How to buy a suppressor?

It’s a daunting question and lengthy process to be sure. Ever since the new e-Forms rolled out this year, the process has dramatically changed. If you haven’t bought a new suppressor in the year 2023 yet, you might not be familiar with how this works. Not to worry we just bought one ourselves.

Buckle up, we’re going to tell you exactly how it worked for us so you can have a smooth silencer purchasing experience yourself. Please note that this process is specifically for those who are buying a brand new can online.

Complete Suppressor Purchasing Process

1. Research then select your desired suppressor for purchase.
2. Make your purchase online and indicate to the seller which FFL you plan on collecting the device from once it’s been approved by the ATF (the shipping address).
   
   *Note: The first half of this process is much easier to do in person.
   
   
3. It will take some time for the purchase to go through initially so in the meantime, go to SilencerShop.com to create an account and fill out all your details under ‘Registration Information’.
4. Once you’ve made an account and setup a profile, take a passport style photo with your phone and upload it to the site.
   
5. Locate the nearest Silencer Shop Kiosk to you and go to it after your suppressor has arrived at your desired FFL. The Kiosks can typically be found in major gun stores. Download the Silencer Shop app on your phone before going.
   
6. At this time, you’ll want to purchase a Tax Stamp ($205) from the Silencer Shop website under ‘Services’. If it’s your first time buying a suppressor we highly recommend purchasing a NFA Gun Trust ($130) as well. (This step can also be done on your phone when you’re at the store but is far easier to do on a computer)
7. Check your email for an email from Silencer Shop which will walk you through the edocs for setting up your new NFA Trust and other details. (If you need help, you can opt to ask someone in person at the gun store where the Kiosk is located)
8. Once you’re in front of the Kiosk, you’ll be asked to provide a code in order to login and identify yourself.
9. Ask someone to walk you through the process. You’ll be asked to fill out details, confirm personal information and most importantly, do a live scan of your fingerprints.
   
10. Once you’ve completed that process give it a few days to process and keep checking back on your Silencer Shop Dashboard. It will show you status changes and tell you once you’re ready to “certify.”
11. Your Dashboard may show you that you have docs that still need to be e-signed for your NFA Trust. If that’s the case, make sure you get that done and download a copy for your records.
12. Don’t forget to print out your NFA Trust docs, get them notarized, sign them yourself and upload those documents to your Silencer Shop Dashboard. (UPS Store is the easiest place to get anything notarized)
13. At this time you need to go to the ATF eForms website to setup an account similar to the way you did for the Silencer Shop account. Make sure you save your login information, password and PIN.
    
14. Once you see the “Ready to Certify” status, call your FFL where your silencer is being held and let them know that you’d like to certify.
15. What happens on this phone call is you and your NFA specialist will login to the eForms website at the same time to double check information is accurate and correct.
    
16. Once the certification is complete your status will once again update in the Silencer Shop Dashboard - thus begins your long wait before actually being able to take possession of your new can.

Suppressor FAQs

Photo Source: 88 Tactical

Congratulations! Now you know what to do from start to finish on how to buy a suppressor in 2023.

When do I receive my Tax Stamp?

When the ATF approves the purchase, that’s when you receive the Tax Stamp, typically via email under Spam folder. Your tax stamp is not literally postage stamp like what we use at the post office.

The FFL that you’ll be picking the can up from will be able to download and print the stamp for you. They should even be able to email it to you if necessary.

How long are approval wait times for eForms?

The typical wait times will range from 7-9 months if you’re lucky. There are rare occasions where some receive approval in as little as 3-4 months but that does not happen often. Reddit also recently had a rumor speculating that batch approvals made your wait time shorter.

Meaning, if you bought multiple suppressors at once it might help your chances. We haven’t seen enough proof of that though so it remains a theory in our book.

Worst case scenario - we have seen some poor folks wait as long as 15 months. That’s enough time to have a baby and make another one!

What is a NFA Trust for?

Having an NFA trust allows other designated individuals to legally use your NFA weapons or devices (in your presence). It also makes sure that should you have an unexpected death, your NFA items can be easily and legally transferred to those designated persons such as a spouse, family member, or even friend.

Which ATF form is used to buy a suppressor?

Traditionally, Form 4 is used. But with the advent of eForms, it doesn’t really matter since you don’t need to fill out any physical paperwork. Unless you’re an FFL, you’ll need to purchase a Tax Stamp and file the correct paperwork for each suppressor,  Short Barrel Rifle, Short Barrel Shotgun, machine gun, or any other weapon (AOW) that you want.

Form 1 is used for the “solvent trap” category where you turn DIY cans into legitimate suppressors with proper paperwork that legalizes your pet 2A project. Apparently Form 1’s have significantly shorter wait times for appproval too.

How many rounds is a suppressor good for?

Modern suppressors available today claim a service life of 30,000 rounds or even greater. With great care and regular maintenance, we’ve certainly seen some examples of cans reaching those numbers.

Another factor to consider is that besides cleaning your can often, you can also recore it which is a lot cheaper than buying a brand new suppressor. It also helps you avoid the need for another Tax Stamp or extended wait times. Many people do this.

What are the downsides of a suppressor?

We wouldn’t call them downsides, but there are certainly a few more factors to consider once you run a suppressor. These are just some examples:

• You’re now extending your rifle or pistol length greatly so you’ll have to learn to get used to that to maneuver it well.

• Researching and being intentional about what kind of ammo you choose to run will be important as well to ensure optimal performance out of your suppressor. I.e. picking only subsonic loads so that you maximize your can’s sound reduction capabilities.

• When you have a suppressor, you don’t need a lot of gas to cycle your gun. In fact, AR15 barrels made to be specifically suppressed have very tiny gas ports. Having an overgassed rifle with a suppressor only means a lot of hot gas in your face, and that’s extremely unpleasant.

• You’ll have to be more cognizant of the muzzle device so you don’t burn yourself or others when setting your gun down after shooting several rounds.

Do I have to carry my tax stamp with my suppressor?

Some people print out tiny copies to carry in their pistol grips or butt stocks of their rifles. Having a PDF file scanned or image on your phone is plenty good enough if you ever need to prove that your  silencer does in fact belong to you.

What states are not suppressor friendly?

The “non-free” states which do not allow for the sale or private ownership of suppressors include (surprise surprise) California, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Delaware.

Can I put my suppressor on any gun I own?

There are no legal implications barring you from using your suppressor on any gun you own. Just make sure that the calibers you are shooting are compatible with your suppressor.

Start your new Suppressed Build with 80% Arms today!

Are you ready to start your new suppressed AR15 or GST-9? Grab some  80 lowers, GST-9 MOD1 frames, their jigs and let us know if you need any help or advice. We’ve got everything you need to put together the ultra-reliable build of your dreams. Whether it’s for plinking, flat range training, competitions, or hunting. We can help you do it all!