SCI and Leading Gun Rights Organizations Stand in Opposition to NJ Suppressor Ban
Safari Club International (SCI) proudly joined prominent Second Amendment rights organizations in seeking summary judgment in their lawsuit challenging New Jersey’s suppressor ban.
Last year, SCI and its coalition partners sued the State, alleging that the ban violates the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution by prohibiting the possession of arms in common use among Americans. There are over 6 million suppressors registered in the United States, to assist lawful gun owners and hunters in protecting their hearing.
Today’s filing argues that a firearm suppressor must be viewed as a part of a firearm and therefore protected under the Second Amendment. Limiting the use of this piece of equipment restricts access to that constitutionally protected right. Moreover, prohibiting one component of a firearm opens the door for banning firearms piecemeal, a slippery slope wherein firearms could be eventually outlawed one part at a time.
“The constitutional right to bear arms is inseparable from the right to hunt,” said SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. “Allowing the government to ban one component of a firearm puts the equipment hunters rely on and the tradition itself in jeopardy. SCI is proud to join with these prominent organizations to defend the Second Amendment and, with it, hunters across the nation.”
The SCI Center for Conservation Law and Education is supporting this litigation on behalf of hunters in New Jersey (and around the country) who wish to use suppressors for hunting to reduce gunshot noise.
“The SCI Center for Conservation Law and Education is dedicated to protecting hunters’ rights and ensuring continued access to the tools and opportunities necessary to pursue our sporting heritage,” said Rew R. Goodenow, the Center’s President. “Suppressors help reduce gunshot noise, improve the hunting experience, and benefit hunters and surrounding communities alike. We are pleased to stand with New Jersey hunters in challenging restrictions that limit access to this lawful and widely accepted hunting equipment.”
Suppressor bans not only infringe on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding hunters, but deny sportsmen and women access to one of the most effective tools available for protecting their hearing in the field. Hunters often forego traditional hearing protection to remain alert to wildlife and their surroundings, making suppressors a critical safety device that reduces exposure to damaging gunshot noise. SCI urges the court to uphold the Constitution and enter summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, ensuring hunters can continue to access these lawful and beneficial tools.
About Safari Club International
For over 50 years, SCI has been the leader in defending the freedom to hunt and promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI is unique in the scope of its ability to defend and advance the freedom to hunt. SCI is the only hunting rights organization with a Washington, D.C.-based national and international advocacy team and an all-species focus. SCI also mobilizes more than 150 chapters and affiliate networks representing millions of hunters around the world.
About the SCI Center for Conservation Law and Education
The SCI Center for Conservation Law and Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting hunting, scientific wildlife management, and sustainable-use wildlife conservation through support for litigation and public and policymaker education. The Center creates change where it matters most: in courts, commissions, and legislatures. The Center seeks to engage the broader conservation community to support its essential mission.
