Crane Discusses Suppressor Myths at House Oversight Committee

During a recent session of the House Oversight Committee, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) challenged common misconceptions about suppressors, urging a more accessible approach for law-abiding citizens interested in these devices.

Crane took the opportunity to engage with representatives from the American Suppressor Association, Knox Williams, retired ATF Deputy Assistant Director Peter Forcelli, and Lawrence Keane from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

He voiced concerns that some elected officials hesitate to ease suppressor regulations due to a lack of understanding of their functionality, suggesting they may be influenced by how suppressors are portrayed in films.

Williams agreed with this observation, prompting Crane to mention his own experience: “I own several suppressors, and, frankly, movies make them out to be whisper quiet, which isn’t true at all.”

Shifting the conversation, Crane challenged the notion that increasing suppressor availability would lead to more crime.

He inquired how often suppressors came up in Forcelli’s extensive law enforcement experience, to which Forcelli replied, “Twice.”

Forcelli elaborated that these instances were not linked to violent crimes but were found during search warrant executions.

Continuing, Crane asked Keane, a former prosecutor, if he had encountered similar situations, and Keane affirmed, “I never came across a case involving a suppressed firearm.”

The discussion highlighted that adding a suppressor to a handgun makes it bulkier and less concealable, which doesn’t appeal to criminals.

Keane pointed out the rising popularity of suppressors, noting there are now around 6.65 million in civilian possession, but this increase has not been correlated with crime rates involving suppressors.