Originally Posted By: BrianIDOriginally Posted By: Bowhntr6ptOriginally Posted By: TxhillbillyWhich is worse? Paying a $200 Federal Tax Stamp fee or being arrested, spending thousand's of dollars on lawyer fees, and more than likely wind up spending 10 years of your life in a Federal prison, along with loosing your rights to ever own another firearm.
That $200 stamp doesn't look so bad after all!
My point exactly.
Look, I've been in LE for well over 20 years. I've seen laws ignored and I've seen the same laws aggressively enforced. Depending on which way the wind is blowing...
To compare the lack of enforcement, chances of enforcement, or interest in same concerning NFA stuff on the behalf of the Fed. Govt. with user amounts of marijuana is absurd. Even more so considering the current administration. State law means diddly.
I think we do each other a disservice when we post opinions that suggest the risks of detection/arrest/prosecution are minimal at best thus encouraging others who simply might not know how level, or not, the playing field actually is.
While I personally disagree with having to register suppressors, I won't have any sympathy with someone who gets their life wrecked because they thought no one would care about a non-registered Texas made suppressor possessed in Texas.
In September I would much rather get pulled over and checked by Texas State police with a "made in Texas, no stamp" suppressor than a bag a marijuana. I'm sure there are hundreds and possibly thousands of guys that have "made in Kansas" suppressors and I'm only aware of the one dealer and the one buyer that have been prosecuted. They didn't serve jail time but did get probation.
I would agree that if you run into the wrong federal agent, getting caught with a suppressor could have some significant legal consequences. You could get charged with a felony and loose your right to own guns.
That is just my opinion and my advice is worth what you paid for it. ($0.00) I'm not a lawyer and do not have any law enforcement experience. Unless the the feds make some quick legal examples out of several "made in Texas, no stamp suppressors", there will be thousands of unstamped suppressors possessed by Texas gun owners by this time next year.
I suppose each person will have to weight the possible risks and make their own risk-based decision. For me, and my main concern if I were a Texan considering taking advantage of the state law, would be is saving $200 really worth having a seat at the risk table?
I read on another gun board some folks in Texas are considering this nothing more than a feel-good law and don't expect many, if any at all, suppressor makers/dealers will actually put their necks on the line by selling/transferring suppressors to customers w/o the tax stamp process.
Your thoughts on that? I've not researched who in Texas dealer wise is ready to move forward with non-registered sales, do you know of any?
I'd love for Florida to do the same but honestly I'd pass.