wanna hear more about that certain pistol can you said you shot , and to find out if I can shoot the 6.8 can on that super shorty 300/.221, I found a guy that has a bunch of different extra short barrels. He said that he could open up the SOPMOD to work with the threading

Dave in WI wrote:Good to go in Wisconsin

SBR's are legal too!

I 've looked thru the NC hunting regs. and can't find where it would be illegal/legal unless someone can point me in the right direction ?Although I didn't specifically state its use for this when I filled out my Form 4 but I didn't put it was for my shooting enjoyment w/o ear pro. either.

I have not found anything on that either... I planed on asking an game warden in my area the next time I see him... since he is the one who will be writhing the tickets I will let you know what I hear.