Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
Topics: Politics, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Gun Crime, US News
Liv Bridge
Topics: Politics, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Gun Crime, US News
Donald Trump could be about to lift a firearms law that stretches almost 100 years, which has left people reeling.
The president has hinted at scrapping a 91-year-old legislation on firearms silencers, which was first introduced to tackle Prohibition-era gang violence.
The move comes as Trump ended a 20-year ban on selling silencers to non-US citizens during his first administration, which had been introduced to prevent terror groups from getting their hands on American-made silencers in 2002.
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The Trump administration argues that lifting guns laws benefits American manufacturers, and such restrictions are in conflict with the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
Last month, Trump instructed newly-appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi to review federal firearms policies to identify any improper restrictions, particularly those implemented under Biden, according to The Reload.
Biden's sweeping gun reforms included tougher background checks on buyers under 21, funding for 'red flag' laws to remove firearms from people considered a threat and the 'boyfriend loophole' to ban those convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun.
But guns-rights activists are hoping this is a sign Trump is accelerating his campaign to end the restrictions on silencers which some say is long overdue, Cowboy State Daily reports.
Suppressors are attached to rifles and reduce their noise levels by trapping blast pressure and gasses at the muzzle, generally reducing the sound of a gunshot between 20 to 35 decibels, according to the NRA Hunter's Leadership Forum.
Adam Ashmore told The Daily Mail his AR-15 produces a loud crack when fired but produces a sound hardly louder than .22 rimfire rifle with a suppressor.
He said: "The public, they watch movies and they think it's completely silent but it's not like that."
Mark Jones, the director for Gun Owners of America, also said suppressors are used by big game hunters to protect their ears while other advocates claim they can reduce the recoil on a rifle.
To this end, US Rep Ben Cline and US Senator Mike Crapo plan on reintroducing the Hearing Protection act.
Cline said: "Americans who enjoy hunting and target shooting should be able to do so safely and legally without facing burdensome government regulations.
"The Hearing Protection Act will reclassify suppressors, making it easier for law-abiding gun owners to protect their hearing while enjoying recreational activities."
However, not all are keen on the idea, with many taking to Twitter to slam the potential lift.
One tweet read: "Law abiding citizens don't need suppressors - nor a firearm."
"If it hurts your poor lil ears, don't shoot them," read another.
Another said 50-cent foam ear plugs would be a better alternative than a firearms suppressor.
The National Firearms Act of 1934 has meant suppressors are subjected to a $200 tax stamp for restricted weapons and accessories.
Owners have to wait a long time and apply for a special license to get their hands on one, and when they do, they can't lend it to other hunters.
The AFT website says the law's 'underlying purpose' was 'to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions in NFA firearms.'
It adds: "Congress found these firearms to pose a significant crime problem because of their frequent use in crime, particularly the gangland crimes of that era such as the Valentine's Day Massacre."
If scrapped, potential buyers wouldn't need to face any of the red tape or added costs, as they could simply show their ID and fill out a background check form, which typically takes a few minutes in-store.
UNILAD has contacted the White House for comment.