The PARTS Act of 2025 redefines "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" in federal law to include both complete sound-reducing devices and the main housing components intended for attachment to a portable firearm.
Tim Sheehy
Senator
MT
The PARTS Act of 2025, or Protecting Americans Right To Silence Act, updates the federal definition of a "firearm silencer" or "firearm muffler." This legislation clarifies that both complete sound-reducing devices and the main housing component of such a device are legally considered silencers if designed to attach to a portable firearm. This change ensures that the core components intended for noise reduction are regulated under existing federal law.
PARTS Act Redefines 'Silencer': Main Housing Component Now Legally the Whole Device
The Protecting Americans Right To Silence Act of 2025 (PARTS Act) isn't about changing who can own a firearm silencer, but rather what the federal government legally considers a silencer in the first place. This is a technical change that carries some big regulatory weight, especially for manufacturers and sellers of firearm components.
The New Legal Blueprint
Section 2 of the PARTS Act updates the definition of "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" in federal law (specifically 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(25)). Right now, a silencer is generally understood as the complete device used to quiet the noise of a portable firearm. The PARTS Act clarifies this by stating a device counts as a silencer if it is designed to quiet a portable firearm and can be attached to it, even with an adapter.
The Component That Changes Everything
Here’s the part that matters: The bill explicitly expands the definition to include the "main outer tube or housing" of a sound-reducing device. If that outer shell is designed to hold the internal, sound-dampening parts and attach to a gun, it is now legally defined as the silencer itself. Think of it like this: Before, the government might have seen the housing as a part of a car. Now, under the PARTS Act, the housing is the car, even if the engine and seats aren't installed yet.
Why This Matters for the Supply Chain
This redefinition has major implications for the firearm accessory industry. Silencers are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA), meaning they require specific manufacturing licenses, a $200 tax stamp for transfer, and strict registration rules. By legally defining the main housing as the silencer, the PARTS Act ensures that manufacturers selling just the outer shell—which is often the most expensive and complex part to machine—must now treat that component as a fully regulated NFA item. This closes a potential loophole where component kits might have been sold without NFA compliance, but it also significantly increases the compliance burden and cost for anyone manufacturing or selling these specific components.