On July 31, Guam quietly became the first U.S. territory to legalize suppressors, a newsworthy announcement that received very little attention from mainstream media, although it was covered by the Pacific Daily News with little fanfare.
Senators passed the measure by overriding Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s earlier June veto in a vote of 10-5, including all nine Republican senators and a Democrat.
Senator William Parkinson introduced Bill No. 27-38, known as the “The Hearing Protection Act of 2025” on January 15. The bill was originally introduced by Senator V. Anthony Ada in 2021. Guam joins 42 states where suppressors are currently legal to own.
The national narrative around suppressors is clouded with ignorance on the part of legislators, along with exaggerated capabilities that are purely a relic of Hollywood movies.
“Suppressors mitigate the sound of a shot, but do not silence it,” said Knox Williams, president and executive director of the American Suppressor Association.
Among the shooting community, suppressors are an important element related to hearing protection. They are common in Europe.
As we reported, on August 1, a coalition of gun rights groups sued the Justice Department and ATF over the NFA regulatory framework subsequent to the removal of the $200 tax on items like suppressors.
In July, a coalition of gun rights groups, along with the grassroots New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate, sued the state of New Jersey over its complete prohibition on suppressors.
