A quick cursory glance through foreign gunsmiths in Europe and New Zealand leaves a price of about $180-300 for a silencer.

The average American rifle silencer is somewhere between $750 and 1250.

Why are we getting the shaft?

The thing has no moving parts, and is made of materials that aren't $1000 per pound so why do we get screwed?

Because of all the government regulations that must be complied with by the manufacturer and all the licenses and fees they must pay.

George

Wow!

I am glad things are moving forward in making it a non NFA item.

Hopefully that happens.

Also there is the good old supply and demand aspect. In countries like Finland hunters are more than encouraged to use suppressors on their rifles. It is a public health (hearing) issue. In France virtually anyone in town has a suppressor for their .22 rim fire so they can shoot pigeons without disturbing the neighbors. When I was last in Paris the gun shops have them in blister packs on the rack.

Here we are just behind the rest of the world.

quote:

Because of all the government regulations that must be complied with by the manufacturer and all the licenses and fees they must pay.

And that's why they are more expensive than many firearms??? HUH?
Peter.

It was interesting to watch the NRA sponsored show on the history of suppressors. If I recall, the inventor moved on to create auto mufflers because the $200 tax stamp and regulations drove him out of that business.

What GeorgeS said, plus one!

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:

quote:

Because of all the government regulations that must be complied with by the manufacturer and all the licenses and fees they must pay.

And that's why they are more expensive than many firearms??? HUH?
Peter.

I am with you on this, I think we are being taken for fools.

Look at the costs of the licenses and taxes for being a manufacturer of NFA items compared to a manufacturer of 'regular' arms.

If those weren't required, suppressor costs would come down. Also, other outfits would enter the market and drive prices down further.

You could always make your own suppressors on a Form 1 for the cost of the $200 tax and materials.

George

Here's another example..... For me to buy a particular suppressor from an out of state dealer he has to send a Form 3 to the BATFE and get it approved just to be able to transfer the suppressor to my instate dealer. Once it is approved, then he can ship it to my local dealer so I can then send in the actual paper work to be able to take it home.

quote:

You could always make your own suppressors on a Form 1 for the cost of the $200 tax and materials.

George

Didn't know that! Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:
The thing has no moving parts, and is made of materials that aren't $1000 per pound so why do we get screwed?

With the $200 tax, 1-4 month wait and no end user replacement of parts, the buyer wants a durable silencer that lasts years and thousands of rounds instead of a cheap unit they can replace every 1000 rounds or so. This drives prices up.

Do you part and urge your Congressperson to take silencers off the NFA registry.

Won't ever happen. You would not need as many BATFE agents/employees....you ever see an ABC agency get SMALLER? Forget about it and move on with your life.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:

quote:

Because of all the government regulations that must be complied with by the manufacturer and all the licenses and fees they must pay.

And that's why they are more expensive than many firearms??? HUH?
Peter.

It's matter of volume. Far fewer units produced and sold per regulatory dollar of cost than most firearms. Even military contracts are fractions of civilian arms sales.

Also a matter of design. An aluminum/steel can for a 22LR is orders of magnitude cheaper than my Inconel and stainless 30 caliber rated for full auto 7.62 x 51 (from an 8 inch barrel no less). I got it so I could shoot 300 Weatherbies until I melted the barrel and not need to go through the crap again to replace a worn suppressor.