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I wrote to Representative Fred Finn about the illegalities of reducing noise at a rifle range. Finn wrote to others for advice and got some. I got a reply back that said in part;
They also mentioned that the Feds might have some kind of prohibition on non-portable suppressors. I have never heard of any such thing, but Federal law is vague when it comes to defining what a silencer is other than something that reduces the noise of a firearm. Finn wants me to write to the ATF and get their position on the matter before he meets with me.
He gave me the following address;
Seattle Field Division
915 2nd Avenue, Room 790
Seattle, Washington 98174
I have written here in the past;
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Firearms Technology Branch
244 Needy Road
Martinsburg, West Virginia 25405 USA
Ranb
It is a gross misdemeanor offense in Washington for a person to use "any device or contrivance for suppressing the noise of any firearm." RCW 9.41.250. This prohibition on the use of a noise suppressor on a firearm has been on the books for a long time -- at least since the early 1900s and maybe longer. I did a search of case law for interpretations of this section to see if there is any guidance as to what "device or contrivance for suppressing the noise of a firearm" means. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any court decisions in Washington that have interpreted this language. In addition, because the provision is so old, I have not been able to find any legislative history to shed light on what the legislative intent was regarding this particular statute.
They also mentioned that the Feds might have some kind of prohibition on non-portable suppressors. I have never heard of any such thing, but Federal law is vague when it comes to defining what a silencer is other than something that reduces the noise of a firearm. Finn wants me to write to the ATF and get their position on the matter before he meets with me.
He gave me the following address;
Seattle Field Division
915 2nd Avenue, Room 790
Seattle, Washington 98174
I have written here in the past;
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Firearms Technology Branch
244 Needy Road
Martinsburg, West Virginia 25405 USA
Ranb