Renowned gun maker Smith & Wesson is acquiring suppressor manufacturer Gemini Technologies Inc., to further the gun maker’s focus on ear protection sales.

Gemtech is a well-known manufacturer of “high quality suppressors and accessories for the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets.”

According to WWLP, James Debney, of Smith & Wesson parent company American Outdoor Brands, said:

Gemtech is widely recognized for producing some of the finest rifle and pistol suppressors in the market. Gemtech’s strong product development capabilities, combined with our experience in brand management and our manufacturing expertise, will help us to efficiently develop both firearms and suppressors, minimizing our time to market for both product categories.

Debney made clear that the acquisition of Gemtech is viewed as an opportunity “to enter the suppressor category, which resonates strongly with [Smith & Wesson’s] core firearm consumer.” And that opportunity comes as focus on the importance of hearing protection for sport shooters and hunters is expanding.

On April 28, 2017, Breitbart News reported that AR-15 manufacturer Daniel Defense jumped into the hearing protection market with their own suppressor, the DD Wave. In a press release obtained by Breitbart News, Daniel Defense said the DD Wave was made via “unique one-piece, 3D-printed Inconel construction [which] eliminates the need for welds [that are] typically the weakest points of a traditional suppressor-providing unmatched strength and durability.”

The push toward new suppressor products and expanded suppressor technology comes as Americans wait for Congress to take up the Hearing Protection Act, which was introduced by Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC-3) and John Carter (R-TX-31) on January 9, 2017. The Act removes suppressors from the purview of the National Firearms Act (1934), streamlining acquisition of the devices for law-abiding citizens while also removing a $200 federal tax on every suppressor sale.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.