Navigating the Silence
Suppressors • Purchase Guide
Navigating the Silence
Everything you need to know to buy your first suppressor — from picking the can, to fingerprints, to the ATF eForm, to the day it comes home.
Buying a suppressor used to mean a year-long wait and a paperwork mountain. Today, on ATF’s eForm system, most Form 4 applications approve in a few weeks. It’s easier than it’s ever been — but the process is different from a normal firearm purchase, and this guide walks you through it step by step.
Suppressor Purchase — The Short Version
- Federal Title II NFA item — requires a $200 tax stamp
- Legal to own in Colorado; legal to hunt with
- You’re 21+ (transferee) or 18+ (Trust setup)
- ATF Form 4 on eForms system — typical wait is a few weeks now
- We do fingerprints, photos and eForm submission in-store, no extra charge
01Pick the Right Can
Start with what you’ll shoot most. A .30-caliber rifle can covers .22 LR through .300 Win Mag on most modern rifles. A dedicated .22 rimfire can is affordable and perfect as a first suppressor. A 9mm pistol can lets you shoot indoors without hearing damage. Come talk to us — we’ll match a can to your rifle, your budget, and your future plans.
02Individual vs Trust
You can buy in your own name (individual) or set up an NFA gun trust to hold your NFA items. Individual is simpler; a trust lets you add family/friends as “responsible persons” who can legally possess the suppressor, and simplifies estate planning. Neither is faster than the other on ATF approval since Rule 41F requires fingerprints for every responsible person on a trust.
03Step-by-Step at ERG
Pick and pay
Select your suppressor at the shop or on our online store. Pay for it in full (this is a normal purchase — the tax stamp is separate).
Fingerprints & photo
We do inkless prints and a passport-style photo right at the counter. No extra fees, no separate appointment at a police station.
ATF Form 4 (eForm)
We fill out the eForm 4 with you on our screen, verify all fields, and submit it to ATF electronically.
Pay the tax stamp
$200 to ATF, paid within the eForm submission by credit card.
Wait for approval
eForm approvals have dropped dramatically. Some approve in days; most in weeks. We call you as soon as your approval comes back.
Pick it up
Come by, sign the transfer, take your suppressor home. Ready to shoot.
— Elk River Guns
04Getting Ready to Shoot Suppressed
While you wait for approval, we can prep your rifle: thread the barrel if needed, mount the correct muzzle device / suppressor mount, and swap up to subsonic ammo for maximum sound reduction (rimfire and .300 Blackout are the classic subsonic pairs). Our gunsmiths do threading and muzzle-device installs in-house.
05Shop Suppressors & Accessories
Suppressors
Rimfire, rifle, pistol
Suppressor-Ready Rifles
Threaded from the factory
Muzzle Devices
Mounts & brakes
Ammunition
Subsonic & supersonic