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Iowa Passes Bill Legalizing Suppressors
Iowa has become the 42nd state to legalize suppressors. Civilians in the Hawkeye State are now free to own and use suppressors on their firearms.
Iowa shooters have received some good news, as a bill that legalizes civilian ownership and use of suppressors has been signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad. With this action, Iowa becomes the 42nd state to legalize suppressors. Branstad signed the bill at the new Brownells retail store in Grinnell, Iowa.
CEO Pete Brownell told KCCI reporters he was glad to support the bill.
“It’s going to help save the hearing of Iowans that are involved in firearms and shooting, and it’s going to create jobs in our state,” said Brownell.
Introduced by Rep. Matt Windschitl and Rep. Terry Baxter, the bill—House File 2279—passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 2, 2016, by a margin of 11-2. The bill moved through the House and the Senate easily, with margins of 78-21 and 46-4, respectively, and then proceeded on to Governor Branstad.
Iowa's legalization of suppressors marks a great success after three years of efforts by the American Suppressor Association, the National Rifle Association and the Iowa Firearms Coalition to educate lawmakers on the benefits and realities of suppressors. The victory in Iowa also brings hope to the eight other states in which it is still illegal for civilians to own suppressors. In accordance with its “No State Left Behind” campaign, the American Suppressor Association will begin focusing more of its efforts on some of those states where suppressors are still illegal, such as California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York, among others.
However, Iowa's decision to legalize suppressor use is a definite victory for the American Suppressor Association, and, more importantly, for gun owners in the Hawkeye State.
“SilencerCo has been a strong supporter of the American Suppressor Association since its inception. We're proud of the hard work they have put behind HF 2279 along with the help of the NRA and the Iowa Firearms Coalition. Because of the determination and educational push by these groups, Iowans can now enjoy the same rights as are held by law-abiding citizens in 41 other states,” said Joshua Waldron, CEO of SilencerCo.
The American Suppressor Association is also working toward the removal of suppressors from the list of NFA items with the introduction of the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove the requirement of a $200 tax stamp and the excessive wait times due to overly complicated processing requirements such as fingerprint cards, passport photos and Chief Law Enforcement Officer signatures. To find out more about the Hearing Protection Act, visit SilencerCo's Hearing Protection Act page. To support the Hearing Protection Act, go to the American Suppressor Association website.
Making Noise Over Suppressors
Patrick Sweeney pulls back the veil on these intriguing apparatuses in the Gun Digest Book of Suppressors. The well-respected gun writer and master gunsmith covers every base concerning suppressors in this practical reference, explaining how they function, their history and their uses. He also gives a number makes and models the once over, giving shooters an idea of the available options and market prices. He also touches upon the modifications your firearms require to get hushed up by a suppressor. Get Your Copy Now
