Walk in. Walk out suppressed. Buy a suppressor from us — in store or online — and pick it up in our Saco shop on a Form 4473. How it works →
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NFA / Suppressors

Suppressors on a 4473

Buy it from us, pick it up at our Saco shop, and it's a Form 4473 — here's how that works, and why.

A suppressor you buy from us and pick up at our Saco shop goes out on a Form 4473 with a NICS background check — the same paperwork as any firearm. Here's how it works, and why.

Buying a suppressor at our shop

Buy it at the counter or order it online: if it's from us and you pick it up here, it's a 4473. Open to any Maine resident — you don't have to be a GOA member, though we recommend joining (below).

  1. Pick your canIn the shop, or from our suppressors online. There's no federal transfer tax to add.
  2. Bring your photo IDA valid government photo ID with your current Maine address.
  3. Form 4473 & NICS checkThe standard federal form and background check — the same as buying a rifle or pistol.
  4. Take it homeOnce your background check clears.

Why it's a 4473 now

On August 5, 2026 a federal court in Texas ruled, in a lawsuit brought by Gun Owners of America and others, that the NFA's registration requirements are unconstitutional for suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and AOWs — the items whose federal tax is now $0. The order was stayed for seven days and is now in effect. GOA says it protects the plaintiffs and their current and future members and customers.

DOJ and the ATF haven't yet issued guidance on how they'll carry out the ruling, and GOA advises talking to an attorney before acting on it. The order covers SBRs and SBSs too, but for now we keep them on the ATF Form 4 — along with any suppressor we didn't sell you.

Sources: Gun Owners of America, We Won Our Case Against the National Firearms Act! (6 August 2026) and NFA Victory FAQ: What Gun Owners Need to Know (24 August 2026).

We recommend joining Gun Owners of America. GOA brought this case, and GOA says the court limited the win to its members and the other plaintiffs — in GOA's words, if you're not a member, now is the time to sign up. Join GOA → Already a member? Check your status at my.gunowners.org.

What hasn't changed

  • A suppressor is still a firearm. It never ships to your home.
  • Over the counter we can sell a suppressor only to a Maine resident — federal law limits in-person sales to residents of the dealer's state. Out of state? We can send it to a licensed SOT dealer near you.
  • You must be at least 21 and legally eligible to own a firearm.
  • State law is separate. Several states have their own suppressor rules, and the court's order doesn't change them. We confirm yours before you commit.
  • Short-barreled rifles and shotguns and other NFA items still transfer on an ATF Form 4 with us, and so does a suppressor we send to another dealer.
  • The 4473 is only for a suppressor we sell you — and a can you buy through Silencer Shop counts as ours, with no transfer fee. Transferring a can you own to the shop, a private sale between two people that we handle, or a can bought elsewhere and shipped here all go on an ATF Form 4 — see FFL Transfers for the fee.

The Form 4 path

For those items the transfer is done on an ATF Form 4, usually filed electronically through the ATF's eForms system. The federal tax stamp is $0 as of January 1, 2026 — you still get an approved stamp, it just costs nothing. As a licensed FFL and SOT we run it in-house:

  1. Pick your item & confirm pricingWe confirm your out-the-door price, with no federal transfer tax.
  2. Start your Form 4 with usWe help with the form, fingerprints and photos — in store or guided remotely.
  3. ATF review & background checkThe ATF processes the application. Approval times are set by the ATF, not by us; we'll give you a current estimate when you start.
  4. Approval & pickupOnce it's approved, it's yours. We'll let you know the moment it clears.
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Have a question about a specific can or your state? Email sales@sticksandstonesweapons.com or use our contact page — we're happy to walk you through it.

This page is general information, not legal advice. GOA itself recommends talking to a lawyer in your state about your own situation, and the rules can change — we confirm the current requirements for your transfer before you commit.