MINNESOTA SUPPRESSOR LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS


Another grassroots success story in advancing good-sense on suppressor laws in Minnesota: We had been keeping this on the down-low for the last couple months, as this one was a bit sensitive, but it's good to go as of today!

Chris Stafford, a longtime GEMTECH client that saw a problem that needed to be addressed, asked his representative to start a bill, and this is the result. (Kudos Chris! Those GT cans are as good as yours!)

Historically, Minnesota has been one of the worst offenders in restricting the access to firearm-mounted hearing protection. There have even been roadblocks making it hard to obtain sound suppressors for even their own law enforcement departments, whose employees are exposed to firearms noise as a condition of their employment, not just by recreational choice. There have been positive changes to allow very narrow categories of suppressor ownership (some wildlife agencies, law enforcement, etc.), but not even dealers could possess them to demonstrate them *to* these agencies. GEMTECH couldn’t even “import” our own silencers into the state, so have subcontracted under manufacturing variance for companies like DPMS to get our product into Minnesota.

Today’s law change now advances Minnesota dealers to possess and sell to authorized clients. Baby steps for certain, and nowhere near the freedoms we’d like to see in the Gopher State, but we believe that the more commonplace suppressors are, the myths and misperceptions about them will start to erode, leading to increased freedoms to everyone. Minnesota’s got a long way to go towards a “greener” approach to abating firearm noise, but this is a step in the right direction.

Mike Benson is the Representative that got things moving there on the House side, and Senator Bill Englebritson on the Senate.
Federally licensed firearm importers, manufacturers and dealers firearm silencers possession and sale to authorized law enforcement agencies, military and other licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers authorization

Video of Chris’ testimony is here, about twenty minutes in:
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/media/media_list.php?ls=87&archive_year=2012&archive_month=03&category=committee&type=video&ver=new#monthnav https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=HF1816&ssn=0&y=2011


Bill Status 2125 and companion April 16, HB 1816 passed, and companion SB2125 passed – both went off to the governor and were signed today!

http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/media/media_list.php?ls=87&archive_year=2012&archive_month=03&category=committee&type=video&ver=new#monthnav
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=HF1816&ssn=0&y=2011




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Gotta tell ya, we spent most of the last weekend at the NRA show in St. Louis, listening to tons of Illinois folks come up and go "Oh... Chicago... never happen, can't fight it."

Minnesota is one of the hardest gun-politic states, and while no one likes "dealer only" or "LE only", it's a step in the right direction in getting people used to them. Baby steps. Happened in MI, WA, etc. Don't give up, and one guy can make a start.




Kel (who still remembers fondly Alpine-coastering at Buck Hill after a nice breakfast at the Pannekoeken Huis...)



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and
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Great job, and thanks.

down low, hell us minnesotans were watching this bill and the other one the whole time. LOL

good job though!

Dealers as in FFL class3 holder?

My cans are coming home to MN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank god I missed them!!!!

Whats next, can for my M249!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right On! Let keep the ball rolling.

Ha! Yeah, you're of course correct - it's a little hard to say a public hearing and legislative session was "on the down low" - I was more referring that often Gemtech posts a lot and tries to do our part rallying support via our social media and petitioning legislators, but we, along with some of the people pushing this ball forward, figured this would be best not attracting any anti's interest. Sometimes calling attention to an issue that's going to do ok without extra help can backfire and get opposition motivated.

We're just happy it went like it should have this go-round!

Kel

I've only looked at the summary posted above, but is there specific language restricting this only to Class 3 dealers and such? The way the summary reads, it seems to just specify "manufacturers or dealers"...

Thanks for the assistance, GEMTECH and keep up the work! You have a lot of potential clients in this thread!

Cornish is listed as one of the authors on the House version. I would imagine he voted yes.

The bill text does still appear to limit the purpose of FFL holder's possession of suppressors to be strictly for sale to either LEO or DNR officials. Technicially, this appears to still leave ammunition & rifle manufacturers out in the cold in terms of possession for development purposes. Unless I'm missing an interpretation.

Kel,
Could you comment on this?

Thanks.

One step closer to the average citizen being able to exercise a right I guess.

That's the typical LE Union or LE Police Chief's stance.

This should almost be a sticky here, but, how hard is it to get an FFL in MN? Or could a C&R be used as well?

I'm willing to venture down the FFL path but I don't want to get hung up on something I should have known before hand.