Legal issues with moderators

[Martin]

I've been surfing the web on the hunt for information about airgun suppressors, walked away with concerns about the legality of being in the field with a moderator on my airgun and have a shakedown by the local game warden, I live in Louisiana, there are wardens who are decent guys doing a job that needs to be done, BUT!!!!! There are those jackbooted "thugs" as I call them who call the woods theirs and have no problem trumping up something to pop you for. My question is, has anyone ever known anyone who has been detained by the law for having a suppressor on their airgun?

 

[Spray1Mark]

A complex subject matter I think!

 

[racer1]

If you are that concerned,go to Donnie's site and print off the legal info he has & carry it with you.

You're probably not the only concerned guy.

I agree that (most) LEO types are professional, a few other's operate differently.

Head it off before it devolves into a case of "You might be right,but I'm righter".

ALL the LEO types I've encountered are way more interested in what my Hi tech BB gun is,and usually ask to handle & shoot it.

Your mileage might vary..........

 

[DirtyDovi]

Martin,

We have another thread here with some more in depth thoughts and info:

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/airgun-moderators-whats-the-legal-issues/ 

*Not only do the legalities change from state to state, county to county, 
but also depending on what type of shooting is being done and where..

I JUST learned that one from this reply: 

https://www.airgunnation.com/topic/airgun-moderators-whats-the-legal-issues/#post-451548 

That thought wouldn't even have entered my mind - As I'm a 95% 'target-shooter'.. 

For people interested in 'hunting' with them, there's a whole different set of rules. 

And as mentioned - It's hit and miss whether or not they're enforced or ignored..

 

Sam -

PS: I'm finding that linked comment #s aren't always working correctly for some reason, so... 
If the above link didn't go directly to the specific comment: Here ya go - 

"The part no one takes into account is not if it is legal on an air gun. The part most forget to check, is if it is legal to hunt with. In most places in the US, it is not legal to hunt any game animal with a suppressed weapon. 

It is ignored law, till they want someone and use it as an excuse." - ahnlaashock

 

[sonny]

its not a suppressor its a" moderator" lol

 

[ptthere]

A complex subject matter I think!

Yes it is. The problem is that the law the Alphabet org defers to is very vague and can cast a wide net... sometimes.

I've spent the better part of a month digging up as much info as I can on this topic, and there is no clear definitive answer on a federal level. State and local laws vary as well.

The only solid case that favors airguns with mods is the Crooker case, where on an appeal, the federal judges basically said that he was innocent because although he possessed the airgun moderator, and he had knowledge of firearms, there was no evidence that he ever intended to actually adapt it to a firearm. It's a very important case because it injected some rational into the way the feds pursue people with so-called "suppressors."

I'd just say that if your airgun has a moderator on it, don't do something dumb with it. But that's just me and you know what they say about free advice...

 

[Swish]

Man this one gets old. If they were illegal they would have to go across the USA and "bust" every Walmart, Fredmeyer, Bimart, Dicks, Field&stream, Cabelas, Big5, and on and on and on and on. . . . . Oh yeah AOA, Pyramid air, UA, JSAR, FX USA, and on and on. . . 

It's basically to the point now where it's odd to NOT see one on an airgun. It's publicly excepted and there is probably no turning back by now.