Given that the article uses British English and references airguns it’s most likely legal where the author lives. Oddly, places where guns are heavily regulated suppressors are less regulated and in some places are the norm among hunters (South Africa).
It’s New Zealand. And, please, BATFE is only one hurdle. State laws also apply. In Illinois, for example, it’s a Class 2 felony for private citizens. Don’t bring your legal, properly registered suppressor, to Illinois when you move here from Tennessee, counting on BATFE preemption — there is none.
As the commenters over there noted, this design was one of the files that the State Department asked DefDist to remove because it might violate export restrictions.
That’s right, technical data that was imported from New Zealand is illegal to then export back to New Zealand. Go figure.
It’s perfectly legal to have an airgun suppressor in the US, however if the ATF decides it could be adapted for use on a firearm you are screwed, that’s why most airgun suppressors are permanently attached.
May 12th, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Illegal? Of course it is. If it wasn’t, hitmen would feel free to use them without registering them!
May 12th, 2013 at 8:22 pm
Don’t take legal advice about US gun laws off of Kiwi blogs.
May 13th, 2013 at 1:02 am
From my reading it should be legal as long as you have all of the NFA paperwork filled out, registered and approved and the BATFE has your $200.
May 13th, 2013 at 9:01 am
Given that the article uses British English and references airguns it’s most likely legal where the author lives. Oddly, places where guns are heavily regulated suppressors are less regulated and in some places are the norm among hunters (South Africa).
May 13th, 2013 at 10:19 am
It’s New Zealand. And, please, BATFE is only one hurdle. State laws also apply. In Illinois, for example, it’s a Class 2 felony for private citizens. Don’t bring your legal, properly registered suppressor, to Illinois when you move here from Tennessee, counting on BATFE preemption — there is none.
May 13th, 2013 at 10:31 am
As the commenters over there noted, this design was one of the files that the State Department asked DefDist to remove because it might violate export restrictions.
That’s right, technical data that was imported from New Zealand is illegal to then export back to New Zealand. Go figure.
May 13th, 2013 at 11:00 am
He says it’s an airgun; I think that’s less illegal.
May 13th, 2013 at 11:15 am
You don’t need a 3D printer to make a suppressor… they sell all the parts you need in most auto parts stores.
May 13th, 2013 at 2:57 pm
It’s perfectly legal to have an airgun suppressor in the US, however if the ATF decides it could be adapted for use on a firearm you are screwed, that’s why most airgun suppressors are permanently attached.