Silencers, otherwise known as suppressors, are among the most highly regulated gun accessories in the United States. It can take more than a year to get an answer about a license. Americans eager to skip the wait, though, can tap one of the dozens of online retailers selling de facto suppressor parts and build their own, The Trace reports.
This summer’s spate of mass shootings has increased the appetite in Washington for more restrictive gun safety laws, with Democrats now pushing for a new ban on assault weapons. But if the political calculus on pursuing new firearms restrictions is changing, the flourishing market for DIY silencers shows how difficult it can be to enforce regulations on guns and gun products when those regulations hinge on precise technical specifications.