FAQs

Most commonly, silencers, rifles with barrels shorter than 16 inches, shotguns with barrels shorter than 18 inches, select-fire firearms manufactured before 1986, and a category known as "any other weapon" which applies to unusual items.

$200. First-time NFA buyers may also choose to form a trust, which typically incurs a one-time fee of between $100 and $150 for a traditional trust or a per-item Single Shot trust fee of between $25 and $40.

Wait times vary between as little as six months to as many as twelve months.

1 - Go to eforms.atf.gov and set up an account.  Use the same email for the ATF login as you used for you SilencerShop account.

2 - Schedule an appointment with an NFA specialist at GA Firing Line via [email protected] or 770-779-9254.  If you are filing as a trust, we can process your certification over the phone.

3 - In that appointment, the NFA specialist will guide you through the last steps before submission.

At the time this is being written, GAFL has a large backlog of eforms to process.  Please contact us in advance to set up your appointment.  We appreciate your patience.

Never. Once you legally acquire a tax stamp, it applies to your NFA in perpetuity.

No, that is a myth. Law enforcement needs a warrant to search a private residence except in special circumstances. Legally owning an NFA item with an associated tax stamp does not strip you of rights.

Many GAFL employees keep electronic copies of their tax stamp accessible at all times. Federal law only states that it must be presented to an officer of the ATF by request. If a non-ATF officer requests to see your tax stamp, you do have the right to refuse, though we recommend you allow him/her to view the paperwork.

Bear in mind that Georgia law has a caveat. OCGA § 16-11-122 generally prohibits ownership of a Title II weapon unless the owner can prove the item was registered under the dictates of the NFA. To avoid potential hassle, it’s best to keep a copy of the stamp with the item. Furthermore, the NFRTR (the ATF registry) is known to have errors, and ready access to the stamp may be necessary to confirm the legality of a weapon in your possession.

The form you will need to convert an existing firearm into an NFA item (for instance, shortening a rifle barrel from 18 inches to 14 inches, is called a FORM 1. To acquire an already existing NFA item, you will need a FORM 4. Should you choose to complete a form 4, you will also need a RESPONSIBLE PERSON QUESTIONAIRE. Lastly, the ATF has a good FAQ page. Visit us or give us a call, and we can help you with the paperwork.

Yes, you can call the ATF directly at (304) 616-4500. Have the serial number and trust name (if registered under a trust). However, it's best to sit tight  If you are waiting on a tax stamp from us, we will call you the very day it arrives.

No. "Silencer" is the official name for a muzzle device that reduces the sound signature of a firearm's report. Most markspeople call them "suppressors" since complete silence is almost impossible to achieve. Consider that the muffler on a gas-powered vehicle operates on a similar principle. It merely reduces sound, it doesn't eliminates it. Movies often exaggerate how quiet suppressed firearms can be.

To answer that accurately, we will need to know the caliber, suppressor model, barrel length, action type, etc.  There is tremendous variation among silenced sound signatures.  In general, silenced reports range from as low as 95 dBA to 140 dBA.  For reference, most interstate drivers hear road noise between 65 and 75 dBA. A hand-held circular power saw sings at around 95dBA. Loud rock concerts can be 115 dBA close to the speakers (ow). A jet taking off 25 meters away will rupture your eardrum at 150 dBA. Please, please protect your ears. A long-barreled bolt action .22lr with a silencer and subsonic ammunition is as quiet as a hand clap (I metered my rifle at 86dB with subsonic ammo), while other silenced rounds are not hearing safe at all.

There is no standard by which sound signatures are measured.  Some companies put their dB meter in front of the barrel, some next to the barrel, some at the shooter's ear.  dB meter location drastically influences each reading.  Our advice: experience it in person.  GAFL has suppressors for rent, and our employees can help you get a much better sense of how to get what you want.

Silencers can attach to a threaded barrel or to a muzzle device as part of a "QD" (quick-detach) system. If your barrel isn't threaded, the smiths will need to thread it for you. Once it's threaded with the same thread pitch as your silencer, it can direct thread onto the barrel. For most handguns, make sure your suppressor has a piston: a device that allows the silencer to move independently of the barrel. If you want a faster, one-handed method of adding and removing your silencer, consider a QD system. For example, the smiths can properly time a muzzle brake with "Keymo" slots on the outer edge. The Keymo adapter also in your silencer allows it to be added and detached quickly with only one hand.

Have a gunsmith check concentricity or check it yourself with a bore alignment rod.  It takes only a few seconds, and it determines whether or not the bullet has a clear, straight path from the barrel through the suppressor.  If you shoot without checking concentricity, you're risking a baffle strike, which will damage and likely destroy the silencer.

GA Firing Line urges clients in the strongest possible terms to avoid anything that could be unlawful. The adapter is not the device that quiets the report, and therefore is not a proper NFA item. The device that is in fact responsible for sound reduction must be registered, serialized, tax stamped, and fully legal. This is dangerous legal territory, and we ask you to avoid it. In any case, our staff rejects this strategy because many oil filters have a low tensile strength and pose a serious safety risk in the event of a catastrophic failure.

Yes. You must be present and the item cannot leave your possession. Be aware that shotguns and certain kinds of ammo are prohibited in the range. See range rules for more details.

The table below contains common cartridges and examples of suppressors with which they are compatible.  Each suppressor company uses a slightly different bore size, so they advertise each silencer based on the cartridge it's designed to accommodate.

We do not recommend shooting .22lr through a .223 suppressor. While the projectile will fit down the bore and the report will be muffled, a .22lr round deposits far more lead, carbon, and debris than a .223 round. If your silencer is not user-serviceable, you will find yourself sending it out to be cleaned every 200 or 300 rounds (read: too often). Or worse, it will become so dirty that it no longer suppresses any sound.

Do not shoot .223 rounds through a .22lr suppressor unless the manufacturer explicitly states that the silencer is designed for that. Most .22lr suppressors are designed as dedicated .22lr cans and cannot withstand the pressure of a .223 or 5.56 round. This presents an unacceptably high safety risk.

Below is a grossly over-simplified table of the strengths of each material.  Consult one of our NFA specialists for a much more detailed answer.

This table outlines the most common thread pitches and bore sizes.  Bear in mind that there are always outliers and that suppressors can often suppress rounds with smaller diameters than the bore size can accommodate.  For instance, a .308 silencer will work on a 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action rifle all day.  Many rifle owners standardize their QD system so that they can move only one suppressor around on multiple rifles.

No. You cannot own a select-fire weapon produced after 1986. If you are interested in high rates of fire in an AR platform, speak to our team about a trigger upgrade, like a binary trigger or even a Timney.

No. This is a felony.

Modifying an already existing firearm into an NFA item is possible with the completion of a FORM 1 and a tax stamp. Before you start your project, you should know exactly what cost and wait-time to expect. So, please visit our gunsmiths with your firearm (in a case, unloaded, chamber open, pointed in a safe direction), as such projects can be as simple as changing an upper or as complicated as disassembling, cutting, rethreading, refinishing, etc. Do not attempt to modify your firearm on your own, and do not break NFA law.

Firearms come with a lock to secure them. However, this lock's effectiveness is limited. Many responsible GAFL clients store their firearms in a safe or a locked case. Several secure and quick-access options exist for bedside tables, drawers, shelves, and even inconspicuous places where firearm storage is plausible.

No, but we strongly recommend that beginners and first-time buyers enroll in introductory courses that cover basic firearm safety. GAFL offers an assortment of classes every day of the week, and other institutions offer similar courses. Please bear in mind that the more training you have, the more useful your firearm is to you. The less familiar you are with a firearm, the higher the risk that it will be a liability rather than an asset.

Please read the following carefully. If you would like to buy a firearm for someone as a gift, we recommend purchasing a GAFL gift card so that the recipient can choose and purchase their own firearm using the gift card as payment.

However, it is a felony to buy a firearm for someone who cannot buy a firearm for themselves due to felony charges, domestic abuse, dishonorable military discharge, ID address mismatches, drug charges, immigration status, or any reason that would prevent legal firearm ownership. This is called a “straw purchase.” If you have questions about the legality of a transaction, please speak to GAFL management, seek legal advice, and err on the side of caution. Do not attempt to break, stretch, or bend any law.

Yes. Some of you may remember that in early 2021 we had to briefly discontinue taking special orders. Now that the supply and ammo situation has improved, we are able to accept special orders for a variety of items. Please be aware that some merchandise is still difficult to obtain.

No, but the required earplugs and protective eye wear can be purchased for under $6 total.

Yes.  An entire section of display shelves is devoted to rental firearms.  Look for firearms featuring custom smith work, silencers, rifles, and some of our most popular carry models.

We will hold onto your drivers license while you use the rental firearm.  If you'd like, you can even exchange one rental firearm for another at no additional cost multiple times.  However, renting more than one firearm simultaneously incurs another rental fee.

We will ask to see your ammunition. If it fits our criteria, you are welcome to use it. Steel case ammo, green tip, armor piercing, incendiary, and shotgun rounds are strictly prohibited in the gun range.  Alternatively, you may buy and shoot GA Firing Line ammunition in our range.

Two people can shoot per lane.  If, for instance, one of our instructors is working with you, we may make limited exceptions to this policy.

If you have excellent control of your firearm and good shot placement, we do allow rapid fire with pistols. We reserve the right to ask you to leave if your shot placement is not accurate and consistent. Rapid fire with rifles is strictly prohibited; you must allow three seconds in between each shot.

Yes, but we do require a silencer.  Even with hearing protection, listening to a 5.56 with a muzzle break discharge right next to you in a pistol lane is a miserable experience, especially for beginners.  You are welcome to shoot rifles in the rifle lanes without a silencer.

$25/month buys unlimited range time, a 10% discount on range ammo, free admission to weekly/seasonal GAFL events, and advanced lane reservations via mobile. Training events on off-site locations are not included with a GAFL membership.

As much as we love video games, we do require that you shoot only one firearm at a time.

Yes, you can ship your firearm to the GAFL gunsmiths.  Once we complete the work, we will ship it back to you.  We recommend insuring the contents of your shipment in full.

Yes

Ohhhhhh yeah. Check out some of our work on social media or on our Cerakote page.

Here is a PDF of starting Cerakote prices.  Bear in mind that price will increase based on the number of layers and the complexity of the job.

Yes, though the price varies depending on the type of firearm and the amount of work it needs.  Look for handguns to start at $45 and long guns at $85.

Look for handguns to start at $45 and long guns to start at $85.  Added complexity or work will increase time to completion, and thus the price.

No, but we Cerakote. Visit our Cerakote page or cerakote.com to see some of the endless possibilities.

Unfortunately, no. Building a parts kit requires a manufacturing license that we do not have. But as some say, all things in time...

Yes, we can laser engrave your firearm or silencer. Or your coffee mug, whatever.