ATF eForm 4 Reduced Wait Times?

As it was explained to me by an FFL/SOT who transfers a huge number of suppressors:

When the pistol brace fiasco developed and the ATF decided to create an amnesty SBR registration, the system was truly swamped with applications. The ATF then hired contractors who were assigned to deal with the SBR/Brace backlog. Once the SBR/Brace backlog was down, these contractors were reassigned to work on *individual* eForms, which cut the processing time tremendously. The contractors are not working on forms submitted previously, nor are they working on trusts. This means that forms submitted and in process prior to the reassignment of contractors and "trust" applications are still going through the standard/old way and many are still hung up.

In my opinion, the problem was that the ATF capriciously changed their stance on braces and it would awkward to suddenly require a Form 4/SBR for a pistol brace and then fail to process anything in a reasonable time span. That sort of seemingly intentional bottleneck would be an obvious obstruction to lawful activity. Some folks had already been waiting for over a year for any kind of approval, which is insane in itself, then comes the rule change. By putting on contractors vs relying on in-house staff, they were able to meet the temporary high demand.

As I had posted upstream, I just had a 4 day approval (counting the weekend days) on a pistol can and my "approved" email from the ATF arrived Sunday evening.

I had ordered two rifle cans and just about they arrives and the time I was ready to submit, ATF had some sort of software "glitch" and suddenly had difficulty accepting eForms with "cadence" (the suffixes Jr, Sr, III, etc.) and it took me about three weeks to finally get the ATF system to accept my two eForm4s. I was finally able to submit them yesterday. My FFL/SOT told me approvals are variable, but generally pretty quick, and said that some of the "lucky ones" have gone through in two days, while some are taking a week or more.

FWIW: The Form 4 I submitted on a suppressor in 2003 took just under three months for the ATF to do their 15 minute background check, which was said to be about average back then.
 
It's still just a cluster f*k when you think about how much more difficult it is to get hearing protection than buying a firearm itself. I can walk in and buy a firearm in 30min and go shoot…oh, you want hearing protection, I need ur fingerprints, take ur pic, $200 tax, and 6mo+.

Beauracracy and liberal policies at their best. SMH 🤬
 
It's still just a cluster f*k when you think about how much more difficult it is to get hearing protection than buying a firearm itself. I can walk in and buy a firearm in 30min and go shoot…oh, you want hearing protection, I need ur fingerprints, take ur pic, $200 tax, and 6mo+.

Beauracracy and liberal policies at their best. SMH 🤬
Most of Europe and most of Africa, they are sold over the counter as accessories. But, the guns are hard to get there.

I'd rather have a 2A and wait time on suppressors!
 
Most of Europe and most of Africa, they are sold over the counter as accessories. But, the guns are hard to get there.

I'd rather have a 2A and wait time on suppressors!
If I had to pick, I agree with you. Ideally the US should simplify the process of purchasing suppressors. Hollywood movies have all the uninformed fearing we can all walk around and sniper people without making a sound. 🙄
 
If I had to pick, I agree with you. Ideally the US should simplify the process of purchasing suppressors. Hollywood movies have all the uninformed fearing we can all walk around and sniper people without making a sound. 🙄
Well, it looks like ATF did simplify it, or speed it up a bit. Or they are trying to.

Gov is slow to change.
 
Silencer Central keeps updating their approval windows also. Maybe with a little luck it will be a short wait time for me.(112 day avg)

NFA STATUS
CURRENTLY RECEIVING APPROVALS FROM APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED:
Form 3
— 1-4 days from submission
Paper Form 4 Trust/Corp — Submitted Oct. 2023 – Feb. 2024; Avg. 190 Days
Electronic Form 4 Trust/Corp — Submitted Dec. 2023 – Feb. 2024; Avg. 112 Days
Individual Electronic Form 4 — Submitted Jan. 2024 – May. 2024; Avg. 2 Days
 
Silencer Central keeps updating their approval windows also. Maybe with a little luck it will be a short wait time for me.(112 day avg)

NFA STATUS
CURRENTLY RECEIVING APPROVALS FROM APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED:
Form 3
— 1-4 days from submission
Paper Form 4 Trust/Corp — Submitted Oct. 2023 – Feb. 2024; Avg. 190 Days
Electronic Form 4 Trust/Corp — Submitted Dec. 2023 – Feb. 2024; Avg. 112 Days
Individual Electronic Form 4 — Submitted Jan. 2024 – May. 2024; Avg. 2 Days
I went through SC and it was submitted on 12/15/23. E-form trust (single person) and I am still waiting. It's been 154 days. I'm getting impatient. I'm hoping that I am going to get approval ASAP because of quoted message above.
 
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My Local dealer said he has had individual trusts come back in 24 to 48 hrs. Impressive. I'm looking to order my first can this week.
 
This is an election year. They are expediting to buy votes for the old man in the White House.
It's possible you're correct, but I'd never in a million years change my vote for such a trivial gesture. I would quickly agree that college loans and immigration orchestrated invasion are buying the maggot votes with our money, but this?
 

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