Texas Senate has passed HB 957, exempting Texas-made suppressors from the NFA.

[Dial H For Hero]

https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB957/id/2226583

The bill does three things:

1) It repeals the state law which makes suppressors manufactured or owned outside the NFA illegal.

2) Establishes a class of suppressors which, if made in Texas with Texas-made parts, are legal outside the NFA as long as they remain in Texas. No $200 tax stamp, no background check, no year-long wait for approval, no paperwork of any kind. The suppressor must be marked "Made in Texas".

3) Sets a path to secure a declaratory judgment on the constitutionality of this law before anyone manufactures “Made in Texas” suppressors.

As the bill in the Senate was identical to the one passed by the House, it now goes to the governor's desk. It should be noted that even if the governor signs off on the bill, it will still have to go through the federal court system before becoming law.

[beemerphill]

1. This is good news.

The laws making suppressors hard for the average man to purchase answered a question that no one had asked. Very few suppressors have ever been used to commit a crime, and they have legitimate uses by honest gun owners. I am curious how this plays in the Federal Courts.

[Dial H For Hero]

2. I agree. Suppressors should be sold over the counter, the same as virtually any other gun accessory.

[beemerphill]

3. Yes

Easy purchase of suppressors would help a lot with hearing loss while shooting at the range. It would also be a benefit for those who live close to the range. They are actually simple devices that should not be hard or expensive to manufacture. There would still be a healthy profit for the dealers and makers selling them at a price that is affordable for most recreational users.

[Dial H For Hero]

4. In countries where suppressors are essentailly unregulated such as New Zealand, a rimfire suppressor

can be had for as little as $87. In contrast, the least expensive suppressors here in the USA are about $300, to which one must add a $200 tax stamp, and wait around a year for approval.

Amusing anecdote: When I was in the process of purchasing a suppressor around ten years ago, the salesman at the gun store was helping me fill out the paperwork for it, and there was a box that had to filled out labeled "reason for purchase". He told me of a customer who insisted on writing "because chicks dig it" in the box. He informed the customer that the BATF has absolutely no sense of humor regarding this sort of thing, but the guy insisted on putting that on the form. Needless to say, he was denied (and the $200 tax stamp fee is not refundable).'

Following his advice, I wrote "To reduce noise pollution" on the form.