One of the bigger buzzes being talked about in the gun world lately is the Hearing Protection Act, or HPA, a proposed bill which would deregulate suppressors and make them much easier and more affordable to own.  For many people it seems as though this is a guaranteed change which is right around the corner, but is this really the case?  Pete from The Firearm Blog has written an in-depth article titled ‘Saturday Night Special: The State Of Silencers In America’ which goes into much more depth on the subject.  It may not be what you’re expecting to hear.

In truth, the HPA isn’t a huge priority despite rumors aplenty that it would have been accelerated into getting passed the moment that Trump took office.  In fact, according to Pete an independent study conducted by legislative consultants would suggest that the HPA has less than a one percent chance of happening.  With the current state of the market this could have a very profound impact in the coming months, as already the situation is not looking well.

With so many gun owners holding out on the belief that the HPA will be passed in a manner of weeks the sales of suppressors has dropped to an all-time low.  This lack of sales has affected the market so significantly that many suppressor makers, including Griffin Armament right here in Wisconsin and SilencerCo based in Utah, have had to lay off as much as thirty percent of their workforce.  Many of these companies are also offering customers further incentives to purchase their suppressors, such as price discounts or in one case even offering $200 in store credit in an attempt to counter the tax stamp currently tied to suppressor purchases.

The proverbial light at the end of the tunnel many of us believed was the HPA seems to be turning more into a false dawn.  If you’ve had your eye on owning a suppressor, don’t wait for the HPA to pass!  The road to a quieter range experience unfortunately remains a long and rocky journey.