Suppressors Form 4 wait time


I reached out to the NICS email account regarding my application. This is the response. I assume that means it is passed the FBI/NICS stage and is in the hands of the ATF?

“Your ATF/NFA application is in process. When an application is completed, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide the final determination. Currently, there is no further status information available.“
 
I reached out to the NICS email account regarding my application. This is the response. I assume that means it is passed the FBI/NICS stage and is in the hands of the ATF?

“Your ATF/NFA application is in process. When an application is completed, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide the final determination. Currently, there is no further status information available.“

That's just their canned auto response if you have forms in process. I got the exact verbatim response when I emailed asking why my background checks when buying a firearm went from instantaneous a few years ago to sitting on "researching" for upwards of 45 minutes.
 
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Normally videos are a waste of time, with lots of self promotion and a build up "this is gonna be big!" "wait til you hear what we have to tell you!" Not this one. It just dives right in and gives us a bunch of updated and useful information.

Thank you for posting it.

It was a good few minutes of my time to watch it, and that is not usually what I think after a YouTube video.
 
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It also tells me we need to talk to congress about a legislative change, a mandate like with Title I firearms purchases NICS checks. The FBI has to approve or deny those background checks within three days, or the sale may proceed.

Sounds like a very easy change, simply stealing the language for regular firearms sales and using it for NFA items.
 
Looks like I’m in the lead. 216 days and counting on 3 cans under a Trust. Almost like the paper days.
Well beyond that here. I'm almost at a year. Next month I will be. I had a bogus denial then go through the process to get a UPIN , in that time also. The second submission for both cans is now at 2 or 3 months. Trust as well
 
OK guys, need some help here ,I called the ATF got them on the phone gave them the necessary info required to check on my Form 4 status and ask for a guestamation on a time-line, the answer was your form 4 is in process, I ask for the guestamation, the reply was nope in process is all can give, OK what gives here ? What is the point in calling if they are going to give me info I already know ? , I guess its better than them saying it's been delayed? I just don't see the point.
 
Edit: All of mine are filed Individual. Way back in the day (~2013/14) I used to do them with a Corporation when that was the "silver bullet". Getting a can back under 13 months was considered fast back then too...

Dump of a few of mine. What typically happens is I get approved for one, then I'll email [email protected] (the FROM address is [email protected], though) and provide Permit/Control Numbers and descriptions of all other eForms and normally get a batch approval. I've kept my thread open with them for a few exchanges and I always get an actual human and honestly they're pretty pleasant.

They did let me know that Paper forms are handled by another queue of examiners, that it's still working on the "FIFO" principle since there's a bit more involved with cashing the checks and scanning in the prints along with all of the other BS.
  1. eForm 1 (Poverty Pony SBR) - Submitted 12/27/23 Approved 06/24/24 - Emailed IPB right after this one about the paper forms and my other eForm 4s
  2. eForm 4 (RC2-762) - Submitted 03/02/2024 Approved 06/24/24 (via Capital Armory)
  3. eForm 4 (RC3-556) - Submitted 06/10/2024 Approved 06/24/24 (via Capital Armory)
  4. TWO Paper Form 4s submitted via Capital Armory for an RC2-556 and OCM5 on 10/07/23 Approved 07/11/24 - Emailed IPB after this one thanking them for the Paper Forms (~2 weeks after I asked about them) and gave them the details on my other outstanding forms below (5-7)
  5. eForm 1 (Another Poverty Pony SBR) - Submitted 06/27/2024 Approved 07/11/24
  6. eForm 1 (PS90 SBR) - Submitted 07/01/2024 Approved 07/11/24
  7. eForm 4 (Resilient Arms PUTNIK) - Submitted 06/27/24 Approved 07/11/24 (via Capital Armory)
For this reason I try to keep forms in progress staggered out, I've yet to get an organic batch approval that a lot of folks get, I have to email first. While they never say "we're on it" they do tell you "it's pending final examiner review" or something similar. I get a lot of the feds get a bad wrap - and for good reason - but a lot of the Examiners from my knowledge are just regular "paper pusher" types looking for a job, not like there's ton of employment opportunity for unskilled, non-trades labor in central W. Va.

Waiting on two more now
- Surefire 300SPS - Submitted 07/15/24 (via Capital Armory)
- Knights Armament 7.62 Alphabet-Soup LGBT-PRS-QRT-PRG-WTF can - Submitted 07/11/24 (via local LGS)

In the past when I was at the 4 month mark on the first eForm 1 I emailed [email protected] with all of my info including address, last 4 SSN, ATF form info and item descriptions. It took them a month to get back to me saying they were still waiting on the background checks. Since then, I haven't gone any longer than 2 weeks before getting an approval, hopefully this streak keeps up.

Now with everyone putting in forms, the wait times are pretty much back to what they were before their last process improvement. Hopefully the continued pain leads to more legal firepower to get SBR, SBS, AOW, and Silencers removed off of the registry.
 
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I have two eForm 4's through Capitol Armory currently....
Both certified and submitted 2/15/2024, still waiting.

I keep getting emails from Capitol that eForms are coming back "faster than ever", some people are getting approved in less than a week. I have several, and none have been less than 8 months. Maybe just my luck...lol
 
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Well beyond that here. I'm almost at a year. Next month I will be. I had a bogus denial then go through the process to get a UPIN , in that time also. The second submission for both cans is now at 2 or 3 months. Trust as well
385 days on four form 4s individuals. Not my first suppressor, I must be a real bad man🤣
 
385 days on four form 4s individuals. Not my first suppressor, I must be a real bad man🤣
That's what makes it so crazy for mine. I've got like 8 other cans that I've bought and been approved for over the last however many years and many are over the last 2 or 3 years. I haven't had so much as a speeding ticket in more than a decade. It just doesn't make any sense. A lawyer I went to who handles this kind of thing, who's also an FFL among other things said that 8 or 9 times out of 10 it's just someone at the fbi/atf screwed up and you have to go through this big process to make them look to see it, then eventually they will fix it. I finally got my UPIN but still no approval on my 2 cans and I don't want to even mess with any others until I know this is straight. So frustrating!
 
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I have two eForm 4's through Capitol Armory currently....
Both certified and submitted 2/15/2024, still waiting.

I keep getting emails from Capitol that eForms are coming back "faster than ever", some people are getting approved in less than a week. I have several, and none have been less than 8 months. Maybe just my luck...lol

What is a LTC/CHL?
Conceal Carry License? Then yes

Also, every suppressor I've purchased has been a long wait, 8-12 months for all of them. (5 of them through 3 different FFL's)

I believe the ATF software upgrade was in March, so looks like your Feb ones may still be in whatever backassward system that they used before. Dunno for sure.

--Edit: Google search showing ATF software upgrade December 2023, so no idea what I'm talking about, sorry!!

I bought 6 since April, with certification to approval around a week on 4, couple days on 2. E-form thru Silencershop.

Conceal carry status shouldn't have any affect. It's wether or not someone can pass a regular NICS background check without any hiccups or human intervention. Things like common last name or someone(s) with same / similar name with criminal background etc will likely be problematic. Last name of "Smith, Williams, Johnson, Davis etc etc" kinda thing...

I have a pretty unusual surname, so instant NICS. However if my cousins had fucked up their lives, I'd likely get delayed NICS (human intervention).
 
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TBAC 22 Take down
E-form 4
Silencer shop single shot unlimited trust (2nd application 1st approval)
Certified 5-21-24
Approved 7-26-24
Time waited 66 days


The other suppressor was put in a few day before this one, should I email and ask to have bundled or however you would do that?
 
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TBAC 22 Take down
E-form 4
Silencer shop single shot unlimited trust (2nd application 1st approval)
Certified 5-21-24
Approved 7-26-24
Time waited 66 days


The other suppressor was put in a few day before this one, should I email and ask to have bundled or however you would do that?
Yeah email [email protected] and give them your control/permit numbers and let them know you got an approval and provide that control number too, they normally hook me up in less than 12 hours
 
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OK guys, need some help here ,I called the ATF got them on the phone gave them the necessary info required to check on my Form 4 status and ask for a guestamation on a time-line, the answer was your form 4 is in process, I ask for the guestamation, the reply was nope in process is all can give, OK what gives here ? What is the point in calling if they are going to give me info I already know ? , I guess its better than them saying it's been delayed? I just don't see the point.
There was a time when you could get a moderate answer from either email or phone. Those days are long gone though, and have been so for quite some time. The only thing that gets returned now are canned responses via email/phone.
 
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Just got back from the Altus 22 match and checked my email, see the eforms in the subject line. Great finally got my cans approved. Open the pdf and they only approved my 22 can, guess they want me to wait a few more months for those two. All submitted at one time. I know the ATF is stupid as hell but damn. Why not approve the other two?

Any ways I'll be picking 1 up on Monday.
submitted 12/16/23
approved 07/27/24
224 days
 
129 days and 101 days. Just called today to get the same answer they give everyone. Then emailed them to have it go into the abyss.
I can't see myself buying another one after this. Shoot even right now I am thinking of cancelling and just getting my money back and letting the feds keep their 400 dollars. At the end of the day a suppressor should be the cost of a solvent trap this shit is insane to me.
 
Is there any rhyme or reason to the differences between "24 hours!" and "Three days!" and then HockeyGoalie27 waiting 129 days and 101 days?

Why are some taking months and others taking hours?

HockeyGoalie27 did not say whether his were individual or trust or efile, but those do not appear to be determining the wait times, either.

So what is it?

Something must explain the difference.
 
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I have a trust but went with individual because "we are getting these back in 12-48 hours on average". At this point at least if I had done it with the trust I would just be sitting here waiting not sitting here waiting and irritated by the entire thing.
Sounds like you need to be reminded of the advice we used to hear all of the time. Forget about it for a while. It will come.

My first was 409 days ending Nov of 2019, and my second was 385 days ending July of 22. 2rp trust.
 
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129 days and 101 days. Just called today to get the same answer they give everyone. Then emailed them to have it go into the abyss.
I can't see myself buying another one after this. Shoot even right now I am thinking of cancelling and just getting my money back and letting the feds keep their 400 dollars. At the end of the day a suppressor should be the cost of a solvent trap this shit is insane to me.

If If you withdraw the form before final disposition you get your money back.
 
So the ATF finally realized that they could approve my last two form4s, since one of the three was approved on Saturday. The two emails today were still 4 hours apart from each other. Inefficiency at it's best.

Got everything printed and will pick them up after work tomorrow.
3 person trust. Way too long but better than the 451 days the first two form4s took.

submitted 12/16/23
approved 07/27/24
225 days

submitted 12/16/23
approved 07/30/24
228 days

submitted 12/16/23
approved 07/30/24
228 days