For 70 years US citizens have had to pay a $200 tax and receive a stamp allowing them to make or purchase a short barreled rifle (SBR) , short barreled shotgun, a suppressor (silencer) or AOW (Any Other Weapon). The One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated the $200 payment, thus the stamp has been free since last year. Now the courts have ruled, and the ATF published a letter confirming the fact that a stamp no longer has to be obtained at all. Here is the relevant part of the letter:
“Consequently, effective October 9, 2026, ATF will no longer require individuals to seek ATF approval under the NFA before making or transferring short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers, and “any other weapon”.
This a huge change in policy! Remember the Ruby Ridge shootout? That was precipitated because Randy Weaver sold a sawed off shotgun to an ATF agent. That is no longer a crime.
I assembled my first short barreled rifle a few months ago for no tax stamp cost but I still had to wait a few months for my stamp before I could attach the folding stock that converted the pistol into a SBR. . Now I can just order another one right away.
There’s probably a catchall in the regs that defines what that reg means by “any other weapon”. I don’t know what it says, but they’re not meaning that folks can now buy their own shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles or nukes.
U.S. Code, Title 26, Subtitle E, Chapter 53, Subchapter B, Part I, § 5845
(e)Any other weapon
The term “any other weapon” means any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive, a pistol or revolver having a barrel with a smooth bore designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell, weapons with combination shotgun and rifle barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading, and shall include any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire. Such term shall not include a pistol or a revolver having a rifled bore, or rifled bores, or weapons designed, made, or intended to be fired from the shoulder and not capable of firing fixed ammunition. 26 U.S. Code § 5845 - Definitions
Here is the paragraph on Any Other Weapon. Not to be confused with a DD Destructive Device.
Any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person and from which a shot can be discharged through the energy of an explosive
A pistol or revolver having a barrel with a smoothbore designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell
A weapon with combination shotgun and rifle barrels 12 inches or more, less than 18 inches in length, from which only a single discharge can be made from either barrel without manual reloading
Any such weapon which may be readily restored to fire
This term does not include a pistol or a revolver having a rifled bore (or rifled bores) or weapons designed, made or intended to be fired from the shoulder and not capable of firing fixed ammunition.
And it is stated publicly and officially that this new proclamation does not in any way supersede U.S. Code, Title 26, Subtitle E, Chapter 53, Subchapter B, Part I, § 5845? Because it certainly changes a few other rules.
This may seem to be a bit pedantic, but I have seen the government at “work” in the past.
It was the result of a court case. The original law was written as “not a ban, just a tax” and so then when the tax got removed the rest of the restrictions were deemed unconstitutional.
Apparently. I suspect at first dealers will be cautious of a trap. I was thinking of adding a suppressor but I am going to wait until next month’s local gun show to let things sort out. It only takes a brief wait anyway. Wait times to get the stamp have fallen from several months to several weeks or even days lately.
State laws haven’t changed, so it depends on what state you are in.
No actual experience, just a have read a bit about it but it should be significantly quieter even with standard ammo. Just not as quiet as with subsonic. Probably still need hearing protection.
Thinking about red-necking up something for my .45ACP (standard ammo is already subsonic) carbine. Maybe just use 1/2" washers as baffles.
There are already gun stores advertising just that. Personally I’m waiting on for a couple of manufacturers to branch into making affordable suppressors. The historical prices were elevated because of the scarcity of demand due to the tax and wait times. Now that that artificial cap has been thrown away, they’re a ripe avenue for mass production. Silencers aren’t particularly complicated to machine or assemble. Hell, you could buy aluminum “fuel filters” on Temu for a couple of years that only needed the purchaser to drill the exit end plug to be a complete accessory. I expect to see those returning fairly soon.
At my local gun show this summer I saw some suppressors in the $200 range. They were pretty small and I would want to read some reviews before I bought one that cheap.
At my local gun store yesterday, they already had display cases of suppressors set up and were “upselling” them to customers. The prices were all in the 800-1000 dollar range though, so I declined.
Go to the gun range I shoot at with a silencer and the range master would probably not allow it, and make you put on hearing protection. Or you will be asked to leave. They do NOT screw around.