Florida approves silencers for game hunting

By Barbara Liston ORLANDO Fla. (Reuters) - Florida wildlife officials lifted a 57-year-old ban on game hunters using silencers on their rifles and pistols after brief discussion at a public meeting on Friday. The change, sought by the National Rifle Association, went into effect immediately and brings the state’s hunting rule in line with those in 32 other states. No one spoke against the measure at a public meeting in Key Largo of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission although gun control advocates have argued in the media that a loud report improves safety by alerting people that someone is shooting nearby. Buck Holly, a custom rifle maker in southwest Florida, told the commission that "gun suppressors" drastically reduce sound and recoil, making it easy to talk to a companion and reducing children’s fear of shooting. “They honestly think it’s fun,” Holly said. FWC hunting and game manager Diane Eggemon said suppressors reduce the decibel level of a gunshot but that the sound remains louder than a live rock concert. (Editing by David Adams and Jim Loney)