Form 1 Suppressors
A Form 1 suppressor a.k.a. ‘silencer’ legally built by JAMER for personal use.
Shoot quieter with less recoil. You can legally build and own a suppressor, the car muffler of the gun world.
If you own a suppressor you know what a ‘Form 4’ is; it is the form that we all complete to obtain permission from the U.S. BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) to legally own a suppressor. JAMER uses suppressors on two of its test rifles, the advantages of which have nothing to do with secret agents and the like. We will discuss that later.
DIY - The road less traveled:
What many may not know though is that once you are approved by the ATF, it is completely legal to build and own your own suppressor. Yes, that is correct, YOU can legally build and use your own suppressor as long as you follow all of the rules for application and approval. But, why would one want to build their own instead of going the usual Form 4 route? Well, there are several reasons:
- Production suppressors are expensive. Anyone that has shopped for one knows that the inexpensive ones (not including rimfire) start at about $500 and climb to above $1000 quickly. This does NOT include the cost of the tax stamp. Building your own can save money.
- Approval times for Form 4 suppressors can be really long. Agonizingly long. The last Form 4 suppressor I purchased took over a year to obtain from when I purchased it until it was in my hands, and 95% of that time was waiting for the BATF to process my application. During 2018 it became much faster to apply and receive Form 1 approval, in some cases taking less than a month. So a Form 1 suppressor can be a big time saver.
- How cool is it to build your own suppressor? Very cool. This is not the primary motivator but is a nice bonus after saving money and time.
Wait Times:
If you want to see what the latest waiting times are for BATF approval of Form 1, or Form 4, or other applications, a great place to check is NFATracker which can be found here:
https://www.nfatracker.com/
As of the writing of this post according to NFATracker the average wait time for Form 1 Trust application approval is about 40 days total. The word ‘average’ is important since some applications will take less time and some will take longer. For Form 4 (as of the writing of this post) the average wait time is from 230 to 330 days depending on how the application is filed (paper or electronic, individual or trust). Yes, you read all of that correctly. The wait times for a Form 4 are typically MUCH longer than for a Form 1.
Cost:
There are several online suppliers for the raw components that can be modified into a Form 1 suppressor, everything from cheap EBay aluminum ‘solvent traps’ to more expensive stainless steel, titanium, or inconel components. It takes some research on your part but essentially by using these component sources it is possible to legally build a custom suppressor that fits your needs and budget, ranging anywhere from $100 up to $400 and beyond.
I can do this?
Maybe… If you have a few basic fabrication tools, like a drill press, and fabrication skills, then you can legally build your own suppressor with relative ease. What takes some time is deciding what construction method you will use (welded, screwed together), the internal design (baffles), how it is all laid out (spacing, outer tube size), and how it attaches to the barrel of the rifle or pistol (screw on or mount). All of these elements are important and must be considered for safety and performance reasons. The methods of construction are far too extensive to discuss here. Fortunately there is a lot of good information online if you are willing to look. Google search ‘Form 1 suppressor’ and start reading. Do not worry, the black helicopters will not show up at your house. They did not show up at mine. Be sure to read, and read, and read some more, before posting questions. This is serious business and Form 1 suppressor forums and hobbyists treat it as such. Your first post should be something like “I have read all of the construction methods and have a question about the VSRs I want to use in my D-size tube regarding spacers” and should not be “What’s up where can I get the best kit for $50”. The former will get help, the latter will get next to none and/or ridicule.
Why use a suppressor?
Well it is pretty simple really, and has nothing to do with secret agents or subversive criminal activity as portrayed on TV and in the movies:
- In short a suppressor is to your rifle what a muffler is to your car. Suppressors make your pistol or rifle MUCH quieter, in some cases unbelievably quiet. For subsonic ammunition (no supersonic crack), like subsonic 300 AAC Blackout, this can be quiet enough to where no hearing protection is required during shooting. For subsonic 22LR ammunition fired from a rifle the sound can be reduced to ‘Hollywood quiet’ levels. So if you are hunting in the woods, you can walk without hearing protection and thus be more connected to the environment. It also makes the shooting experience much nicer for yourself and those around you.
- Another benefit is that a suppressor can act like a muzzle brake and substantially reduce the recoil of your rifle. Unlike a muzzle brake, which will make your gun seem much louder at your position (the better they work, the louder they are), a suppressor reduces recoil very quietly, and very effectively.
For home defense, especially with subsonic ammunition, you do not need to wear hearing protection while searching the premises for intruders. And if you have to defend yourself then you will not end up with temporary deafness and/or tinnitus and/or permanent hearing loss.
- In closing
All of the information above is a summary of the experience of JAMER when obtaining a Form 1 tax stamp from the ATF and LEGALLY building a suppressor AFTER obtaining the stamp. None of the above is offered as legal advice nor is it intended to be used in any particular state; local laws vary. Before you start ordering parts it is strongly recommended that you spend several hours at least reading, learning, and planning on how to complete a Form 1 suppressor. You will be glad you did, save time and money when doing so, and be much happier with your result. Follow the rules and have fun.