On Friday, July 18, a coalition of six leading gun rights organizations comprised of the National Rifle Association (NRA), American Suppressor Association (ASA), Safari Club International (SCI), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC), and the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS), as well as Silencer Shop, announced the filing of a joint federal lawsuit in the District of New Jersey challenging the state of New Jersey’s unconstitutional ban on firearm suppressors. This litigation joins Anderson v. Raoul, the ASA Foundation and Silencer Shop—backed lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ban on suppressors in Illinois, at the forefront of pro-suppressor litigation.
Also known as silencers, suppressors are hearing safety devices that reduce the noise of a gunshot by an average of 20 to 35 decibels. That is why 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 all recommend the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage. Suppressors are “arms” under the Second Amendment and enjoy the same constitutional protection as the firearms they are attached to. The government cannot categorically ban them without first proving a historical tradition of such bans – a burden it cannot meet.
“Suppressors are essential for reducing the risk of hearing loss for gun owners and hunters,” explained John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director. “The NRA is proud to partner with like-minded allies to restore constitutional protection for these important hearing safety devices. This challenge is critical to defending the Second Amendment rights of New Jerseyans and protecting their health and freedoms.”
Click here to read the complaint.
“The ban on suppressors in New Jersey is an unacceptable violation of Second Amendment rights for law-abiding gun owners across the Garden State. Suppressors are an essential safety device that protects the hearing and preserves situational awareness for millions of gun owners and sportsmen,” said ASA President and Executive Director Knox Williams. “For too long, out of touch bureaucrats in state capitols have prioritized misguided political beliefs over the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. At the American Suppressor Association, we are proud to stand firm with our partners in the fight to restore the constitutional rights of all Americans.”
“Safari Club International has long stood at the intersection of hunting rights and constitutional freedoms. This case isn’t just about suppressors: it’s about defending the ability of hunters to pursue game safely and lawfully. SCI has a strong record of litigating to protect regulated bear hunting in New Jersey, and views this case as a continuation of our commitment. SCI is proud to join forces with respected partners in this litigation, united by a shared commitment to defending the Second Amendment and hunting heritage. SCI stands firmly on behalf of our growing community in New Jersey, including our newly formed Garden State Chapter, to ensure that the rights of hunters are respected and upheld,” said W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of Safari Club International.
“New Jersey’s total ban on silencers deprives the state’s residents of access to constitutionally protected arms,” said SAF’s Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Silencers are nothing more than mufflers designed to mitigate the damage caused to a users’ ears when firing a gun, no different than the muffler found on automobiles. Additionally, their use provides benefits to the surrounding communities by mitigating the noise created when shooting guns. Former President Theodore Roosevelt was known to use these devices while hunting and they are commonly used in Europe, which is anything but gun friendly. Lawmakers rely on Hollywood’s characterization of these tools to justify keeping their heads in the proverbial sand. We look forward to working with our partners to overturn this unconstitutional ban.”
“This case will send shockwaves through the New Jersey statehouse, where lawmakers pretend that the Second Amendment doesn’t apply to them. They are about to get a wake-up call like no other, and ANJRPC is proud to be a part of this historic effort,” said Executive Director of ANJRPC Scott Bach.
“We are proud to stand among our partners at ASA, NRA, SAF, ANJRPC and Safari Club in this critical step to restore the Second Amendment rights of New Jersey residents. There is nothing ‘common sense’ about a total ban on suppressors, an arm that can only be used by the people of this state to exercise their core Constitutional rights in a safer manner,” said NJFOS Director of Legal Operations Joe Loporto.
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