Last minute suppressor vote

[HandgunHTR]

Honest question here, does removing the cost of the tax stamp help, hurt or doesn't matter on getting SBRs and suppressors out of the NFA completely in the future?

I think it helps as a first step. If the tax is removed, but it still requires approval from the ATF, then we are now in a situation where we are paying agents to approve something without having a revenue stream to offset the cost of the agents, which may pave the way to getting it removed in order to reduce the costs.

My fear is, however, that if there is no tax associated with it, the gun community will chalk it up as a win and stop pushing for complete removal of suppressors from the NFA. That then opens the door for a different administration to come in and use that same cost justification to re-establish a tax, and I guarantee it will be higher than $200. Remember, their goal is removing all firearms and everything associated with them from citizen's hands. The 2A prevents them from outright banning them, for now, so they will find other ways.

 

[Bluefish]

Imho changing the tax value is a nothing burger. My complaint is not paying the tax, but waiting months for approvals. Yes they are faster now, but still not fast. I am at about 2 weeks so far on my latest submission and my last approved ones were almost a year. I would much prefer to pay a tax and get instant approval than not pay a tax and wait months.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I think that if the ATF loses the revenue stream, we are likely to see wait times increase. People came to the realization that the tax wasn’t that high about 15 years ago. It took the ATF about a decade to realize that more people paying the tax was a good thing. Not that the federal government is ever efficient, but “bringing in revenue” always briefs well.


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“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Imho changing the tax value is a nothing burger. My complaint is not paying the tax, but waiting months for approvals. Yes they are faster now, but still not fast. I am at about 2 weeks so far on my latest submission and my last approved ones were almost a year. I would much prefer to pay a tax and get instant approval than not pay a tax and wait months.

Paper forms? E-file is averaging 11 days for trust, 7 days for individual per the ATF and the stats from Reddit's data collection confirm / are showing slightly quicker.

I had my OG approved and in hand (3 business days) faster than I could get a rifle in hand in WA (10 business day wait period).

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Paper forms? E-file is averaging 11 days for trust, 7 days for individual per the ATF and the stats from Reddit's data collection confirm / are showing slightly quicker.

I had my OG approved and in hand (3 business days) faster than I could get a rifle in hand in WA (10 business day wait period).

Yes, I had my OG in hand 12 days after it was made. The Griffin I ordered before that took “a long time…” 25 whole days.


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“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[wind gypsy]

The biggest hassle to me is needing a tax stamp. Needing a trust. Requirement to carry the stamp with the suppressor. Not letting your buddies/kids borrow or hunt with your can if you're not immediately there. The impact on the used suppressor buying/selling. The hassle of buying from anyone that isn't local or Capitol Armory / Silencer shop / silencer central. Leaving your highly regulated toys with a wife who has to deal with them after you're gone.

Saving $200 and a few days would be cool, but the rest of it is the real burden.

 

[Bluefish]

Paper forms? E-file is averaging 11 days for trust, 7 days for individual per the ATF and the stats from Reddit's data collection confirm / are showing slightly quicker.

I had my OG approved and in hand (3 business days) faster than I could get a rifle in hand in WA (10 business day wait period).

Eforms, 2 RP. At 14 days already. Over 30 from when I placed the order if you count the form 3 transfer. My last approval took over a month after the shop closed. Granted that was before the speed up.

I still can’t loan them out and all the other nfa requirements, a minor win at best.

 

[cuerro viejo]

The biggest hassle to me is needing a tax stamp. Needing a trust. Requirement to carry the stamp with the suppressor. Not letting your buddies/kids borrow or hunt with your can if you're not immediately there. The impact on the used suppressor buying/selling. The hassle of buying from anyone that isn't local or Capitol Armory / Silencer shop / silencer central. Leaving your highly regulated toys with a wife who has to deal with them after you're gone.

Saving $200 and a few days would be cool, but the rest of it is the real burden.

SOT and tax stamp is biggest one.
Documents in truck and phone are easy

 

[Axlrod]

I think that if the ATF loses the revenue stream, we are likely to see wait times increase. People came to the realization that the tax wasn’t that high about 15 years ago. It took the ATF about a decade to realize that more people paying the tax was a good thing. Not that the federal government is ever efficient, but “bringing in revenue” always briefs well.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

From the ATF website:
All taxes collected for NFA go to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury Department
The ATF, or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, receives its funding primarily through congressional appropriations.
For the current fiscal year, the ATF's enacted budget was approximately $1.6 billion. The agency also has a FY25 budget request of $1.952 billion.

The employees of the ATF really don't care how many tax stamps they sell, no more than the USPS cares how many first class stamps they sell.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Well supposedly it passed the senate 51-50.... though I dont see much chatter on the socials

 

[Schmo]

Well supposedly it passed the senate 51-50.... though I dont see much chatter on the socials

Yes, GOA has confirmed that it passed the Senate. Unfortunately, it was the altered version that simply reduced the tax to $0, instead of removing it completely from the NFA. They are still fighting it for us since the bill has to go back to the House. It’s a slim chance, but there is still a chance!

 

[Axle]

I hope the house puts it back in to at least get suppressors out of the nfa. Maybe it would have a little better chance to get through without the SBRs and SBSs?

A suppressor is a hearing protection device; I feel like it is not too much to ask to make those easier for the average american citizen to purchase.

 

[HandgunHTR]

Yes, GOA has confirmed that it passed the Senate. Unfortunately, it was the altered version that simply reduced the tax to $0, instead of removing it completely from the NFA. They are still fighting it for us since the bill has to go back to the House. It’s a slim chance, but there is still a chance!

The problem is that if the House changes anything, it has to go back to the Senate for approval, so they can add it back and the Senate can strip it right out again. That will continue until we either get it as it is, or it is stripped out completely to get the bigger stuff across the line.

The reason the courts have failed to take on the case of whether or not suppressors belong in the NFA is because it was a tax issue. With the tax removed, it removes the justification for having them be part of the NFA. I guarantee that when the bill is signed, a lawsuit will be immediately filed to get them removed from the NFA.

As for the repeal of the entire NFA, this administration has already shown us how they feel about machine guns with the bump stock ban. No way they allow the repeal of the entire NFA.

 

[fwafwow]

I hope the house puts it back in to at least get suppressors out of the nfa. Maybe it would have a little better chance to get through without the SBRs and SBSs?

Although this provision is important to some, IMHO it's insignificant in the overall grand scheme of this bill. I personally doubt that this provision will be changed given the fights over other (more material) taxes, as examples.