Waiting Time for Suppressor Approval?

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markr6754

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Centerville, OH
I know I'm still well at the beginning of the approval line, but wondering for anyone getting a suppressor approved in 2022, how long did it take after submission?


My Form 4 went in 15 July with an estimated 1-3 month wait. I never heard of anyone getting theirs in less than 3 months, and some much longer than that, but I'm hoping that I'm approaching the 1/2 way mark.
 
markr6754 said:
I know I'm still well at the beginning of the approval line, but wondering for anyone getting a suppressor approved in 2022, how long did it take after submission?
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I'm getting approved paper Form 4's that were submitted in July & August 2021.
I had a couple of dozen approved eForm 4's that were submitted prior to March 2022. I have not had a single eForm approved submitted after March 1st.

My Form 4 went in 15 July with an estimated 1-3 month wait.
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Who "estimated" that time period? You should slap them. Then go back and slap them every 1-3 months because they are flat out lying to you.
ATF never promised a "90 day approval", but mentioned that they "are committed to our GOAL of 90 day approvals". Shame on any gun dealer promising 90 day approvals.



I never heard of anyone getting theirs in less than 3 months,
Click to expand...
I've had one expedited eForm 4 approved in under two weeks.
I've had a dozen approved in less than 100 days. That ain't happening lately.
NFA processing times, whether paper or eForms has ALWAYS been dependent on the volume of forms being submitted. The reintroduction of eForm 4's last December saw a huge increase in silencer sales and a corresponding increase in eForm 4's. The earliest submissions were processed very fast, but as the apps increased so did processing time.

ATF received enough complaints about their illogical process of prioritizing eForms over paper, that they eventually decided to go back and clear the backlog of paper F4's. Ive received more paper F4's in the last month than all of December, January and February combined.

and some much longer than that, but I'm hoping that I'm approaching the 1/2 way mark.
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Dude, you ain't even close. Plan on six months.

ATF is required by law to update NFA processing times every 90 days. They have failed at that requirement. The most recent update was for the 90 day period ending June 30th:
https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/current-processing-times
Those times will increase during the next 90 day period.
 
Below I pasted data from the website, which is what I relied on from The Silencer Shop prior to starting my application in June. It took some time for them to get approval to ship my can to my LGS...and that is when I started the paperwork, which went pretty quickly. I guess it is what it is. I'll have plenty of time to stew...I mean wait. In all seriousness, I've heard from guys that are on their 13 month. I'm nothing special, so wait I must. But one can hope!

"What is the current wait time for a suppressor?
Per the ATF, an eForm 4 is expected to be approved in 90 days. Silencer Shop has seen approval of ATF eForm 4 by Powered By Silencer Shop dealers in as quickly as 7 days. ATF has communicated these timelines for their processing as of July 2022."
 
markr6754 said:
"What is the current wait time for a suppressor?
Per the ATF, an eForm 4 is expected to be approved in 90 days. Silencer Shop has seen approval of ATF eForm 4 by Powered By Silencer Shop dealers in as quickly as 7 days. ATF has communicated these timelines for their processing as of July 2022."
Click to expand...
That's malarkey and Silencer Shop knows it.
"Per the ATF..." well ATF stated their GOAL was 90 day approvals. No where, no how, never mentioned anywhere by ATF did they ever state they expected 90 day approvals this early. That's 100% Silencer Shop marketing and sales guys bending the facts. Whether a handful of Silencer Shop Powered By Dealers have seen approvals "in as quickly as 7 days"......well that too is malarkey. Ultra fast approvals can happen because they buyer is LE or military and should not be taken as normal. (I've been a Powered By Dealer since SS started the program)

As far as "ATF has communicated these timelines..."? Again, I gave you the link to ATF's own website where as of June 30th they show 100 days as the average processing time.
 
Submitted my first can on 12/28/21, approved 7/11/22.
2nd can submitted 4/30/22, still waiting....?
 
first can ordered paper form Oct 1, 2021
ATF cashed check Nov 4, 2021
I am expecting it right around the first of the year
 
Thanks for the responses. It will arrive when it arrives. No sense in marking a calendar as it'll just bring on frustration as we go well past the timeframe I'd hoped for. Go eForms, they said. It'll be faster, they said. Clearly, no quiet summer shooting this year.
At least now I have time to shop for, and order multiple adjustable gas blocks for my ARs.
 
markr6754 said:
That truly sucks. I think it's best to just quit waiting. I'll just pretend I threw all that money in the toilet. I hope my LGS is still in business, and I'm still alive, when the can is approved.
Click to expand...

Yeah just focus on other projects and it'll be a nice surprise when it comes through.
Back during the 41F rule change awhile back I waited 14 months for my two suppressors. Is what it is. Time is going to pass either way, might as well give future-you a cool new toy.
 
markr6754 said:
Below I pasted data from the website, which is what I relied on from The Silencer Shop prior to starting my application in June. It took some time for them to get approval to ship my can to my LGS...and that is when I started the paperwork, which went pretty quickly. I guess it is what it is. I'll have plenty of time to stew...I mean wait. In all seriousness, I've heard from guys that are on their 13 month. I'm nothing special, so wait I must. But one can hope!

"What is the current wait time for a suppressor?
Per the ATF, an eForm 4 is expected to be approved in 90 days. Silencer Shop has seen approval of ATF eForm 4 by Powered By Silencer Shop dealers in as quickly as 7 days. ATF has communicated these timelines for their processing as of July 2022."
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how long they have had these updates on their site.

https://www.silencershop.com/atf-wait-times
 
dogtown tom said:
This week:
I received seven paper Form 4's.......all submitted prior to August 1, 2021.
I received (today) two eForm 4's, both submitted 2/19/22.
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So this provides an itty bitty bit of relief...I submitted eForm 4. Rather the shop did on my behalf. I thought I'd wait before buying another...but doesn't seem that it makes a difference. I wish they'd let me borrow it while it's still in jail. You know...like a supervised release. ji ji ji
 
Local FFL says they’re closing the loop on some eForms initiated in February of this year.

6 - 7 months, roughly...
 
markr6754 said:
So this provides an itty bitty bit of relief...I submitted eForm 4. Rather the shop did on my behalf. I thought I'd wait before buying another...but doesn't seem that it makes a difference. I wish they'd let me borrow it while it's still in jail. You know...like a supervised release. ji ji ji
Click to expand...

My prior FFL, who had a range attached to the shop, allowed that...
 
markr6754 said:
So this provides an itty bitty bit of relief...I submitted eForm 4. Rather the shop did on my behalf. I thought I'd wait before buying another...but doesn't seem that it makes a difference. I wish they'd let me borrow it while it's still in jail. You know...like a supervised release. ji ji ji
Click to expand...
Some dealers will do that, especially if they have an on premises shooting range.
 
N555 said:
Some dealers will do that, especially if they have an on premises shooting range.
Click to expand...
"Especially"? o_O
"Some dealers" would be committing a federal crime by letting someone take possession before the tax stamp is in hand. I've never heard of "some dealers" who are that stupid. Further, the buyer would also be committing a federal crime by being in possession of an NFA firearm that is not in his lawful possession.

The ONLY lawful way for an FFL to let the buyer use his NFA firearm during the approval process is by the firearm being in the dealers possession. Either at his range on his licensed premises or at another location with that dealer in attendance.

In no shape, matter or form is it legal for "some dealers" to allow an NFA firearm to be taken away from his licensed premises without the dealer accompanying it.
 
dogtown tom said:
"Especially"? o_O
"Some dealers" would be committing a federal crime by letting someone take possession before the tax stamp is in hand. I've never heard of "some dealers" who are that stupid. Further, the buyer would also be committing a federal crime by being in possession of an NFA firearm that is not in his lawful possession.

The ONLY lawful way for an FFL to let the buyer use his NFA firearm during the approval process is by the firearm being in the dealers possession. Either at his range on his licensed premises or at another location with that dealer in attendance.

In no shape, matter or form is it legal for "some dealers" to allow an NFA firearm to be taken away from his licensed premises without the dealer accompanying it.
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Pffft..
I'll be sure to tell them that next time I go shoot one of my silencers while its still in NFA jail.
My NFA dealer is a semi retireed lawyer so I really highly doubt he is doing anything that could be construed, stretched or reinterpreted as breaking a law.
So forgive me if I think you're full of it.
 
Last edited:
N555 said:
Pffft..
I'll be sure to tell them that next time I go shoot one of my silencers while its still in NFA jail.
My NFA dealer is a semi retireed lawyer so I really highly doubt he is doing anything that could be construed, stretched or reinterpreted as breaking a law.
So forgive me if I think you're full of it.
Click to expand...
So your FFL/SOT allows you to take your silencer off on your own, him not present to a range thats not on his premises?
Name the dealer.

As far as me being "full of it".....what I posted is what is required by federal law/ ATF regs. I would love for you to cite where ATF regs would permit such possession by you away from your dealers premises without him in attendance.

I eagerly await your response, because you'll either be outing your dealer and yourself as violating federal law or you'll claim that you misread my post.
It will be epic either way.
 
N555 said:
Where did I day that?
No you assumed it.
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Yet you wrote "Pffft......" at my post. That and "I think you're full of it." Which pretty much means you think my post was false, misleading, bloviating and inaccurate.
It wasn't and you can't prove what I wrote isn't true......I can.

By writing "I'll be sure to tell them that next time I go shoot one of my silencers while its still in NFA jail." you imply that your dealer is one who allows you to take the silencer off premises without him being in attendance.

You fail again to provide any factual evidence that "some dealers" allow a customer to take their NFA firearm off premises without the dealer being present.
 
dogtown tom said:
Yet you wrote "Pffft......" at my post. That and "I think you're full of it." Which pretty much means you think my post was false, misleading, bloviating and inaccurate.
It wasn't and you can't prove what I wrote isn't true......I can.

By writing "I'll be sure to tell them that next time I go shoot one of my silencers while its still in NFA jail." you imply that your dealer is one who allows you to take the silencer off premises without him being in attendance.

You fail again to provide any factual evidence that "some dealers" allow a customer to take their NFA firearm off premises without the dealer being present.
Click to expand...
Nope I never said anything like that.
You wanted to assume that so you could blow your nfa whistle at something.
I don't understand what kind of mental gymnastics you had to preform to warp "dealer has a range on premises" into "taking the silencer off premises" but I applaud your efforts. You really stuck to it and doubled down when any rational person would have realized the mistake walked away.
 
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