Suppressor purchasing process advice

[tail_hunter]

First off, I have no experience with suppressors. I want to pick up a couple of 30 cal suppressors to use across several centerfire rifles and a 22 cal for rimfires. I have a few family members I hunt and shoot with and would like to be able to share so we can all gain some experience and preferences in the event (likely) that we want to pick up more. It would also be great to simplify the inheritance of a suppressor in the event that some of the older family members pass. From some quick research it seems that an NFA trust would be the way to go to be able to do this.

Can the process of forming a trust and performing finger prints/background checks be started before purchasing a suppressor?

If we decide to sell a suppressor, is a private sale allowable (assuming the purchasing party goes through the proper steps to be permitted to own a suppressor)?

Does each member of a trust need to pay the $200 tax stamp for each suppressor in the trust?

What is the expected lifespan for the cans (number of shots)? Does it vary from brand to brand?

Does recoil reduction correlate with sound reduction in a linear fashion?

 

[SDPlinker]

Silencer Central - Silencers Made Simple Since 2005

At Silencer Central, we make buying a silencer simple and handle the paperwork for you. Shop online and get started today!

www.silencercentral.com

These folks can answer all your questions and provide your trust.

 

[martinakl]

I did the silencershop.com trust before buying my 1st suppressor. The kiosks make it really easy to get everyone's fingerprints. There's a phone app. for taking your picture. Everything is eSigned.

I just bought #5 and #6 in the last two weeks. Five directly through Silencershop.com. One of the most recent one's I purchased from a Silencershop Kiosk location. Local place had one, Silencershop did not. Silencershop.com is doing all the paperwork for me ($25 charge) so it flows through my trust and my other trustee's can do their part from their cell phone/PC. All they have to do is docusign something. I actually never stepped foot in the store for that purchase. It's all been over the phone, even though they're within a few miles of my house. Point being, Silencerhop.com makes it easy. I've got a boat load of Kiosk locations in my area (Boise, Idaho), so it's just easy.

I've read silencercentral.com might be even easier. They ship/deliver to your front door. They didn't/don't carry TBAC and that's what I really wanted for my 1st suppressor. So, I guess Silencershop.com hooked me.

Silencercentral.com does seem to have higher prices than others when I was researching just a few weeks ago.
Example:
Dead Air Sandman S is pretty much $850-$900 everywhere else, $1,000 at Silencercentral.com
But they do free gun trusts. Silencershop.com charges you (a few different priced options). I paid $150 for the full trust back in 2018, so it's done and paid for.

 

[Bucklowery]

I used a gun trust lawyer for mine and they have supported me with all the changes with ATF requirements over the years. It has been worth the little extra I paid to set up trust with my friends and family

 

[Mike D Texas]

In your situation a trust sounds like your best avenue. As mentioned above pay a lawyer that is well versed in NFA laws/regulations instead of one of the canned internet trusts.

Do your research VERY WELL before buying anything through Silencer Central. There's plenty of material to read on them.

 

[Dentite]

Yes, a trust is what you want. The quality of these vary so do some research.

No private party sale of suppressors. Has to be transferred through a dealer ($100 or more from what I've seen, yes, more than a firearms transfer as there's a lot more work). Not many used suppressor sales/transfers as a result.

One $200 tax stamp per suppressor, not per member of the trust.

Life of suppressor depends on lots of factors.

Personally, I'd only have my immediate family in a trust. Just keeps things more simple.

In general, yes, the bigger and longer the suppressor, the better sound reduction and as a result, less recoil. But any centerfire suppressor really tames most rifle rounds in noise, blast, and recoil. Awesome for hunting.

Hope that helps.

 

[Munch]

Deleted...double entry.

 

[Munch]

If you are going to simply purchase one suppressor and no other NFA items in the future, then a generic, "canned" trust offered by an internet vendor might be good to go. But, NOT always!

If you plan to hold additional NFA devices, ie., short barreled rifle, pistol with arm brace (new regulation), short barreled shotgun, and additional suppressors, then you may want to have a lawyer in your state draw up the trust. Ultimately, NFA Branch must approve your trust. If the legal wording is just slightly incorrect or fails to address stipulations for your state, the application will be returned and you just wasted many many months.

I'm not a lawyer. But I had a lawyer draw up my NFA Trust for $350. It has a few paragraphs included that pertain to the laws of my state. Plus, a personalized trust allows you to make specific instructions regarding your NFA devices in the event of your death that a generic trust generally does not include.

The other good thing about a trust, it allows for a much easier process through NFA Branch transferring NFA items to your Trust's designated beneficiaries.

If you were to submit your eForm 4 today, and once NFA Branch receives your fingerprint cards and passport photos (14 day to submit), the current wait time for approval is 270 days according to BATFE/NFA Branch's web site. 315 days if you submit a Form 4 in paper.

Better get the paperwork going if you want a suppressor for next hunting season!

 

[Munch]

Designated beneficiaries do not need to do anything with NFA Branch at the time you file the trust or add NFA devices to the trust. The only time they will need to file an application is for transfer to them at the time of your death.

However, if you have "Designated Responsible Individuals" listed in your Trust...then yes, they will need to fill out a "Designated Responsible Person Questionnaire" each time you add a NFA device to the Trust. But so will you as Trustee.

 

[Munch]

If you are 99,9% sure you will be purchasing a suppressor, I recommend creating an account on BATFE's eForm web site. This will get you a user name and PIN. Populate all the personal information under Profile.

When your FFL/SOT files the eForm 4, he can include your user name and PIN and this will help the process go a bit more smoothly.

Plus you will then be able to track your eForm application during the process.

 

[LanceS4803]

No private party sale of suppressors. Has to be transferred through a dealer ($100 or more from what I've seen, yes, more than a firearms transfer as there's a lot more work). Not many used suppressor sales/transfers as a result.

A suppressor can be transferred from person to person, just like any other NFA item. BUT, it has to be someone in-state. The seller holds the suppressor until ATF sends them the approved Form 4, at which time you give the buyer the suppressor. Have to have the approved form in hand first!
If you go out of state, it needs to go through a dealer.
An exception is for a C&R eligible NFA item, which can be transferred interstate to a C&R FFL without a dealer, again, once the Form 4 is approved.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Yes, a trust is what you want. The quality of these vary so do some research.

No private party sale of suppressors. Has to be transferred through a dealer ($100 or more from what I've seen, yes, more than a firearms transfer as there's a lot more work). Not many used suppressor sales/transfers as a result.

One $200 tax stamp per suppressor, not per member of the trust.

Life of suppressor depends on lots of factors.

Personally, I'd only have my immediate family in a trust. Just keeps things more simple.

In general, yes, the bigger and longer the suppressor, the better sound reduction and as a result, less recoil. But any centerfire suppressor really tames most rifle rounds in noise, blast, and recoil. Awesome for hunting.

Hope that helps.

You actually can private transfer a suppressor or any other NFA item without a dealer involvement. You just have to follow the same procedures as normal. The transferee cannot take possession of the item until the F4 comes back approved.

 

[Dentite]

A suppressor can be transferred from person to person, just like any other NFA item. BUT, it has to be someone in-state. The seller holds the suppressor until ATF sends them the approved Form 4, at which time you give the buyer the suppressor. Have to have the approved form in hand first!
If you go out of state, it needs to go through a dealer.
An exception is for a C&R eligible NFA item, which can be transferred interstate to a C&R FFL without a dealer, again, once the Form 4 is approved.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Dentite]

You actually can private transfer a suppressor or any other NFA item without a dealer involvement. You just have to follow the same procedures as normal. The transferee cannot take possession of the item until the F4 comes back approved.

Thanks for that clarification.