Is it just me, or is this weird?

[Gato 0]

So I just heard on the news (I'm in KC, MO) that Kathleen Sebelius is signing (or has signed) a bill making machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and silencers legal in the state of Kansas. Of course, one must still pass a background check.....

I have 2 questions about this:

1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) Is a silencer NOT a tool for assassins?

2 - Kansas passed legislation restricting the teaching of evolution not too long ago. Am I the only one who thinks there's something wrongfully ironic about this?

I'm just a little confused.

(I await the flaming and the "you're-a-liberal-and-this-is-why-you're-wrong" rhetoric.)

T.I.N.S.

[ryoder 1,590]

Silencers are legal in most states.
You just need to pay the $200 Federal tax to be in compliance with Federal rules.

If suppression of noise is OK for motor vehicles, why should it be illegal for other items? Seems like prevention of damage to hearing would be a good thing.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Zipp0 1]

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So I just heard on the news (I'm in KC, MO) that Kathleen Sebelius is signing (or has signed) a bill making machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and silencers legal in the state of Kansas. Of course, one must still pass a background check.....

I have 2 questions about this:

1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) Is a silencer NOT a tool for assassins?

2 - Kansas passed legislation restricting the teaching of evolution not too long ago. Am I the only one who thinks there's something wrongfully ironic about this?

I'm just a little confused.

(I await the flaming and the "you're-a-liberal-and-this-is-why-you're-wrong" rhetoric.)

You're a lib and this is why you're wrong....

Seriously though, you can already own machine guns and silencers in most states. You have to pay a transfer tax and the gun has to be pre 1986, and you need a background check. For silencers you also just pay a tax and get the signature of the local police chief.

As far as reason for silencers - how about courtesy? If you are killing rodents or vermin on your property (or farm) it might be nice to be a bit quieter about this. This is very common in some of Europe, I understand.

And the assassins have illegal silencers. They are very easy to make.

A good legal and cheap alternative is a 22 with CB cap ammo, or subsonic. CB is as loud as a BB gun amd subsonic just a bit louder.

--------------------------
Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[Gato 0]

Shows how much I know, huh?

I was told that silencers diminish the accuracy and power of the round. Is that not true?

T.I.N.S.

[ryoder 1,590]

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Shows how much I know, huh?

I was told that silencers diminish the accuracy and power of the round. Is that not true?

Maybe; Maybe not. See this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressor#Effectiveness

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Darius11 12]

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Shows how much I know, huh?

I was told that silencers diminish the accuracy and power of the round. Is that not true?

I think the reason you have heard that is when you use a silencer it is recommended that you have subsonic ammo in the gun. Subsonic ammo is slower but without the sonic boom you have much less noise.

Due to the reduced speed it will have less lethality and accuracy depends on the range.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Nightingale 0]

I'd love to have one so my ears aren't ringing after going to the range. Actually, I'd love everyone at the range to have one, because indoor ranges are so much louder than outdoor! I usually wear earplugs and the headphone style earmuffs, and it still doesn't get the noise down to a comfortable level.

[downwardspiral 0]

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So I just heard on the news (I'm in KC, MO) that Kathleen Sebelius is signing (or has signed) a bill making machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and silencers legal in the state of Kansas. Of course, one must still pass a background check.....

I have 2 questions about this:

1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) Is a silencer NOT a tool for assassins?

2 - Kansas passed legislation restricting the teaching of evolution not too long ago. Am I the only one who thinks there's something wrongfully ironic about this?

I'm just a little confused.

(I await the flaming and the "you're-a-liberal-and-this-is-why-you're-wrong" rhetoric.)

Nope. That just proves how on the mark Obama's statement really was.

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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So I just heard on the news (I'm in KC, MO) that Kathleen Sebelius is signing (or has signed) a bill making machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and silencers legal in the state of Kansas. Of course, one must still pass a background check.....

I have 2 questions about this:

1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) Is a silencer NOT a tool for assassins?

Yes. It lets you shoot your guns without irritating your neighbors as much and with a lower risk of hearing damage (with supersonic bullets you can't get rid of the sonic boom, just the muzzle blast).

We restricted (put a $200 tax stamp on them, which was a lot of money in 1934 when the average annual salary was $1368 among the employed) them because of concern over poaching during the Great Depression.

Shooting rifles is a relaxing zen sort of sport. Breathing correctly has a huge impact on accuracy - a .01" misalignment between front and rear sights means you're going to miss the X ring at 100 yards; .02" moves you out into the 9 ring. Loud explosions on either side of you make that harder to do. Silencers on the entire firing line would be nice.

[1969912 0]

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1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer?

My question is "Is there a legitimate reason for a private citizen NOT to be allowed to own one?" Ditto for machine guns.

In any case, you're question was a good one. Hope you got some reasonable answers.

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What's weird is that she signed the bill. Gov. Sebelius doesn't seem to be much of a gun nut from what little I've read.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[downwardspiral 0]

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So I just heard on the news (I'm in KC, MO) that Kathleen Sebelius is signing (or has signed) a bill making machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and silencers legal in the state of Kansas. Of course, one must still pass a background check.....

I have 2 questions about this:

1 - Is there any legitimate reason for a private citizen to own a silencer? (I'm not being sarcastic, I really want to know.) Is a silencer NOT a tool for assassins?

Yes. It lets you shoot your guns without irritating your neighbors as much and with a lower risk of hearing damage (with supersonic bullets you can't get rid of the sonic boom, just the muzzle blast).

We restricted (put a $200 tax stamp on them, which was a lot of money in 1934 when the average annual salary was $1368 among the employed) them because of concern over poaching during the Great Depression.

Shooting rifles is a relaxing zen sort of sport. Breathing correctly has a huge impact on accuracy - a .01" misalignment between front and rear sights means you're going to miss the X ring at 100 yards; .02" moves you out into the 9 ring. Loud explosions on either side of you make that harder to do. Silencers on the entire firing line would be nice.

I have to say, as an avid shooter, shooting just wouldn't be the same without the loud explosions on either side of me. If I want to have a zen experience I'll just get in the pool and do some drown proofing....or meditate.

Wanting a silencer for a quieter firing range is pretty ridiculous considering many people scoff at paying $20 for hearing protection. Try combining ear plugs with very nice and "not so cheap" hearing protection as it will still be a hell of a lot cheaper than purchasing a silencer.

The OP has posed a very good question and I can't come up with a reasonable answer even though I am pro-gun. The fact of the matter is silencers are useful for military and law enforcement applications not civilian.

Not that I support outlawing silencers but shooting varmit? lol

www.FourWheelerHB.com

[Skyrad 0]

Silencers (Supressors) are legal for use with firearms in the UK. Useful when performing game and pest control. Also when shooting on ranges in the city close to residential areas.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[kelpdiver 2]

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I have to say, as an avid shooter, shooting just wouldn't be the same without the loud explosions on either side of me. If I want to have a zen experience I'll just get in the pool and do some drown proofing....or meditate.

i like the boom of the 357sig rounds, but it starts to hurt after a while. Not sure silencers will work well on it though.

The idea of shooting in my backyard is moot in CA, but certainly a quieter gun would be a good neighbor step.