Buying a Suppressor From Longbow Arms

 

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Silencers (commonly called suppressors) are regulated as Title II firearms under the National Firearms Act of 1934.  The BATFE manages these firearms and the process of ownership.  Purchasing a suppressor requires filing an ATF Form 5320.4 (Form 4) application and payment of a $200 fee referred to as a "Tax Stamp."  Because of a lot of fake news out there, this process can seem like a mystery.  But like anything else involving the government, it's mostly a matter of understanding the process. 

 

Our goal at Longbow Arms is to make your suppressor ownership experience as simple and transparent as possible.

 

To achieve this, we leverage the Cerberus LiveScan system by Peterson Farms to package the information required to file the eForm4 (digital fingerprints, passport photos, personal data, CLEO, etc.).  This system helps QC the process and ultimately saves time.  We complete this process on the spot, with the customer, and without any third party involvement.  Our method typically takes around 30-45 minutes for the entire initial purchase.  For repeat customers, this process only takes 5-10 minutes because we'll already have your .EFT and other data on hand.

 

Here's how it all works together!

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1. First, are you allowed to own a suppressor in your State?
   Thankfully we live in the free state of Tennessee, so yes, we can own suppressors (and other NFA items).  If you are at least 21 year old, and are legally allowed to buy a firearm (e.g., you can pass a background check and complete a 4473), then you can buy a suppressor.  If you live in another state, please ensure you can own a suppressor before making an online suppressor purchase. 
   
   
   
   
   
    

2. Select and purchase the suppressor of your choosing.
   This is normally the most difficult part of the process.  At Longbow Arms we won't choose for you, but we can help narrow it down.  In fact, we have a large selection of suppressors available as DEMOs just for that purpose.  
    

3. Decide whether you'll eFile as an Individual or an Entity (e.g., Trust).
   Individual filings are currently the fastest turnarounds, but a trust is sometimes the right choice depending on your circumstances.  We can discuss this more in person or on the phone. 
    

4. Establish an eForms account.
   We will need your eForms username and PIN to certify your eForm 4.  You can establish an account at
   https://eforms.atf.gov/login;referrer=%2Fhome 
    

5. Fingerprints and Passport Photo:
   We use the Peterson Farms Cerberus Livescan system for all digital fingerprints and data integration with ATF eForms.  This process takes about 20-30 minutes.  If you prefer not to use our in house process, you must fill out 2 fingerprint cards or get digital fingerprints (.EFT) and passport photos for each Individual or each Responsible Person on your trust who will be on the Form 4. 
    

6. File the eForm 4.
   Once we create your .EFT, we will complete and file the Form 4 (Electronically on ATF eForms).  The last page of the eForm 4 is where you will certify your eForm 4, and pay the $200.00 "tax stamp".  The eFiling process normally only takes about 5-10 minutes depending on the amount of traffic on the ATF eForms website.
    

7. Now you wait:
   Once you've submitted your eForm 4, you just wait for it to be approved.  Recent updates to ATF eForm processing has drastically reduced processing time.  What once took 9-12 months, has been taking as little as a few days.  Having said that, it's best to just forget about it.  You can schedule an appointment to come have conjugal visits with your purchased silencer at our location, or demo other silencers while you wait.  

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NOTE:  Both you and Longbow Arms will receive an email notifying you that your application is "SUBMITTED/IN PROCESS", however, you will NOT see the Form 4 in your own eForms account at any point.  For whatever reason, ONLY THE DEALER (transferor) will see the status in their account.  Once the eForm is approved, both you and Longbow Arms will receive an email stating "APPROVED" along with an attached copy of your Form 4.  That is your tax stamp, so try not to delete it as you will not get one in the mail, and it will NOT appear in your own eForms account.