Originally Posted by the_gman
Originally Posted by Hunterapp
Can someone share the Special requirements for owning a Suppressor throughout Europe? Anything like our US registration and tax stamp process. Are you discouraged from owning a firearm suppressor to protect the hearing of the shooter & bystanders?

Is the hearing protection discouragement common on the other side of the pond or is this just a United states thing?

I can only speak to the UK. The UK equivalent to OSHA (Health and Safety Executive) essentially have a policy that reads if you are employed to use a firearm in your daily job (gamekeeper, ghillie etc) your employer must take steps to ensure your hearing is protected as far as is reasonably practicable. Ergo, using a suppressor. When I got my first firearms license in 1985, the cops virtually insisted I apply for a can for my .22. Suppressor use and ownership there is normal, expected and relatively simple. Its one of the few things about the UK I miss and that they got right.

My buddy has a suppressor manufacturing business in Germany and he's doing very well so I'm guessing its not that hard in mainland Europe either. Finland both makes and sells a ton of cans so probably not that difficult there. Only in the US could you get hammered on pricing for items that elsewhere are simply disposable, just like a rifle barrel so are much less expensive.

Picked up a gun rag to pass time while working in the U.K. in the 1990's. Was totally floored to see this ^^^^^ sentiment espoused in the various writings. Essentially, using a suppressor was described as the "polite thing to do..."