STOP WAITING
Wait times are very short right now! Individual filings are currently waiting less than 30 days and sometimes a lot faster! The record at Towers Armory is 14 hrs!!! One Shot Trust filings are under 90 Days our record is 7 days and traditional trusts are moving at the same pace with the fastest we have seen at 30 days! To put it in perspective, until now every filing was waiting about 9 months to a year! A 9 month wait was considered extremely fast! STOP WAITING BEFORE ITS TOO LATE! We expect wait times to increase again soon! Don't miss this opportunity to finally get that suppressor you've always wanted! You've waited long enough! We have over 30 models in stock and counting! We are partners with Silencer Shop and have a Kiosk at the store and handle filing and fingerprinting at Towers Armory! Buying a suppressor is made simple by our partnership with SilencerShop.com
It is very well explained on their site however many people still have questions, So we at Towers Armory have created a more in-depth step-by-step of the process. That said if it's not in the information below you are just going down a rabbit hole of things that you don't really need to know or understand how those parts work. That's the point, right? make it easy to get the process started and finished without baking your brain over the details that don't matter, so you'll be able to focus on the important things like deciding what suppressor you want to get! Now the details you do need to know:
While buying a suppressor can seem like a complicated process, it is very simple! However, doing things out of order can be costly, cause delays, and worse yet a denial. If you know you want a suppressor there is no need to wait! Knowing what you want is the first step so if you've picked one out you've completed the hardest part! The current expected wait times are around 6-8 months with the new Eforms submissions instead of a whole year or longer without Eforms.
With that in mind, here is a very simple guide to follow with just 9 steps. Try not to overthink things! we're here to take care of the tedious stuff and really, you simply don't need to know any more than what is listed here. Just follow the steps in the correct order & buying your first suppressor is a very manageable process and it gets even easier for any future purchases!
Here is a quick reference on the 9 steps to owning a suppressor Do not complete any registration steps until you have fully read and understand the requirements listed later in the description this is just an outline and the steps are detailed below to ensure you create each account to work with the other!
Step 1: Decide what suppressor you want to buy
Step 2: Visit Silencershop and create, or sign in to, a Silencer Shop account using this link
This link automatically sets up everything to send your suppressor to towers Armory!
Step 3: Upload a picture of yourself using a photo no older than 30 days old (if you buy more in the future Silencer Shop will remind you if you need to update your picture)
Step 4: Create an EFORMS account with the ATF at Atf Eforms Registration online
Step 5: You can shop online at the SilencerShop.com portal for Towers Armory or in the store to purchase the suppressor
Step 6: Pick your Trust options
Step 7: Fingerprints (done here at Towers Armory using the SilencerShop Kiosk in the store)
Step 8: Certify Appointment (done here at Towers Armory with our NFA coordinator)
Step 9: Shoot your suppressor here at Towers Armory* while you wait for the tax stamp to be approved approval!
There is more to it so here is a more in-depth explanation of each step
Step 1: Decide what suppressor you want to buy. This is the hardest part because of all the information overload and technical specs, base your decision on how the suppressor will meet your needs. There are three different types of suppressors each with their own uses: Rim-fire, Center-fire Rifle, and Center-fire Pistol. Sure sometimes they can cross over but they rarely do more than one thing well. Rely on the manufacturer's recommendations for the most effective use. Above all be honest with yourself about how you will be using it and let that guide your picks!
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO CONTACT THE RIGHT PLACE IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES! DO NOT CONTACT TOWERS ARMORY FOR ANY ISSUES CREATING YOUR ACCOUNTS WE ARE UNABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR SILENCER SHOP or THE EFORMS GOVERNMENT PORTAL
Step 2: Visit Silencershop.com and create, or sign in to, a Silencer Shop account. If you have any issues contact Silencer Shop
SS Phone #(512)-931-4556) or use the more convenient support request form at SilencerShop
Step 3: Upload a picture of yourself that looks similar to a driver's license picture, with a clear view of your face, and a white background.
Step 4: Create an EFORMS account with the ATF (Eforms.atf.gov) You must use the exact same email you used to create your Silenceshop account. Make sure to write down your login ID, Password, and 4-digit numerical PIN (You must have the PIN and login information when you certify and it can not be recovered during certifying so write it down!) If you have any issues E-MAIL is best as you'll have a written record of what you have to do. ATF Eforms registration support
Step 5: You can shop online at Silencershop.com or in the store to purchase the suppressor. If ordering online make sure to choose “Towers Armory” as your dealer to send it here. Be sure to keep reading for more information before the final checkout.
After, or at the time of your purchase if done through SilencerShop.com, you will need to buy your tax stamp for $205. Adding a one-shot trust of $25 is highly recommended and will be explained further down. These are both located under services on the Silencer Shops website and without at least a tax stamp purchased your paperwork cannot be submitted. If you want to do a trust make sure you select it before submitting the paperwork since it cannot be changed later without paying the fees again. Uncle Sam doesn't care if you do it wrong but you will pay again to do it right as many times as that takes. Adding a trust later will actually cause you to pay $205 for each item you put in the trust.
A brief explanation of Traditional trust and Single shot trusts
There are basically two types of Trusts:
Traditional Trust & Single Shot Trust
Traditional Trust: Cost can be $500 or more and MUST be set up by an attorney or other online service. Multiple items can be in the trust however, all persons added must be fingerprinted and a form submitted for each item in the trust.
Single Shot Trust*: Cost is $25 per item, it is set up by the Silencer shop and requires no additional paperwork. Only one item can be in the trust and additional persons can be added using a form without fingerprinting visit Single Shot Trusts for details
*Single Shot Trust Unlimited: no limit on how many trusts you can create for life and costs only $129.95 and is exactly the same as a single shot trust in every other way. Single Shot Trust Unlimited
Both will allow you to add additional persons who are authorized to be in possession of the item when you are not around. NO ONE other than the original purchaser or a person on the trust may be in possession of the NFA item at any time! This includes a spouse or any adult if they are NOT on the trust! NFA items must be secured at all times to avoid any unauthorized possession charges. The easy fix is to have a trust as all persons listed on the trust may be in possession of the item in the trust. Minors cannot be added to a trust so keep that in mind before leaving NFA items unsecured! A trust is the best way to legally cover your family that might accidentally have possession of the suppressor. A trust also allows people to be added or taken away at any time and in the event of the death of the original purchaser, a clear tax-free way to transfer ownership. Either set up a trust before you buy or buy a Single Shot Trust at the time of purchase. Adding items later will cost $200 per item to transfer them into a trust
I bought my suppressor, What happens next?
Several things will need to be done but rest assured your part is very simple from here! Fingerprinting and certifying are all that is left and a Towers Armory silencer specialist will assist you with every step!
Step 6 Fingerprint submission: The fingerprint submission is done at the store kiosk after the purchase is completed. It is electronic so there is no messy ink and the prints are screened to make sure they meet the standards required for approval right in front of you.
Step 7 Certifying the paperwork: You cannot submit fingerprints and certify on the same day as there is a bit more processing between these steps on the silencer shop side. The certifying process is done by appointment only. Once all steps above have been completed and your suppressor has arrived you will be contacted to set up an appointment to certify.
Before you certify make sure the following are in order:
Any changes of address must be completed
A current and monitored email is available
A good phone number to contact you at
Any trusts and tax stamps are paid
Make sure your name, address, and all personal information on all of the accounts created to match exactly and everything is spelled correctly
Have your user names, passwords, and PINs of all accounts and bring them with you to your appointment. YOU CANNOT RECOVER PASSWORDS OR PINS DURING THE CERTIFYING PROCESS!
After submitting there is nothing else you need to do and our specialist will contact you once approved.
Step 8: Waiting (the hardest part!)
Sounds easy right? Please understand that politeness is key to getting answers should your wait take longer than expected. Contacting the ATF directly is not advisable until 120 days have passed! That's one month after the 90-day expected approval time has expired as this may cause delays in approval. No updates will be given as the government is under no rules or obligation as to when it must approve the application! Do not bug the NFA division for updates and if you absolutely must contact them, NEVER get upset no matter what they tell you!
NFA etiquette:
For better or worse the NFA division answers to no one when it comes to the time it takes to get approved. If you don't like the answers you get don't bother to ask for a supervisor there isn't one. Being short or rude will not help you get approved and in all likelihood will cause you a delay. The most likely outcome is your application reviewer will put your approval off until they have time to deal with whatever your issue is. It truly is the best strategy to just wait! In the unlikely event that you need to do something the NFA division will contact Towers Armory and in turn, we will contact you immediately. So make sure your contact phone is current and if you make any changes to it Towers Armory knows about it ASAP!
After your paperwork is submitted no changes can be made to it without withdrawing the paperwork and starting over. Don't bother to contact them if you made a mistake the only answer will be to withdraw your form and start over. The government does not normally issue refunds quickly or sometimes at all.
Here is a recap of the 9 steps to owning a suppressor
Step 1: Decide what suppressor you want to buy You can buy online at this time!
Step 2: Visit Silencershop.com and create, or sign in to, a Silencer Shop account
Step 3: Upload a picture of yourself
Step 4: Create an EFORMS account with the ATF
Step 5: You can shop online at Silencershop.com or in the store to purchase the suppressor
Step 6: Trust options
Step 7: Fingerprints (done here at Towers Armory)
Step 8: Certify Appointment (done here at Towers Armory)
Step 9: Wait for approval (you can shoot the suppressor while you wait*)
REPEAT: WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART!
Contacting the ATF directly is not advisable until at least 120 days have passed! No updates will be given as the government is under no rules as to when it must approve the transfer!
*Use of your suppressor while you wait for approval.
Yes, you can use your suppressor while you wait for your approval!
* WARNING* You assume the responsibility for any damages from the use of the suppressor, We recommend you study any documentation that comes with your suppressor such as owner manuals and if you're still not sure, contact the manufacturer of the suppressor for answers before attempting to use it. We cannot be held liable for damages for any reason. You are required to know what you can do with it and how you should use it. Choosing the correct suppressor is more than just picking the right caliber gun to put it on. Caliber, barrel length, mounting choices, and more are all critical to the use of your suppressor. Know and understand the limits and specific properties of your suppressor before using it! If you make a mistake or encounter some type of issue due to manufacturing, all is not lost, in fact, a lot of manufacturers offer mistake-proof coverage in the warranty! Definitely look into this before you select the one you want! Returning a suppressor for service is similar to returning a gun for service. The process will be started with a phone call to the manufacturer and you following those specific instructions. The process for using your suppressor is simple you will check out your suppressor for use only at the Towers Armory ranges. The suppressor can not leave the building until you have approval from the ATF. We will hold the box and note that you have it out on the range, but you are responsible for returning it before you leave. After you have shot your suppressor you must let it cool down before removing it from your gun! A suppressor generates a lot of heat! Burns are possible and take a bit of time to cool down. Once cool to the touch remove it from your gun and return it to the counter for storage. We will hold an ID card until returned and in accordance with the ATF rules anyone who leaves with the suppressor (even by accident) is in violation of the NFA Act provisions and subject to any prosecutions the ATF chooses to enforce, SO DO NOT FORGET TO RETURN YOUR SUPPRESSOR BEFORE LEAVING THE BUILDING!
