August Sees Another Increase in Suppressor Applications

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Firearms Act (NFA) division, August saw another increase in Form 4 suppressor applications.

The NFA Division received 60,942 Form 4’s last month. This number is 11% higher than the amount received in July, which was 54,988. In August of 2023, the ATF received 36,246 Form 4 applications, which means that this August, the NFA division took 68% more than last August. The NFA division continues to cut through the backlog of applications. It processed 97,431 Form 4 applications, which is 8% higher than the NFA Division processed in July when it had processed 90,203 Form 4s. It also processed 99% more than in August 2023, when it only processed 48,900.

The average wait time for an individual Form 4 application to be processed and approved is 41 days, 27 fewer days than in July. The average wait time for a Form 4 trust application is 115 days, down from 145 days in the prior month. These are the average times and not the standard. A small number of applications are held up by delayed background checks, artificially increasing the wait times. The median transfer times for individual applications is two days and less than two months for trust applications. As the new procedures roll out, these times should shrink even more.

The word about quick transfer times has spread through the gun world, leading many who were holding off buying a suppressor because of the long wait times to pull the trigger in getting one. This explosion of new suppressor owners also means more and more people are bringing their hearing-saving devices to the range, and people are realizing these accessories are not the tools of assassins but health devices that help prevent damage to one’s hearing. Also, the visibility of suppressors is letting people know that in most states, suppressors are legal, pushing back against a few Hollywood myths.

Another big push for suppressors is coming from hunters. More and more hunters are using suppressors on their hunting rifles. It is becoming normal to see hunting rifles equipped with a suppressor. Even as little as five years ago, it was rare to know someone who hunted with a suppressor, but now hunters are taking advantage of the quick transfer times and the changing laws that now allow hunters to use suppressors.

The suppressor companies have kept up with the demand for suppressors, and more and more Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) are becoming Special Occupational Taxpayers (SOTs) to be able to stock and sell suppressors. This increased shelf space for the devices leads to a greater awareness of suppressors. Also, “live scan” fingerprinting and passport pictures done directly in the gun shops have simplified the process of acquiring a suppressor. Before, a buyer would have to get fingerprinted by a local sheriff’s office or other business and then get passport pictures from another place before filling out an application.

The ATF’s eForm system has also made it easier to file a Form 4. Before this current iteration of the eForm system, the buyer would have to fill out a paper application and mail a check to the ATF. Now, everything is handled electronically, reducing time and automating much of the process. It also allows the buyer to track the process through the eForm system instead of having to call the ATF’s NFA Division for status updates.

As the backlog clears even more, gun buyers will be willing to invest in suppressors. There is no sign of the industry slowing down.

About John Crump

Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.