Most people would agree that hearing loss is a problem that is both hard to correct, if not impossible, as well as extremely annoying to both the person affected, as well as those trying to communicate with them. Therefore, it is extremely unreasonable that sound suppressors for firearms are not legal to own or use in NY State. Not only do suppressors help the well-being of the person discharging the firearm, but they also prevent hearing loss among other people who are close by. However, I do believe that if made legal, suppressor sales should be recorded by the government, taking note of those who purchase them, to prevent them from being used by those who would intend to use them in an unlawful way.

The primary reason why a law-abiding citizen would want to purchase a suppressor would be to prevent hearing loss while discharging a firearm. Although it can cause hearing loss, some people decline to wear ear protection, whether it be because they think it is uncomfortable or they left their earplugs in their house. Another problem with normal hearing protection is that you cannot always have enough to distribute to everyone at a range, perhaps they don’t have any to begin with, or possibly they took their protection off when they stopped shooting. Suppressers negate the need for hearing protection, and therefore there wouldn’t be any reason for someone to suffer hearing loss while observing someone who discharges a firearm. It’s not just humans who are affected by the loud noises produced by a firearm, particularly man’s best friend. Many dogs are “gun shy”, and get extremely frightened when they hear a firearm being discharged, similar to dogs who get terrified during thunderstorms. Also, suppressors would allow people to communicate while using firearms. For example, the shooter would be able to hear if someone told them there was something downrange which isn’t intended to be shot at.

If suppressors are so beneficial, why aren’t they available to residents of NY? The reason is misconception among much of the population about what suppressors are, and why they would be of interest to people who qualified to use them. In reality, suppressors do not completely prevent noise from a firearm, but rather reduce it to a level that is both safe for human hearing, and allows people to communicate while someone is firing. Many people believe suppressors to be only being useful to criminals, and not helpful in preventing serious hearing loss among both adults and children. On the other hand, there are very few people who question the legality of mufflers for vehicles. If you would run a car without a muffler, the noise level is very loud, and there are even regulations pertaining to the amount of noise released by a vehicle. It is therefore logical that products preventing firearms from issuing large amounts of noise should be legal or even encouraged in New York State.