[geeks] Geek-gun?

[James Lockwood]

On Tue, 18 Jun 2002, Kurt Huhn wrote:

> The pop, thud, or 'wonk' that you hear is the rapid expansion of air.
> If you give that air an enclosed are in which to expand, it will reduce
> the noise released to the environment.  It's not the potato that you're
> trying to silence, rather you're trying to supress the noise made by the
> rapid expansion of the air.  Check out spudguns.com for a picture, I
> think it's in the products section.  Basically it's a cylinder, packed
> with a lightweight, fireproof, sound-absorbing material, fit over the
> barrel, which has holes in it.  It's actually very effective.  I have no
> idea whether it is entirely legal or not...

Silencers are legal to manufacture and own by Federal law. To manufacture
one, however, you usually have to have a manufacturers license from the
BATF (which essentially gives up the right to be immune from random
searches).  Alternatively you can request permission from the NFA branch
of the BATF if you will never sell it and are in a Title II friendly
state.  You will have to have it stamped with a unique serial number and
have this S/N registered.

To own one, if you live in a state that has not prohibited this, you go
through the same procedure as you would for a machine gun (BATF Form 4,
$200 tax, etc).  The BATF has declared silencer "parts" to be the same as
owning a silencer, people have been sent to jail for nothing more than a
section of muffler pipe and fender washers on paintball guns.

In some states such as California, you will not be granted an exemption
unless you are filming a movie with the prop.

Few government organizations have less of a sense of humor than the BATF.
They make the laws, they enforce them, and they are not required to even
advertise precisely what they are.  Try to find formal specs on what is or
is not a silencer and you will find one answer: whatever the BATF wants it
to be.

-James