A sound decision as moderators to be taken off licences

After years of lobbying and more than 19,000 consultation responses, the Government has finally confirmed what the shooting community has long argued – that sound moderators should be removed from firearms licensing controls.

Dame Diana Johnson made the announcement in a written ministerial statement, accepting that the current system creates an unnecessary burden for both certificate holders and already-stretched police licensing departments.

The decision validates years of campaigning by BASC and other shooting organisations, which consistently argued that treating “a metal tube containing baffles” as a firearm made little practical sense.

Christopher Graffius, BASC’s executive director of communications and public affairs, said:

“The announcement comes off the back of years of lobbying work and we are glad the Government has listened to the reasoned arguments put forward.”

What does this mean for shooters?

So what does this actually mean for your next sound moderator purchase?

The changes will end the variation procedure entirely. No more weeks of waiting for police approval to upgrade what is essentially hearing protection equipment.

The numbers are compelling. According to BASC’s director of firearms, Bill Harriman, this change will “reduce the police’s workload in licensing firearms by 32%”. That time could be far better spent processing certificate applications, for which many forces are struggling with significant backlogs.

For shooters, the move should substantially improve both availability and pricing. Without dealers having to navigate variation paperwork for every sale, we should see greater choice and competition in the sound moderator market.

With an estimated 200,000 moderators held legally across Great Britain, the administrative burden has been substantial.

A catch in the detail

However, there is a catch.

Rather than complete deregulation, the Government proposes making it an offence to possess a sound moderator without holding a firearms certificate.

The Countryside Alliance has questioned this addition, suggesting that sound moderators would effectively “be treated like shotgun ammunition”.

Mr Harriman was equally concerned, stating BASC would “seek clarity on the meaning” to ensure this doesn’t become “licensing by the back door”.

It repeats the familiar pattern of genuine progress with strings attached.

The changes require primary legislation with no firm timeline, so relief for overwhelmed licensing departments remains some way off. Parliamentary time is always competitive and shooting matters rarely take priority.

Nevertheless, this represents meaningful progress after decades of what many considered disproportionate regulation.

The shooting community will welcome the advance while maintaining careful scrutiny of how the legislative details actually develop. Until primary legislation is passed, the existing licensing requirements for sound moderators will remain in place.

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