What to Expect When You’re Expecting (to Buy a New Suppressor)

How the Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF decision shapes purchase options for SilencerCo customers.

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (August 31, 2026) – This has been a hard-fought and expensive fight. Are we excited? Hell yes we are, and rightfully so. You should be, too. This is one of the most consequential legal victories affecting suppressor ownership since the NFA was enacted in 1934. We not only celebrate this victory as a company devoted to making trigger time better, but we celebrate it as dedicated hunters, shooters, and Second Amendment defenders like you.

Since the court’s injunction went into effect at midnight on August 13, we have seen no shortage of rumors, innuendos and speculation spread across social media and the internet regarding how this monumental legal ruling will affect suppressor purchases. Legal rulings are often fertile ground for speculation (that’s why we pay our lawyers so much to combat it) and interpretations in this case will continue to move. That being said, nothing in this communication is or should be considered legal advice. We encourage anyone who has legal questions to seek counsel from their own attorney.

The ruling does not override state law, so availability and purchase requirements vary from state to state. If you are a resident of any of the following 27 states affected by the ruling and seeking to make a qualifying purchase, you have the ability to purchase a SilencerCo suppressor from our dealers using a Form 4473 instead of a Form 4.

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Some retailers are waiting to proceed with Form 4473 transfers. They have their own business reasons for making that decision. That’s their right and we understand. You should, too.

So what does a Form 4473 suppressor purchase look like? If you’ve ever purchased a firearm, the process will look pretty familiar. Here’s a look at the typical process from when a SilencerCo suppressor is made to when it winds up in your possession.

1. SilencerCo manufactures the suppressor in its West Valley City facility. It matters where it’s made: we do everything in house, turning raw materials into formed cans.

2. SilencerCo completes a Form 3 transfer of the suppressor to an authorized distributor, who completes another Form 3 transfer to your favorite local dealer.

3. You visit your dealer and select a SilencerCo suppressor.

4. The dealer will have you complete an ATF Form 4473 and a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) form, the same ones you have completed when you purchased firearms. Your retailer should be very familiar with the forms and ready to assist you with them in the event of questions.

5. When the dealer receives a satisfactory result from the NICS and the guidance to proceed, you pay for your suppressor and take possession of it. You are now free to take the can home, mount it, and have the best shooting experience you’ve ever had. As with firearm purchases, the possibility still exists for delays with NICS results, meaning you may have to return later to take possession.

6. Brag to your friends and family you bought a SilencerCo suppressor without supplying fingerprints or passport photos, making a CLEO notification, or long waiting times. You saved a lot of time and hassle in the process and now own the best suppressor on the planet. Congrats!

The injunction put in place by the ruling is not a universal injunction. Something very important to keep in mind is the Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF ruling did not abolish the National Firearms Act (NFA). This is where it gets confusing for a lot of people so we want to be very clear about SilencerCo’s position on this: qualifying suppressor purchases transferred to you via a Form 4473 are still NFA-regulated items.

One provision of the NFA that is still in force, 26 U.S.C. § 5861(j), prohibits the interstate transport, delivery, or receipt of a suppressor which “has not been registered as required” by the NFA. We do not yet know whether or how this applies to suppressors purchased using a Form 4473. As a result, we strongly encourage customers who use the Form 4473 purchase process to keep their suppressors in the state of purchase.

That same provision is why we are updating our warranty process for suppressors purchased on a Form 4473. Our warranty commitment has not changed, neither has our commitment to standing behind every suppressor we build. If you need service, contact us and we will work out the right path for your situation. The steps may look different, but the outcome will be the same. We will make it right.

If the Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF ruling pertains to you and you prefer to not deal with any of the uncertainties surrounding the new Form 4473 process, you can still purchase a new SilencerCo can with a Form 4 following the same process we’ve been using.

1. SilencerCo manufactures the suppressor in its West Valley City facility. It matters where it’s made: we do everything in house, turning raw materials into formed cans.

2. SilencerCo completes a Form 3 transfer of the suppressor to an authorized distributor, who completes another Form 3 transfer to your favorite local dealer.

3. You visit your dealer and select a SilencerCo suppressor.

4. Go through the original Form 4 process (individual purchase or trust), which includes fingerprinting, CLEO notification, passport photos, background checks, application completion, $0 tax stamp and wait time. Once your purchase is approved, you can return to the dealer and take possession of your can. In the case of trusts, you’ll need to establish the trust, complete and file your paperwork, and ride out the wait time. If you hunt or compete out of state, or if you plan to travel with your suppressors, the Form 4 process helps to ensure you don’t run into any issues with the NFA’s interstate transport requirements.

5. Return to your dealer and take possession of your suppressor. You are now free to take the can home, mount it, and have the best shooting experience you’ve ever had.

Please keep in mind that there are gray areas and situations the ruling did not address. With guidance from our responsible legal team, we strive to be a source of truth while honoring our position in the industry. All updates from SilencerCo will be announced very loudly across all of SilencerCo’s owned channels (website, email, social media, etc.). If you haven’t already, this is your cue to sign up for SilencerCo’s email list and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. While you’re at it, subscribe to our channels on YouTube, too, because the best suppressors on the planet make for the raddest content on the planet. Seriously, go. Check it out and start deciding which cans you’re going to buy to celebrate this historic win.

Ultimately, we want to see the NFA taken out behind the barn.

The Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF ruling is not the finish line in the fight to protect the rights of hunters and shooters. While we all celebrate this milestone win, there are still many victories remaining to be won, including the preservation of rights for all citizens, regardless of their state of residency, and all manufacturers. As we have since we started cranking out cans in 2008, we continue to work with our partners and advocacy groups to bring this to reality. You vote with your dollars. Every SilencerCo purchase not only gets you the best cans ever made, it goes to support the fight for Second Amendment rights.

Until that day comes, SilencerCo will continue to communicate to its customers and retail partners as we navigate this new world. You expect nothing less than the best cans, best service and best advocacy in the industry. It really does matter where it’s made.

SilencerCo

The shooting world’s Source of Silence resides in West Valley City, Utah, and has since 2008 when SilencerCo began in a garage with a single machine producing one suppressor model. The first model, the Sparrow, remains in production today. Born of continuous innovation and the unparalleled performance of its suppressors, SilencerCo remains the industry standard for customer service and commitment to everything it builds through its Lifetime Warranty. With an expanding, fully integrated operation, SilencerCo will continue bringing an enhanced shooting experience to the growing numbers of shooters and hunters who know trigger time should always be a good time. To learn more about how SilencerCo can make a hunt or trip to range even better, go to silencerco.com.