The Good the Bad and the Dumb

Originally, the U.S. Senate version of the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ (BBB) completely removed suppressors and short-barrel rifles from both NFA taxation and required registration.  But the Senate’s parliamentarian rejected the inclusion of that specific language on a technical reason.

The GOP-controlled Senate then added language to Trump’s BBB reducing the $200 tax on suppressors and short-barrel firearms to zero ($0).   

Although the tax is removed, NFA registration is still required.

The Senate voted to advance President Trump's BBB and start debate on the sweeping tax and immigration package.  In a 51 to 49 vote, all but two Republicans voted to advance the bill and all Democrats voted against it. 

Not a big deal in NY State, since NY is one of only eight states where suppressors are still illegal.  But a nice win for the 2nd Amendment - if it stays in the bill’s final version and is enacted into law.

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Early in June, California’s State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1127, supported entirely by Democrats and opposed by nearly all Republicans.  It is a gun control measure aimed at outlawing firearms that can be easily converted into machine guns.  It targets the exact technical features that define pistols like Glock handguns. The bill’s language is so technical and specific that it’s no accident that the law aims to ban what may be the most popular handguns sold in America.

Easily converted means “readily converted by hand or with household tools” into a fully automatic weapon because of what the sponsors label a “dangerous design flaw” that gun manufacturers have known about for decades and done nothing to stop it.

However, Alisha Curtin, co-host of Gun Owners Radio revealed Glock already took steps to prevent future conversions in their newer pistol designs. 

Curtin also notes that the bill introduces an entirely new term: “machine gun convertible pistol.”  AB1127 makes it sound like converting a Glock to full-auto is as simple as replacing a battery, when in reality it requires a mix of illegal tools, know-how, and intent.”

This is pushing California towards a total ban of Glock pistols.

In response to the BBB easing laws on suppressors, some of the anti-2A U.S. Senators displayed their lack of factual knowledge about suppressors.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) posted to X, “A hidden provision of the bill…wait for it…legalizes gun silencers!! What?? So now criminals will be able to hide their crimes and police will lose the ability to respond to mass shootings.”

Then Murphy added, “Mass murderers use silencers so their targeted victims can’t hear the gun shots, and they can kill more people who don’t flee when the shooting begins.”

Not to be undone in a race to the bottom, our own less than beloved Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The only people who want silencers are criminals because they don’t want people to hear their bad, horrible, deadly deeds.”

Of course, these Senators must be correct since in the movies the suppressed guns only go poof.  But in the non-cinematic world, suppressors/silencers lower the decibel level of guns, but do not make them silent. They can still be heard and most are not hearing safe even at the lower decibel levels. 

And in another approach, Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) claimed that suppressors would effectively negate “ShotSpotter” gunfire detection systems used by law enforcement in cities to triangulate gunfire for responding police.

“These silencers circumvent that system.  That system will no longer be effective when a gunman has a silencer.”

SoundThinking is the company that owns ShotSpotter and their fact sheet says,

“The ShotSpotter sensors are designed to pick up the sound of gunfire from suppressors…”

One has to wonder if these politicians are that uninformed or if they are just liars?