On July 18, 2025, a coalition of six gunowners’-rights organizations filed a joint federal lawsuit in the District of New Jersey challenging the state of New Jersey’s ban on firearms suppressors.
“This case will send shockwaves through the New Jersey statehouse, where lawmakers pretend that the Second Amendment doesn’t apply to them. They are about to get a wake-up call like no other, and ANJRPC is proud to be a part of this historic effort,” said Executive Director of Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) Scott Bach.
The case is styled as Padua v. Platkin, in which the plaintiffs David Padua is a resident of Deptford, NJ.
Two other individual plaintiffs are also included, Michael Glenn of Forked River, NJ, and Brian Weber of Lambertville, NJ. The Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs, Inc., is based in North Haledon. The New Jersey Firearm Owners Syndicate is based in Atlantic Highlands, according to court documents.
The defendants are NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Patrick Callahan, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
“New Jersey’s total ban on silencers deprives the state’s residents of access to constitutionally protected arms,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Silencers are nothing more than mufflers designed to mitigate the damage caused to a users’ ears when firing a gun, no different than the muffler found on automobiles. Additionally, their use provides benefits to the surrounding communities by mitigating the noise created when shooting guns.”
The groups involved in the suit are the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), American Suppressor Association (ASA), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) and the New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate (NJFOS).
Also known as silencers, suppressors are hearing safety devices that reduce the noise of a gunshot by an average of 20 to 35 decibels. The Centers for Disease Control, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the National Hearing Conservation Association, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgeons, and Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership all recommend the use of suppressors as a tool to mitigate preventable hearing damage.
Kraut said the suit would show that suppressors are “arms” under the Second Amendment and enjoy the same constitutional protection as the firearms they are attached to. The government cannot categorically ban them without first proving a historical tradition of such bans – a burden it cannot meet, Kraut said.
“The ban on suppressors in New Jersey is an unacceptable violation of Second Amendment rights for law-abiding gun owners across the Garden State. Suppressors are an essential safety device that protects the hearing and preserves situational awareness for millions of gun owners and sportsmen,” said ASA President and Executive Director Knox Williams.
“Safari Club International has long stood at the intersection of hunting rights and constitutional freedoms. This case isn’t just about suppressors: it’s about defending the ability of hunters to pursue game safely and lawfully. SCI has a strong record of litigating to protect regulated bear hunting in New Jersey, and views this case as a continuation of our commitment,” said W. Laird Hamberlin, CEO of Safari Club International.
Kraut said former President Theodore Roosevelt was known to use these devices while hunting and they are commonly used in Europe, which is anything but gun friendly. Lawmakers rely on Hollywood’s characterization of these tools to justify keeping their heads in the proverbial sand.
“Suppressors are essential for reducing the risk of hearing loss for gun owners and hunters,” explained John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director. “The NRA is proud to partner with like-minded allies to restore constitutional protection for these important hearing safety devices. This challenge is critical to defending the Second Amendment rights of New Jerseyans and protecting their health and freedoms.”
“We are proud to stand among our partners at ASA, NRA, SAF, ANJRPC and Safari Club in this critical step to restore the Second Amendment rights of New Jersey residents. There is nothing ‘common sense’ about a total ban on suppressors, an arm that can only be used by the people of this state to exercise their core Constitutional rights in a safer manner,” said NJFOS Director of Legal Operations Joe Loporto.
Click here to read the complaint.
