Home Hunting Texas Legalizes Hunting with Silencers

Texas Legalizes Hunting with Silencers

March 30, 2012

Advanced Armament’s blog reports that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has voted unanimously to allow hunting with silencers in the Lone Star state. That’s great news for hunters, who can now keep an ear out for those delicious critters without the risk of hearing loss. Arizona and Georgia are considering following suit, with significant steps forward in each state recently. Why it took so long to get a safety device approved for use I’ll never know, but it makes me all the more thankful that my can should be coming in any week now. Which reminds me, I need to talk to Tyler about the upcoming hunting season . . .

22 COMMENTS

Tyler Kee March 30, 2012 At 08:09

Game. On.
Headoftheholler March 30, 2012 At 08:35

It’s about time. The sooner we can integrate surpressors into hunting the sooner they will hopefully become more accepted by the general population. In the UK you can’t fart without a permit, but surpressors are over the counter items.
Josh March 30, 2012 At 08:41

How big of an effect, if any, do suppressors have on accuracy and muzzle velocity? Any negative effects, and are they notable?
- Patrick Carrube March 30, 2012 At 08:49
  
  Silencers/suppressors can have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on accuracy and velocity. It depends on the gun/cartridge/round used/suppressor used, etc.
  
  A range “acquaintance” tested a AAC-7.62SDN with my chrono a month ago or so. He actually gained velocity (IIRC about 50 fps) out of his 16″ AR-10 (ASA Mfg’d) shooting 150-gr FMJ’s (Hornady Steel Match). I’ll have to ask him what the SPL’s were, as I was more interested in velocity and accuracy myself.
  
  POI shift was negligible at 100-yards. Of course, YMMV…
- Nick Leghorn March 30, 2012 At 08:49
  
  These days the effects are negligible at worst and positive at best. With the old bullet wipe system you lost velocity and accuracy, but these days the bullet isn’t touched by the silencer as it passes through so there’s really no effect. Some even claim that it improves accuracy.
  
  There is a slight shift in the point of impact, though, since you’re adding weight to the end of the barrel and bending it slightly.
GS650G March 30, 2012 At 08:59

Next up, full auto squirrel hunting with suppressors.
- Ralph March 30, 2012 At 12:11
  
  Good. I hate those tree rats.
Elliotte March 30, 2012 At 10:05

” Why it took so long to get a safety device approved for use I’ll never know”

I think the movies are to blame in this instance. The movies have shown silencers as assasination tools, not hearing safety devices and this has led the general public to view them as such.
Pascal March 30, 2012 At 10:06

Great, now if can rid of that NFA Tax and start calling them hearing safety devices we would have something.
Accur81 March 30, 2012 At 10:45

They are suppressors, not silencers!
- Jason March 30, 2012 At 10:53
  
  The guy who invented them called them silencers. I think he gets naming rights.
  - Accur81 March 30, 2012 At 13:43
    
    Got me there.
    
    Haven’t seen one that ever actually silences the gun, though, so
    ‘suppressor’ to me is the more accurate term. A muffler muffles,
    a suppressor suppresses, and a silencer is that thing in the movies
    that eliminates sound.
    
    But I live in California, so I can’t have either one…
    - Aharon March 30, 2012 At 21:30
      
      We must invent the Quieter.
Aaron March 30, 2012 At 11:42

Excellent news… puts a whole new perspective on “be vewy vewy qwuiet, I’m hunting…”
KYgunner March 30, 2012 At 12:41

But… But… I thought only assassins and mass murderers were the only ones who use these EVIL black cylinders??!! Just think about all the murderous rampages committed with a suppressor!!! Oh the humanity!!! Texas is going to have a mass murder every day with this law! Wait… what’s that you say? The sky isn’t falling? Oh. Never mind then.

Happy shooting Texans. Hope this is a step towards having suppressors not having a $200 “Tax Stamp” and a price drop. I’d love to suppress my Sig.
GS650G March 30, 2012 At 13:08

Now we can get in touch with our inner Jason Bourne
Mark Horning March 30, 2012 At 21:05

Governor Brewer apparently signed our law in AZ today. AZ laws take effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns, so usually early to mid July.
Elizabeth March 31, 2012 At 00:01

Really? You need a silencer to kill animals? Crock of shit- that doesn’t even sound natural. Why should hunting be made easy. Shouldn’t it be more challenging?
- Jeff O. March 31, 2012 At 21:18
  
  Well, if you’re a good shot, all you need is one round, Bambi wil never hear it. Why waste your hearing on that?
- Chad March 31, 2012 At 21:59
  
  A silencer in no way makes hunting easier or gives advantage to the hunter. The term “silencer” is misleading. On a high power hunting rifle, a silencer will reduce the muzzle blast to around the same sound as a .22 pistol being fired. If you miss, the animal is still going to hear the gunshot and run away. The advantage of the silencer is hearing protection for the hunter.
- Mark Smith April 1, 2012 At 00:35
  
  If you view losing your hearing as ‘challenge’ you enjoy, I have no desire to hunt with you. You can hunt with hearing protection in, but you may as well hunt wearing a blindfold too at that rate.
  
  Go saw the muffler off your car. With your reasoning, it’s obviously better off that way.
Lt Dave March 31, 2012 At 15:07

OMG OMG OMG. Suppressors are coming!!

Here is Oregon, they are not prohibited, hence used. No problem.

In Europe, rifle purchases are “approved” as long as a suppressor is included. I guess one step backwards (gun approval needed) can be countered by a step forward (suppressors encouraged).