Gun Owners of America, Part 2: Hearing Protection Act & The Hidden Gun Tax

Published on January 26, 2020
Duration: 10:17

This video discusses two key legislative and tax issues impacting gun owners: the Hearing Protection Act and the Pittman-Robertson Act. Alan Rice of Gun Owners of America explains that the Hearing Protection Act aims to reduce the $200 tax stamp and lengthy wait times for sound suppressors, framing it as a public health issue for hearing conservation. He also details the 'hidden' Pittman-Robertson tax, an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition that funds wildlife conservation but is perceived by some as being used against gun owners by anti-gun state agencies. The video suggests legal methods to avoid this tax, such as purchasing stripped receivers and reloading ammunition.

Quick Summary

The Hearing Protection Act seeks to remove sound suppressors from NFA regulations, eliminating the $200 tax and wait times, framing it as a hearing health issue. The Pittman-Robertson Act imposes an 11% excise tax on firearms and 10% on ammunition, funding wildlife conservation but criticized for potential misuse by anti-gun agencies. Legally avoiding this tax involves purchasing stripped receivers for personal builds and reloading ammunition components.

Chapters

  1. 00:19Introduction & SHOT Show 2020
  2. 00:39The Hearing Protection Act Explained
  3. 01:17GOA's Goal: Dismantling NFA
  4. 01:37Sound Suppressors: Hearing Health Issue
  5. 02:00NFA Tax vs. Hearing Protection Act
  6. 02:41Introducing the 'Hidden Gun Tax'
  7. 03:54The Pittman-Robertson Act
  8. 04:44Why the Pittman-Robertson Tax is 'Hidden'
  9. 05:02Concerns Over Wildlife Agency Funding
  10. 06:19Real-World Tax Impact on Shooters
  11. 07:14What Can Gun Owners Do?
  12. 07:44Legally Avoiding the Pittman-Robertson Tax
  13. 08:06Tax-Free Firearm Builds (Stripped Receivers)
  14. 08:33Tax-Free Ammunition Reloading
  15. 09:11Future Threats to Reloading
  16. 09:41Conclusion & Call to Action

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Hearing Protection Act and why is it important?

The Hearing Protection Act aims to remove sound suppressors (silencers) from the National Firearms Act, eliminating the $200 tax stamp and lengthy wait times. Proponents argue it's a public health measure to protect hearing, making firearms safer for recreational shooters, hunters, and competitive marksmen.

What is the Pittman-Robertson gun tax?

The Pittman-Robertson Act imposes an 11% excise tax on rifles/shotguns and 10% on handguns, collected from manufacturers. This tax funds wildlife conservation and hunter education, but critics argue the funds are sometimes used by anti-gun state agencies against gun owners.

How can gun owners legally avoid the Pittman-Robertson tax?

Gun owners can legally avoid the tax by purchasing stripped receivers, which are not considered complete firearms for tax purposes, and building them for personal use. Reloading ammunition components also bypasses the tax on finished ammunition.

Why is the Pittman-Robertson tax considered 'hidden'?

The Pittman-Robertson tax is considered 'hidden' because it is paid by manufacturers at the wholesale level and is not itemized on the consumer's retail sales receipt. Most gun owners are unaware they are paying this additional tax when purchasing firearms or ammunition.

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