Tenessee Legalizes Silencers (Wait What?)

Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
12,148
Likes
3,063
Location
SC
Feedback: 8 / 0 / 0
Ok so I am confused. This bill legalizes silencers, as in they were illegal in TN before this.

But that isn't true either. hickok45 has suppressors on his channel and I looked and found quite a few TN firearm dealers that sold silencers.

So can someone explain this? Is this just a cleaning up of a law that was never enforced? Was it a cleaning up of a law because years ago someone found a loophole and instead of closing the loophole, TN got rid of the law?

Yesterday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill into law decriminalizing the manufacture and possession of firearm suppressors in the state. The new law not only removes a layer of state regulation, it will help foster an environment hostile to federal gun control in Tennessee.

Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) introduced Senate Bill 921 (SB921) earlier this year. Titled the “Tennessee Hearing Protection Act,” the new law repeals current Tennessee statutes prohibiting the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of firearm “silencers,” more appropriately referred to as “suppressors.”

http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.co...nessee-bill-decriminalizes-firearm-silencers/
 
I read this as TN has just legalized suppressors in defiance of the NFA. Meaning that if you live in TN you can just go to a shop and buy a can without filing the fed paperwork. I think another state out west did this with MG's. Good! **** the NFA! TN is looking like a nice to live.
 
Last edited:
Looks like cleanup. Technically they were illegal in TN, but if you provided a tax stamp you were let off after potentially an arrest. Now you can't be arrested as they are now legal.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Under the previous TN law, silencers were generally unlawful to possess with an exception for suppressors registered on the NFRTR. This changes the default status from illegal to legal. In addition to allowing people to buy/ possess suppressors in the event that the federal Hearing Protection Act passes, it also could help prevent prosecutions like the one which was attempted against kwikrnu (who was arrested and left in limbo as to whether he would be indicted or not) for possessing a suppressor lawfully registered to his FFL.SOT business.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the clarifications. I knew there was a reason but I couldn't find out why the bill was needed.
 
Back
Top Bottom