Oppose Colorado's Assault Weapons Ban (HB23-1230)!
In 2023, the Colorado Legislature introduced a draconian "assault weapons ban" in House Bill 23-1230. The bill would severely restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens in Colorado and has wide-reaching unintended consequences that could affect the ability of anyone in Colorado to use suppressors.
You can call it a suppressor, a silencer, or a muffler – they all refer to the same thing: a device that reduces the noise of a gunshot to a less dangerous sound level. They do not silence anything – nothing can eliminate the noise of a gunshot. The CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) all support the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage for law-abiding gun owners, hunters, and their dogs.
Suppressors have been one of the most heavily regulated items in the country since the enactment of the National Firearms Act of 1934. They are controlled directly by the federal government at every step, from manufacture to sale – no exceptions.
The criminal misuse of a suppressor carries stiff Federal penalties. Using a suppressor in the commission of a crime carries a 30 year sentence. Even the simple possession of an unregistered suppressor carries a 10 year sentence and a $250k fine.
Despite all this, we estimate there are over 130,000 suppressors in Colorado. When was the last time a lawfully possessed suppressor was used in the commission of a crime? I ask you this to frame my ultimate question:
What exact problem would this legislation fix?
It is a false solution in search of a problem that does not exist.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose House Bill 23-1230, or at a minimum, amend the language pertaining to threaded barrels.
Take action to oppose HB 23-1230.
Oppose Colorado's Assault Weapons Ban (HB23-1230)!
In 2023, the Colorado Legislature introduced a draconian "assault weapons ban" in House Bill 23-1230. The bill would severely restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens in Colorado and has wide-reaching unintended consequences that could affect the ability of anyone in Colorado to use suppressors.
You can call it a suppressor, a silencer, or a muffler – they all refer to the same thing: a device that reduces the noise of a gunshot to a less dangerous sound level. They do not silence anything – nothing can eliminate the noise of a gunshot. The CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) all support the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage for law-abiding gun owners, hunters, and their dogs.
Suppressors have been one of the most heavily regulated items in the country since the enactment of the National Firearms Act of 1934. They are controlled directly by the federal government at every step, from manufacture to sale – no exceptions.
The criminal misuse of a suppressor carries stiff Federal penalties. Using a suppressor in the commission of a crime carries a 30 year sentence. Even the simple possession of an unregistered suppressor carries a 10 year sentence and a $250k fine.
Despite all this, we estimate there are over 130,000 suppressors in Colorado. When was the last time a lawfully possessed suppressor was used in the commission of a crime? I ask you this to frame my ultimate question:
What exact problem would this legislation fix?
It is a false solution in search of a problem that does not exist.
For these reasons, we urge you to oppose House Bill 23-1230, or at a minimum, amend the language pertaining to threaded barrels.
Take action to oppose HB 23-1230.