Effective January 1, 2026, the ATF eliminated the $200 tax on firearm suppressors. This change will undoubtedly encourage many shooters to purchase or make a suppressor. In this article, I will share information for those new to suppressors to be able to make an informed decision as to whether to pursue getting one (or several). As a disclaimer, I have no financial involvement with any companies or products mentioned here.
What are firearm suppressors?
A firearm suppressor is a muzzle device mounted on a shotgun, rifle, or pistol to reduce the sound made when the gun is fired. They are also referred to as silencers, moderators, or “cans”. I prefer to use the term “suppressor” since we are reducing the sound, not eliminating it. The term “silencer” infers that we are getting that Hollywood whisper-quiet shot, which is just not the real world. Think of them as a muffler for your firearm.
How do they work?
The sounds made when a gun is fired includes the muzzle blast from rapid gas expansion, the sonic crack from supersonic bullets, and the mechanical action of the gun. The suppressor reduces the muzzle blast using expansion chambers and baffles to slow down and cool the hot propellant gases, reducing pressure and decibels (typically a 20–40 dB drop) – exactly the same way a car muffler works.
Subsonic ammunition (generally, less than 1,100 feet per second) needs to be used to eliminate the sonic crack heard when the bullet breaks the sound barrier.
What are the advantages of using a suppressor?
The obvious main reason for using a suppressor is to reduce noise. A good commercial suppressor will reduce the sound by about 30 dB – roughly the same as a good pair of earmuffs. The only guns that I shoot suppressed without hearing protection are the .22 long rifle (target velocity), the 9mm subsonic, and the .300 Blackout subsonic. Everything else is too loud for me, and therefore I wear earmuffs – even with a suppressor.
The second reason is to reduce recoil. My best guess on my guns is a reduction in felt recoil of about 20 to 40 per cent.
The third reason is to reduce muzzle blast and muzzle rise. Many shooters (and especially people close to the shooter) are very sensitive to the muzzle blast of high-pressure centerfire rifles. This is hard to quantify; however, there is a very noticeable reduction in both blast and muzzle rise while using a suppressor.
A fourth but small advantage is that I generally see a slight increase in velocity as well as a slight increase in accuracy when adding a suppressor.
What are the disadvantages?
The single biggest disadvantage for most people is the cost. Rimfire cans start at about $300 today and average about $400 to $500. Pistol cans run about $800 to $900. Most centerfire pistols use a tilting-barrel Browning action; hanging the mass of a can on the muzzle will cause malfunctions unless the suppressor has a recoil booster (or Nielsen device) with the right threaded piston for your barrel. This would add about $150 to the cost of the suppressor pistol setup. As a side note, some of the new titanium suppressors today are small and light enough to not need a booster. I use a Banish 9K on a Glock 9mm with no booster. Centerfire rifle suppressors generally start at about $1,000 and go up from there.
The second disadvantage is that you need ATF approval on Form 4. Most people file this electronically with the eForms system, but you will still need to be fingerprinted and provide a passport-quality photo (these only apply to the first purchase). I have heard that the ATF website is currently overwhelmed, but hopefully they can get back to wait times that were recently only just few days.
And that leads to the third disadvantage, which is the delay between ordering and actually receiving it. The delay varies depending on what state you are in, but this is the current process in Michigan:
1. Pick an in-state NFA dealer or an online dealer that ships by a “Powered By” or partner dealer such as Silencer Shop or Silencer Central, etc.
• Purchase the suppressor; it will sit on the dealer’s books until your Form 4 is approved.
2. Set up an ATF eForms account
• Create or log into an ATF eForms account; most modern dealers or kiosk systems walk you through this and link your profile for digital signatures.
3. Provide fingerprints (digital at a kiosk or on cards if you do it online) and a passport-style photo; many dealers and kiosk systems handle both in-house.
4. Complete ATF Form 4 (eForm 4)
• With the dealer, complete ATF Form 4 as an individual: your legal name, physical residence, citizenship, background questions, and the suppressor’s make/model/serial number.
• The dealer uploads the required documents and associates your fingerprints and photo, then you log in to eForms to review and apply your electronic signature PIN.
5. Pay the tax (currently $0) and submit the form – the system still calculates a “tax liability,” but under the 2026 change, the amount for most civilian suppressor transfers is now effectively $0 while leaving the Form 4 process intact.
6. Once validated, the dealer submits the eForm 4 to ATF; you get an email confirmation and submission control number. In Michigan, the dealer must inform the Chief Law Enforcement Officer via mail and wait 7 days before they can ship it to you.
7. Fill out Form 4473 and pick up the suppressor, or the dealer ships it to an FFL in state, and they in turn ship it to you.
As you can see, it is a fairly arduous process to go through. I have bought most of my suppressors from Silencer Shop and have been quite happy with their service. As a point of reference, my last purchase through them at the end of 2025 took 22 days from order to the suppressor arriving at my door. The rules are different in every state, so make sure to do your due diligence first.
Should I buy a commercially produced suppressor or make one?
I’m sure this will deviate from JWR’s thoughts, but unless you are a very competent gunsmith and machinist, I recommend purchasing a commercial suppressor.
Reasons to Buy Factory-Made (Form 4 Transfer):
• Superior performance and durability – factory suppressors from reputable brands (such as Dead Air, SilencerCo, BANISH, and SureFire) use advanced materials (titanium, Inconel, Stellite) and precision engineering. They are quieter, lighter, handle full-auto/high-volume fire better, and tend to have lower back pressure.
• Warranty and support – most come with lifetime warranties, customer service, and proven testing. If something fails, it’s covered.
• Safety and reliability – professionally designed and tested to avoid catastrophic failures (such as baffle strikes, end-cap strikes).
Reasons to Build Your Own (Form 1):
It is still legal to make your own suppressor via ATF Form 1 (application to make/register) – no $200 tax stamp needed at the moment. The cons outweigh the pros for most people:
• Performance trade-offs – homemade ones (even with kits) are often louder, heavier, less durable, and not as refined. Many users report they don’t match good factory suppressors.
• Skill required – you need precise machining (lathe, alignment tools) for safety. Misalignment can destroy your gun or injure you.
• Limited savings – parts (titanium tubes, baffles) cost nearly as much as budget factory suppressors. There is little financial upside unless you have a stash of Maglites.
• No warranty – if it fails, you’re on your own.
Law Enforcement use
Law enforcement agencies in the US increasingly use firearm suppressors to protect officers’ hearing during training and operations, as gunfire noise often exceeds safe levels. Federal agencies like the ATF and FBI issue them for extensive range time, while many local departments equip patrol rifles with suppressors. SWAT teams commonly equip rifles with suppressors, especially for training and close-quarters operations.
Military use
Special units like US Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Marine Force Recon routinely equip M4 carbines and MK18 rifles with quick-detach suppressors such as the SureFire SOCOM series. They prioritize low back-pressure models to maintain reliability with short barrels in suppressed fire.
The Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program (XM7 rifle and XM250 automatic rifle) issues each weapon with a dedicated suppressor as part of the standard package for close-combat units.
What should I look for in a suppressor?
It depends on your intended usage. The first question you should ask yourself is: Do you want a separate unit that threads onto the end of your gun, or do you want a barrel that is integrally suppressed? Next, do you want a dedicated threaded unit, or do you need a quick disconnect so that it is easy to transfer to a different gun? What material do you want (the standards are steel, aluminum, titanium, or a hybrid)? What is most important to you – cost, dB reduction, weight, length, modular, or fixed? These tend to be trade-offs, so you’ll need to prioritize your needs.
I have a fair number of suppressors, and I did a lot of research before buying. Personally, I like the BANISH and Dead Air brand suppressors the best. I am also a big fan of the newer 3D-printed titanium suppressors.
Do I need to do maintenance on suppressors?
Yes, just like a firearm you do need to clean your suppressors. Some units are user serviceable that you can take apart to clean the individual baffles and tube. Many of the modern commercially-made “monolithic” units are one piece and cannot be disassembled. My standard cleaning regimen is to put the whole suppressor (or pieces) in an ultrasonic cleaner with Simple Green. High-pressure cans like a 5.56 need less cleaning than .22 rimfires, which are notoriously dirty.
Is there anything I can do to improve the sound reduction?
The short answer is yes, but with several caveats. Some suppressors are made to be used with wipes, which are disposable wafers of a soft, pliable material such a neoprene. They are very effective at reducing sound, but they typically only last for several dozen shots before needing replacement. They can also affect the point of impact as they wear.
Another avenue to pursue is that of ablatives. Typically, this would be water, wire pulling gel, or a commercial product called dB foam. These all work by cooling the gases and are very effective at reducing that so-called “first round pop” (FRP). The FRP is a noticeably louder report for the first shot since the suppressor is filled with oxygen, which results in a mini detonation. In subsequent shots the can is filled with spent gasses, and thus there is nothing to ignite.
PROVISO: I NEED TO WARN YOU THAT YOU CAN ONLY USE ABLATIVES IN VERY LOW-PRESSURE FIREARMS LIKE .22LR, 9MM AND .45 ACP. You could literally blow apart your suppressor by using them in high-pressure firearms. Please be sure to check to see if your suppressor has been tested to run wet.
A teaspoon of water put in the muzzle side of the suppressor – you don’t want anything to enter the barrel – is the cheapest and easiest; however, it will only last a couple of shots. Wire pulling gel is much the same and might last for 5 to 10 shots.
My favorite is a product called dB Foam which you spray into the muzzle end of the cool suppressor for about 1⁄2 second. The foam (which looks like shaving cream but is much more viscous) expands into all of the nooks and crannies of the can and provides a noticeable reduction in sound for about 20 rounds. It also adds a rust preventative coating to the internals and makes cleaning much easier (it is water soluble). The downside is that you do get some smoke when firing. After I clean my suppressors that are able to be run wet, I immediately add the foam, and it will last about 6 months.
Individual versus trust ownership
Go individual if speed and cost are your priorities and you’re the only person who will ever use the item.
Go trust if you want family/spouse access, care about a smooth inheritance, or plan to own multiple NFA items long-term. The shared access and estate benefits still make trusts very worthwhile for most people. The downside is the cost and time to have a legal trust created.
Conclusion
As you can probably tell from this article, I am hugely in favor of suppressors. I wish they had been available when I started shooting years ago – maybe my hearing would be much better than it is now. It is interesting to note that during my travels to many European countries, suppressors could be purchased over the counter, and it was considered rude to hunt without a suppressor.
There are many lawsuits currently in litigation to eliminate the ATF approval of suppressors. If that happens, I believe we will get a flood of new manufacturers providing us with improved technology and reduced costs. Enjoy the quiet!