Waiting Time for Suppressor Approval?

JWF III said:
Still waiting 319 days later.:fire:
Silencer Shop says to 8 months, with 179 days average.
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There doesn't seem to be any reasoning behind the time it takes to approve. Some folks do 45 days, some take 16 months.

One would think that the apps would be put in a queue as they arrive; FIFO style (First in, First Out). That would be the logical approach.

Unfortunately, we are dealing with not only a typical bureaucracy, but an one that doesn't really want us to own what they have to approve.
 
Hooda Thunkit said:
There doesn't seem to be any reasoning behind the time it takes to approve. Some folks do 45 days, some take 16 months.

One would think that the apps would be put in a queue as they arrive; FIFO style (First in, First Out). That would be the logical approach.

Unfortunately, we are dealing with not only a typical bureaucracy, but an one that doesn't really want us to own what they have to approve.
Click to expand...
FIFO would work just fine if it was all in ATF's lap, but its not.
With eForms, ATF doesn't need to do any data entry as with paper Forms. They merely check to see if the eForm is complete and then run an FBI NICS check.

Thats where the extended delays typically occur. If the background check is not an immediate "proceed", the FBI will cast it aside and get around to researching when they feel good and ready. This has been a known issue for a decade. Unlike a Title I background check, NFA background checks require a "proceed" response before ATF can approve the transfer. I believe it "times out" at eighty eight days and the eForm is disapproved with the reason given as "FBI unable to resolve background check".
 
dogtown tom said:
FIFO would work just fine if it was all in ATF's lap, but its not.
With eForms, ATF doesn't need to do any data entry as with paper Forms. They merely check to see if the eForm is complete and then run an FBI NICS check.

Thats where the extended delays typically occur. If the background check is not an immediate "proceed", the FBI will cast it aside and get around to researching when they feel good and ready. This has been a known issue for a decade. Unlike a Title I background check, NFA background checks require a "proceed" response before ATF can approve the transfer. I believe it "times out" at eighty eight days and the eForm is disapproved with the reason given as "FBI unable to resolve background check".
Click to expand...

Interesting, I didn't know that. If this is the case, then I think it is safe to assume that if you already have at least 1 NFA item and didn't experience an extended delay, then you should have a reasonable expectation of future purchases going smoothly as well.
 
Jeff H said:
Interesting, I didn't know that. If this is the case, then I think it is safe to assume that if you already have at least 1 NFA item and didn't experience an extended delay, then you should have a reasonable expectation of future purchases going smoothly as well.
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Possibly. But all it takes is for a prohibited person with the same or similar name to appear when they run your check.
 
eForm submitted April 5th, 2023. Still not here yet. Wrote my Senator, Ron Johnson and my House Representative, Tom Tiffany about the wait time and that sure did put some grease on the wheels. Stay in touch with your Congress Critters.
 
I saw some info the other day that implies that individual eform 4 approvals are increasingly happening around 60 days. I had two approved in the past year, one at 56 days, the other at 62, and the store I bought them from has had them come back as fast as 40 days in recent months. If I was still 180+ days into waiting, I'd be hitting up the FBI since that seems to be a common sticking point for the whole process.
 
Jeff H said:
He's not the only one. Mine got approved last week. ATF must have hired more people. ...
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While it may be ATF increasing staff, my guess is FBI NICS increased staffing or changed procedures.
Unlike with paper forms, eForms doesn't require a data processing clerk, so there really isn't much ATF can do on their side.

A year ago, NFA Div was inundated with eForm 1's for shoulder braced pistols. That was four months and thousands of applications NFA wouldn't normally see.
 
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