With all the talk about NEW restrictive gun legislation, I have been wondering about the legitimacy of existing legislation - in particular, the onerous process for purchasing a 'silencer.'

I do not currently own a silencer (is the better term 'suppressor'?), but every time I 'tune in' to my constant tinnitus, I wonder if use of silencers might have made a difference. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to don double ear protection every time I visit the range. Given that some European countries allow sales of silencers over-the-counter as a means of protecting the hearing of people who shoot and those around them, it led me to wondering about the passage of the current restrictive legislation.

As I understand it, the original legislation was passed in the National Firearms Act of 1934 which was specifically designed to regulate "gangster weapons." In 1968 the NFA was re-written because the NFA was found to be unenforceable and they added "destructive devices."

So going back to the original 1934 act to regulate silencers, it seems they were included in the legislation due to gangsters use in the years immediately following repeal of Prohibition.

Has anyone researched the background that led the government to restrict silencers? Has the NRA or other group made any effort to repeal the restrictions on sales and use of silencers?