80% Silencers, the Political Ramifications
By Dean Weingarten. October 20, 2020
In the first two parts of the series, I wrote of how we arrived at the current situation, historically, and what exists today, in terms of the technology and legal system, for individuals to make their own silencers utilizing the ATF Form 1.
Because of the tremendous bureaucratic and monetary infringements imposed by the National Firearms Act (NFA), very few form 1's (required to legally make your own silencer, short barreled rifle or shotgun) were processed as late as 1990.
In the year 1990, only thirty years ago, a total of 399 Form 1's were processed by the ATF.
In 2000, the annual number had more than tripled, to 1,334.
In 2010, the annual number had continued exponential growth to 5,169.
By 2013, it was almost doubled again, at 9,347.
In 2014, it had more than doubled again, to 22,380.
It took two more years, to 2016, to more than double again, to 49,985 Form 1s per year. That was the peak, so far. Record firearms sales in 2020 lead to the prediction over 50,000 Form 1's will be processed this year. The figures for 2019 Form 1's have not been released at this time, but should be out soon.
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It is well beyond time that the ridiculous tax stamp requirement for a suppressor was done away with, as well as repealing the NFA. Anti 2A people seem to have the idea that suppressors are only tied to criminal acts, when in fact they are sensible sound abatement devices that protect hearing and can reduce general sound 'pollution' levels.
