Roadmap to pistol suppressor ownership?

[Richard.Howe]

Roadmap to pistol suppressor ownership? (no, I'm not talking about buying myself a Feinstein :) )

I have searched THR without finding what I needed...but if I missed a relevant post, please copy into this forum.

I've never owned a suppressor, but the idea lately has started to germinate, and I think I might be getting the itch.

My questions are twofold:

1) a) What is the documentation I need to complete to purchase a suppressor, b) what are the costs, and c) what is a typical wait time for approval?

2) If I am looking to recreationally suppress a Sig 220, a) who makes a good threaded barrel for the conversion, and b) who is the current "favorite" for a good 45 can?

Thanks!
Rich

[Zak Smith]

1. Make sure your state allows suppressors
2. Find out if your CLEO (typically Sheriff) will give the CLEO signoff
3. If #2 = NO, then incorporate, see your lawyer and bring a few hundred bucks
4. Have your Class III dealer order your suppressor and wait for it to be transferred to him
5. Fill out your Form 4, only external thing you need is a set of passport photos and a set of fingerprints
6. If #2=YES, get CLEO signoff on Form 4, otherwise fill it out as Corporation
7. Submit Form 4, fingerprint card, passport photos, and $200 check
8. Wait, wait, wait...

[wdlsguy]

The M16 - Full Auto forum on ar15.com is a good place to ask questions.

http://ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=3&f=14

Suppressors are legal in Texas. Getting a CLEO signature may be a challenge in the Houston metro area. Your dealer may know some people to ask. Failing that, one workaround is to form a Limited Liability Company. About to do that myself.

http://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/business.shtml

[harvester of sorrow]

Zak, pretty close, although if you are submitting your Form 4 as a corporation, you won't need fingerprints or photographs.

Richard, an excellent place to start is www.titleii.com. He has all the necessary forms in .pdf, so that you can look at them and see what you're dealing with, although your dealer should provide you with the necessary forms for whatever you're buying from him. Also, there is a link from titleii to James Bardwell's NFA law page, which is a great source of information. Texas does allow suppressor ownership, so you are in good shape there.

I like suppressors from www.gem-tech.com, www.subguns.org, and www.swrmfg.com, but there are plenty of other makers out there.

You will need a dealer here in Texas; if you find a suppressor that you like, you might talk to the manufacturer and see if he has somebody in TX who carries his products. As for finding a suppressor that you like, the best advice I can give you is to go somewhere where fully-automatic and suppressed weapons are going to be shot and listen and compare, or shoot them if you are offered the opportunity. It's really impossible to decide which suppressor you'll like best by listening to peoples' opinions on the internet.

Good luck, suppressors make any gun you own more fun. Subguns.com is the forum owned by the guy who makes suppressors sold at the subguns.org url above, come over there sometime and see what we're all about.

[Correia]

Your local NFA dealer will be able to walk you through the steps, and will also know right where to send you for the CLEO. The longer they do NFA stuff in a state, the more the dealers will know which chiefs will and will not sign off. If not, as Zak pointed out, incorporate. Incorporating isn't too hard.

I think the form 4 is available on the ATF page even.

I don't know who makes a threaded barrel for a Sig 220. But I would try Jarvis and Bar-Sto. Either of them probably would to order.

[Zak Smith]

harvester,

Yeah, I knew that but didn't want to write a novel.

Don't overlook JET suppressors. They are located in TX, and I know they make great rifle 'cans.

-z

[boofus]

Do not forget the Citizenship form when you send it all off to ATF!!! and if you print the forms from the internet... Make sure they are DOUBLE SIDED. The ATF will reject the forms now if you staple 2 sheets together.

They might be lenient and send you a letter if you forget the citizenship form, but it will add a month or more to your wait time.