Sweden makes damper license for free – Vapnetbloggen
Finland and Norway already have very generous legislation and traditions for suppressors, and today Sweden joins the club. The new legislation means that silencers will no longer be considered a weapon part and they no longer require a specific license to possess, as long as you have permission to own the firearm that the silencer fits.
Sweden @ TFB:
“Reliefs in the permit requirement for suppressors will be introduced”
From 1 July 2022, new rules apply to suppressors in Sweden. The new legislation means that dampers will no longer be equated with a weapon part. Instead, attenuators will be regulated in basically the same way as ammunition. This may sound confusing, but in Sweden you need to show a gun permit to buy ammunition and you can only buy ammunition that is in that firearm. In practice, if you own a Glock 17, you can only buy 9×19 mm ammunition, and you must store the ammunition so that unauthorized persons do not have access to it. This is a way to make it harder for criminals to buy and store ammunition.
Below: Glock 45 MOS TB (Threaded Barrel) with a 9 mm A-Tec suppressor from Norway. Will be reviewed as soon as we can pick it up from the store, but we can reveal that we are quite impressed already.
The damper must fit the firearm
Anyone who has the right to possess a firearm may possess a damper that is suitable for that firearm. In practice, this means that the damper’s thread or bracket must fit the firearm’s thread and the exit hole must enable firing with the damper mounted on the weapon. I guess you could in theory own a .50 BMG damper for your .22LR edge fire if there was a way to attach it.
Below: A quick coupling damper from Wyssen Defense, made in Switzerland.
Below: Ruger Precision Rifle with Pulsar Trail 2 XP50 LRF and Ase Utra suppressor from Finland (top) and Blaser with similar setup.
It would also be illegal to continue to own a muffler if you sell a firearm, and that muffler does not fit any of your other firearms. Here it is practical to use attachment points such as three heels or other quick attachment systems for as many of your firearms as possible.
Otherwise, there are no regulations on how many dampers you may own or which models or brands.
Owning a silencer was legal already in Sweden, but you had to pay about 32 dollars and apply for a gun permit. The normal processing time from the Police can be anything from days to several months, depending on workload and other things. Until now, oppressors were more or less only approved for hunting purposes. Getting a license for a sniper for target shooting was virtually impossible, even if you had a medical condition with your hearing. Obtaining a silencer for a handgun – virtually impossible until now when they will be “free” as long as you are the legal owner of the weapon.
Below: Ruger Precision Rifle in .308 Win with the latest Pulsar Thermion 2 XP50 LRF Pro. If the caliber was 6.5 Creedmoor, you could still use the same damper as long as it attaches to the firearm.
Those who already own suppressors do not need to do anything as long as the suppressor is not handed over to anyone or scrapped. If you are a collector, association, etc. that goes beyond the normal, you can still apply for a gun permit to own a suppressor.
In Sweden, all firearms must be stored in safes (with specific standards to define the level of security). However, dampers do not need to be stored in a safe. They must be stored under a “secure lock or in another equally secure manner”, in the same way that ammunition can be stored.
Below: SIG-Sauer P322 (.22LR) with the very light (88 grams) A-Tec Wave Carbon oppressor. On P322, the thread is hidden inside the slide.
“Nordic Belt” with a generous view of suppressors
I think it is safe to say that arms dealers in Sweden will have a busy day today with delivering pre-orders that have been made during the spring. According to information, dampers for .22LR and 9 mm will be the best sellers.
It is not uncommon for gun legislation to be more liberal, but this is a major exception. One can really say that there is a “Nordic belt” with a very generous view of dampers from Norway, Sweden to Finland.
What do you think about the news and which dampers would you invest in from the beginning?
Sources: The Swedish Parliament (“Reliefs in the permit requirement for suppressors will be introduced”) (in Swedish), ISP and Swedish Police (in Swedish)