NO MORE TAX STAMPS!
Supply Struggles. Historically, things such as eFile reintroductions or large drops in approval times have caused the supply to dry up. Any positive action in the NFA world, or fears for that matter, have caused the shelves to be sparse. In the short term, it's unlikely manufacturers will be able to keep up with the increase in demand. Accessories may also be challenging to obtain. The market will certainly even out in time, but there's a strong potential for shortages. The strength and duration are unknown, as we're venturing into uncharted territory. We suspect it will be the same as the legendary Christmas of Tickle-Me Elmo, the 22LR Drought of 2014, or anytime the latest videogame console hits shelves.
1. File Now - Beat the rush. We can submit your Form 4 today with the current $200 tax stamp. We'll process it electronically before the inevitable surge. You'll start your approval clock immediately while others are still waiting for the free stamp window to open. This means a bit of extra money to the feds, but likely having your silencer and accessories in hand much sooner than many others. Tax free submissions start January of 2026, however the last day to file before the changes will be December 26th. All submissions for those looking to beat the rush must be submitted and certified by December 26, 2025. If you are planning to go this route, we strongly suggest getting everything taken care of as soon as possible.
For many of our clients, the preferred method is to buy now and file now. This means getting your silencer in hand many months faster. No one likes giving the feds money, but we've heard from the majority of our customers that they would rather beat the rush and spend the summer and fall enjoying their suppressor rather than waiting until next year and being in the middle of the inevitable flood of forms submitted. Waiting to submit on a bogged-down, struggling eForms system with suspected increases in wait times isn't worth saving $200 for many NFA enthusiasts. They're thinking of the $200 as a "fast pass" rather than paying a tax.
With the passing of the Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year, tax stamps on silencers, short-barrel rifles, and short-barrel shotguns are soon to be a thing of the past.
As of January 1, 2026, the $200 stamp is no longer required to own silencers, SBRs, and SBSs. Although the application no longer requires a $200 tax, the rest of the process remains unchanged. Functionally, it is a $200 price drop with no procedural changes. We can still ship directly to your residence and will offer the same services we always have. It's just an extra couple of hundred dollars staying in your bank account for each item purchased.
What does this mean? What's going to happen?
Supply Struggles. Historically, things such as eFile reintroductions or large drops in approval times have caused the supply to dry up. Any positive action in the NFA world, or fears for that matter, have caused the shelves to be sparse. In the short term, it's unlikely manufacturers will be able to keep up with the increase in demand. Accessories may also be challenging to obtain. The market will certainly even out in time, but there's a strong potential for shortages. The strength and duration are unknown, as we're venturing into uncharted territory. We suspect it will be the same as the legendary Christmas of Tickle-Me Elmo, the 22LR Drought of 2014, or anytime the latest videogame console hits shelves.
Approval Times. The ATF is always unpredictable, but more applications tend to increase wait times. We believe approval times will rise along with the demand. While it was an extreme situation, in 2016, 41F caused approval times to hit nearly 2 years for many applications. Even if the ATF stays on top of applications, there is still changes that must be made. These include new ATF forms and large-scale revisions to the ATF's eForms systems.
Saving $200. This is the biggest part, and certainly a win for the NFA world. No longer will a completely pointless $200 tax be charged, allowing you to give less of your hard-earned money to the federal government. The transfer process will be the same. You can think of it like having a $200 coupon for every silencer, SBR, or SBS you purchase.
What Should I do? The options.
1. File Now - Beat the rush. We can submit your Form 4 today with the current $200 tax stamp. We'll process it electronically before the inevitable surge. You'll start your approval clock immediately while others are still waiting for the free stamp window to open. This means a bit of extra money to the feds, but likely having your silencer and accessories in hand much sooner than many others. Tax free submissions start January of 2026, however the last day to file before the changes will be December 26th. All submissions for those looking to beat the rush must be submitted and certified by December 26, 2025. If you are planning to go this route, we strongly suggest getting everything taken care of as soon as possible.
2. Wait for Free Stamps - Join the Crowd. Hold off until the bill passes, wait through the implementation period (January 2026), and then file without a $200 tax stamp. Just remember, you'll be competing with every suppressor buyer in America. It will save you some money, but you may run into longer approval times and supply issues.
3. Buy Now - File Later. If you decide to wait for the free stamp but want to secure your silencer, that's no problem at all. You can remove the tax stamp from the cart at checkout, and that will let us know to hold off on filing. We will process your Form 4 application when the window opens in early 2026. You'll save a bit of hard-earned cash, but there will be a delay in filing and likely increased approval times. It's your decision to save some money versus getting your silencers months faster. You should expect a 6-month delay in your application if purchased today. Also, keep in mind there is a long line of people waiting to file, so purchasing now will put you in line to have your form processed as soon as we are able to. Purchasing now and waiting to file will save you $200, but it won't be filed on January 1st.
What Do You Recommend?
For many of our clients, the preferred method is to buy now and file now. This means getting your silencer in hand many months faster. No one likes giving the feds money, but we've heard from the majority of our customers that they would rather beat the rush and spend the summer and fall enjoying their suppressor rather than waiting until next year and being in the middle of the inevitable flood of forms submitted. Waiting to submit on a bogged-down, struggling eForms system with suspected increases in wait times isn't worth saving $200 for many NFA enthusiasts. They're thinking of the $200 as a "fast pass" rather than paying a tax.
