Gun rights advocacy groups, led by the NRA, have filed a collective lawsuit aiming to invalidate New Jersey's restriction on suppressors.
In a significant move, a coalition of six leading gun rights organisations – the National Rifle Association (NRA), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Safari Club International (SCI), the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC), and the New Jersey Firearms Owners' Association (NJFOS) – along with Silencer Shop, have filed a joint federal lawsuit in the District of New Jersey. The lawsuit aims to overturn the state's ban on firearm suppressors, commonly known as hearing safety devices.
The ban on suppressors, according to the organisations, infringes upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners. W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of Safari Club International, stated that the ban deprives residents of access to constitutionally protected arms. Similarly, the ASA President and Executive Director, Knox Williams, expressed that the ban is an unacceptable violation of Second Amendment rights.
The lawsuit argues that suppressors, or silencers, are mufflers designed to mitigate damage to a user's ears and provide benefits to surrounding communities by reducing noise. John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director, stated that suppressors are essential for reducing the risk of hearing loss for gun owners and hunters.
The Centers for Disease Control, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Hearing Conservation Association, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgeons, and Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership recommend the use of suppressors to mitigate preventable hearing damage.
The government cannot categorically ban suppressors without first proving a historical tradition of such bans - a burden it cannot meet. Adam Kraut, SAF's Executive Director, argues that suppressors are mufflers, not weapons, and that their use is common in Europe. Kraut also mentioned that former President Theodore Roosevelt used them while hunting.
SCI is joining forces with other organisations to defend the Second Amendment and hunting heritage in this lawsuit against New Jersey's ban on firearm suppressors. The coalition is united by a shared commitment to defending the Second Amendment and hunting heritage. NJFOS Director of Legal Operations Joe Loporto stated that there is nothing "common sense" about a total ban on suppressors, an arm that can only be used by the people of New Jersey to exercise their constitutional rights in a safer manner.
The lawsuit is expected to have a significant impact on the statehouse, according to the Executive Director of ANJRPC, Scott Bach. The American Suppressor Association is proud to stand firm with its partners in the fight to restore the constitutional rights of all Americans.
Lawmakers in New Jersey are accused of relying on Hollywood's characterisation of suppressors to justify their ban. However, the organisations argue that suppressors are essential for safe and responsible firearms use, and their ban is a violation of the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. The outcome of this lawsuit could set a precedent for other states with similar bans on suppressors.
