Don't believe the bull crap about them electronically processing your application and having a short wait time for a suppressor. There isn't a Silencer Shop Kiosk in my immediate area, or at least there wasn't last summer when I started the process to buy a suppressor. At the time, Silencer Central said with their electronic filing, once they mailed the fingerprint cards to me, and me mailing them back to them, that I'd have a 4 month wait for my suppressor. Four months came and went and now I'm 8 months in. I've emailed them, and called them. I got tired of being on hold last week, so I hung up. They called back and put me on hold again. I hung up again. Finally someone called me back to talk to me. I told them they lied to me and I was NOT happy about it. They just brushed it off and blamed it on the ATF. I ain't buying that, even though I despise any government agency. I would cancel the suppressor, but then I'd be starting back over at day 1 again. I won't EVER spend another dime with them.

Silencershop.com is a good site and always updates their ATF wait times daily or weekly.

Submission Type Wait Range Median Wait
eForm 4 - TRUST: 2 Days through 9 Months 9 Months
eForm 4 - INDIVIDUAL: 2 Days through 9 Months 8 Months
eForm 4 - CORPORATE: N/A N/A
Paper Form 4: 16 Months through 40 Months 30 Months
eForm 3: 1 Day through 11 Days 6 Days
Paper Form 3: N/A N/A
updated April 8, 2023

https://www.silencershop.com/atf-wait-times

I ordered 3 silencers probably 4 years ago and it took almost 1 year exactly.

The issue really is the ATF this time. They promised 90 day approvals for e filed form 4’s and that was true for forms filed in the first few weeks after efiling went live. It’s now at the 8-9 month time for efiling.

So you didn't use Silencer Shop, but used Silencer Central instead. Right? I've heard negatives on both.

On the plus side you didn't have to fight the kiosk for half an hour trying to get it to accept your fingerprints. I had to wet my fingers a few times to get through it. Then the picture taken at the shop got kicked back. I had to email another.


BATFE should not exist.

Have you called the ATF to check the status? This works well to see where you stand.

NFA Transfer Status
In order to get the status of your transfer from the ATF, you can call the NFA Branch directly at: (304) 616-4500.

When you call, they will ask for your name (or the name of your trust or corporation), the serial number of the suppressor, and the name of the transferor.

For the transferor information, please use the name we sent you in the confirmation email when your electronic transfer was submitted.

Once they get your information, they’ll confirm you’re in the system and will probably give you an estimate for when to expect the approval. Remember that they don’t really know exactly when your transfer will be approved – so take the estimate for what it is. (In the past these estimates have been off dramatically, both long and short.)

It is the ATF

I would imagine a machine shop could replicate one.

Most will angrily and colorfully tell you to get off their property if you ask...

And this is why I won’t own a suppressor.

I got mine from Silencer Central back in February 2023. I had first contacted them in Feb 2022 to start the process, so one year wait. Silencer Central has a reputation of saying whatever they need to say to get you started, then once your order is placed you can’t get in touch with them. The suppressors seem to be good units, but I haven’t shot them much.

You should go ask around at machine shops if they can and record the interaction, then post it on here

I have had a similar experience with a somewhat local place using silencer shop. Bought 2 last may and was told 2 weeks max for paperwork and everything to be submitted. Waited 2 weeks and nothing. Called and was told they would look into it. This went on for about 3 months before i called silencer shop myself. Got the impression the local place wasn’t really checking into it like they said they was. Finally got everything submitted in august and still waiting.

You should be getting close. I've got an early August submittal and 270 days puts me in the first week of May. Hopefully it won't be much, if any, longer than 270 days.

December 3 submission here.... have no idea If I'll get it before hunting season this year

Silencer Shop is not any better

We should rename them safety hearing assistors or something like that. Atf should be a convenience store.

I seem to recall us ordering about the same time. I got mine about the same time. Silencer central is difficult to get a hold of after the sale. However, it took them about the same time to get everything submitted as they said. 9mce it was in the ATFs hands I called and checked status a few times. Once it cleared ATF it felt like they drug their feet a couple weeks on the letter to the sheriff, however for what they could control, it was only probably 2 weeks or so delay vs what was advertised. Now, if they are still claiming a 4 month turnaround, then they are purposefully lying about what to expect just to sell product and then blame the ATF for the "unexpected" delays.

I’m using Silencer Shop, Vans in Cullman has a kiosk.

Silencer shop for me as well, had a couple of good experiences. The wait time is all ATF, you should have the information to be able to go in and see on the ATF website what status it's in...you can tell the timeline of how it's moved thru the process...mine all basically sat in the waiting stage with the ATF for the majority of the time. You can at least tell when Silencer central got it successfully filed and out of their hands to the ATF.