Please Contact Members of the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee Today!
NRA-backed Senate Bill 1743, authored by state Senator Steve Russell (R-45), would allow Oklahomans to use lawfully-possessed suppressors (also referred to as silencers) on firearms for hunting.
SB 1743, the “Landowner’s Hunting Freedom Act," provides for the legalized use of suppressors for landowners and their guests. If enacted in its current form, this legislation would make Oklahoma the first state to differentiate between the legal use of suppressors on public land versus private land. Accordingly, Senator Russell and the National Rifle Association are working together to expand the bill language to legalize suppressors for use on public hunting lands as well. SB 1743 now awaits a hearing in the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee which could be set as early as Wednesday, February 22.
In order to acquire a suppressor, a purchaser must submit the appropriate paperwork to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives where long wait times for approval are unfortunately common (four to six months), undergo a background check by the FBI, find a licensed dealer authorized to conduct the transaction and pay a one-time $200 tax for each device.
While suppressors do not eliminate the sound of a firearm, they do reduce the muzzle report in a manner similar to the way that a muffler reduces exhaust noise from a vehicle. The benefits associated with suppressor use include increased accuracy due to reduced recoil and muzzle blast, protection from hearing damage and reduced noise pollution.
Noise complaints are being used more frequently as an excuse to close shooting ranges, informal shooting areas, and hunting lands throughout the country. Increased use of suppressors will help to eliminate many of these complaints and protect hunting and shooting areas well into the future. For more information on firearms and suppressors, click here.
Please contact members of the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee today. Respectfully request their support of SB 1743 along with an amendment to ensure that hunters on public lands enjoy the same opportunity to benefit from the use of suppressors for hunting as those on private lands.
Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee:
Senator Harry Coates - Chairman
Senator Jerry Ellis - Vice Chairman
Senator Patrick Anderson
Senator Don Barrington
Senator Randy Bass
Senator Bill Brown
Senator Eddie Fields
Senator Earl Garrison
Senator Ron Justice
Senator Charles Wyrick
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