Should "silencers" be legal for hunting?

[DZaidle]

Originally Posted by Artifishual

not to hijack this thread, but in Texas can you legally own a suppressor? i have found a sig 22lr with a Tactical Innovations TAC 65 Suppressor that i would like to own. Just for fun, but want to stay within the law!

any info would be appreciated

Yes. If you comply with the federal requirements, you are clear under Texas law.

[SLaMascus]

Short answer: Yes. There is no Texas law against owning a supressor.

Long answer: It requires that you do the appropriate federal paperwork and purchase or receive the supressor from a firearms dealer with a Class III license. Other than jumping through the federal hoops, it is relatively painless.

[shadedog]

Silencers should be legal for hunting. Suppressors, the true term for silencers, make it easier on the shooter two ways. First, the shooters ears and secondly the recoil is reduced. A .300 WimMag recoil can be reduced to that of a .410 shotgun at the same time not needing ear plugs. There are other issues that concern suppressors: interstate travel, "loaning it to somebody", when shoot you will get echos from objects that will surprise you.
I own four suppressors (.45ACP. .30Cal. .22LR .22Centerfire ) and they really make shooting fun. As for the .45ACP suppressor on carbine conversion on a 1911A1. A dream set-up. If you want more the subject let me know

[Mike Holmes]

As more large tracts of land are divided and sold, and more wildlife live close to settled areas, I think suppressors would make being a good neighbor easier - although there are times I don't care what my own neighbors think. I'm not sure how much gunfire bothers animals, having seen squirrels on a tree "watching" my .30-06 bullets whizzing by, evidently unconcerned, but waking up the neighbors shooting a hog late at night - or during the day if the neighbor is a shift worker - sort of bothers me. Ditto sighting in rifles. In the hunting field, I do not see any legitimate reason to prohibit them. By the way, my own .300 win mag doesn't need a suppressor to reduce recoil - a good stock works wonders.

[Rodngun]

Never needed a silencer in any type of shooting or hunting for the last 40 + years..so I guess I dont need one now..then again- I aint never needed a 300 mag to kill anything in Texas either...guess it just a matter of personal preference.