Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 36

Thread: How do I go about building my own suppressor (Form1)?

  1. #1
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia

    How do I go about building my own suppressor (Form1)?

    Serious question...(spun off from a GD discussion about https://amzn.to/2RlGVJ1)

    How does one go about getting "80% parts" for a suppressor, filling out a form 1, building said suppressor after approval, and putting it to use?

    Can a regular person (ie not an FFL or licensed manufacturer) do this? Is it as simple as buying the uncompleted parts, filing the form, paying $200, waiting..., then completing the suppressor to the description in the form 1?

    Next, where are good places to get parts or kits? Are some better than others? What does one look for in a kit?

    I love building stuff and have built or help build a number of ARs (8 including the ones that I assisted others on). I've build a Glock P80. I've rebuilt near basket-case revolvers, performed some minor gunsmithing on a number of guns, etc. I'm pretty comfortable with this sort of thing. I think I'd like to try my own suppressor. I'm looking at it as more of an educational exercise as well as a quicker (I think above it was mentioned the wait time is shorter), and potentially cheaper, route to another can. However, the risk being what it is, I prefer to be fully educated on the process and risks first.

    If there is a good site that covers all this, just point me to it. A quick web search didn't turn up anything.

    Thanks,
    Chris

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by mtnbkr View Post
    Serious question...

    How does one go about getting "80% parts" for a suppressor, filling out a form 1, building said suppressor after approval, and putting it to use?

    Can a regular person (ie not an FFL or licensed manufacturer) do this? Is it as simple as buying the uncompleted parts, filing the form, paying $200, waiting..., then completing the suppressor to the description in the form 1? Yes.

    Next, where are good places to get parts or kits? https://diversifiedmachine.us/shop/ Are some better than others? Yes, wish I had more data for you. What does one look for in a kit? Wish I had more data for you.

    I love building stuff and have built or help build a number of ARs (8 including the ones that I assisted others on). I've build a Glock P80. I've rebuilt near basket-case revolvers, performed some minor gunsmithing on a number of guns, etc. I'm pretty comfortable with this sort of thing. I think I'd like to try my own suppressor. I'm looking at it as more of an educational exercise as well as a quicker (I think above it was mentioned the wait time is shorter), and potentially cheaper, route to another can. However, the risk being what it is, I prefer to be fully educated on the process and risks first.

    If there is a good site that covers all this, just point me to it. A quick web search didn't turn up anything.

    Thanks,
    Chris
    #RESIST

  3. #3
    >Can a regular person (ie not an FFL or licensed manufacturer) do this? Is it as simple as buying the uncompleted parts, filing the form, paying $200, waiting..., then >completing the suppressor to the description in the form 1?

    Kind of. 'Filling out the form' is a little more involved these days - photos, fingerprints, etc. And there is an upfront decision to make about whether to purchase as an individual or a trust.

    >If there is a good site that covers all this, just point me to it. A quick web search didn't turn up anything

    There is the 'NFA' subforum here. Another forum that has a lot of DIY discussions is silencertalk.com


    ETA: while the actual machining of simple suppressors is ... simple :-), it's worth remembering that mistakes can be expensive. If you turn a dial one rev too far and wreck your model steam engine or DIY AR lower, you're out your time and whatever the material cost. A brain fart when a law abiding owner is working on their suppressor can cost $200. So you don't want to be too far out on the edge of your personal machining competence.
    Last edited by whomever; 06-19-2019 at 08:08 AM.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by whomever View Post
    >Can a regular person (ie not an FFL or licensed manufacturer) do this? Is it as simple as buying the uncompleted parts, filing the form, paying $200, waiting..., then >completing the suppressor to the description in the form 1?

    Kind of. 'Filling out the form' is a little more involved these days - photos, fingerprints, etc. And there is an upfront decision to make about whether to purchase as an individual or a trust.

    >If there is a good site that covers all this, just point me to it. A quick web search didn't turn up anything

    There is the 'NFA' subforum here. Another forum that has a lot of DIY discussions is silencertalk.com


    ETA: while the actual machining of simple suppressors is ... simple :-), it's worth remembering that mistakes can be expensive. If you turn a dial one rev too far and wreck your model steam engine or DIY AR lower, you're out your time and whatever the material cost. A brain fart when a law abiding owner is working on their suppressor can cost $200. So you don't want to be too far out on the edge of your personal machining competence.
    Thanks. I have 1 suppressor, on a trust, so I'm not completely ignorant of that aspect of the process. Also, I didn't recall seeing much "DIY" discussion in the NFA subforum, but now that the idea is in my head I'll do some searches here. I had forgotten about silencertalk.com.

    Regardless, I'll be reading a lot before I make the leap. I wanted to be sure it was theoretically doable and lowish risk before I got too far into the research rabbit-hole.

    Thanks!

    Chris

  5. #5
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    I found this site, which seems more informative than silencertalk.com: http://form1suppressor.boards.net

    Chris

  6. #6
    Site Supporter CCT125US's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Ohio
    The whole constructive intent issue bothers me. You obtain the parts in order to get dimensions required on the form...... which has obviously not been submitted, or approved.... for the parts you intend to construct.... I certainly lack understanding here.
    Taking a break from social media.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Northern Virginia
    Quote Originally Posted by CCT125US View Post
    The whole constructive intent issue bothers me. You obtain the parts in order to get dimensions required on the form...... which has obviously not been submitted, or approved.... for the parts you intend to construct.... I certainly lack understanding here.
    As far as I can tell, all you need for those measurements is the tube and end-caps. I think intent applies to a willingness to break the law as well as having the components available, in a finished state. So, if you bought the tube and unfinished caps, made your measurements, submitted your paperwork, and did nothing else until the approval came back, there would be no intent to break the law.

    That said, I haven't looked at the form yet as eForms was down when I tried to check, so there may be dimensions beyond simple exterior dimensions necessitating having on hand the rest of the components.

    Chris

  8. #8
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    TEXAS !
    Quote Originally Posted by CCT125US View Post
    The whole constructive intent issue bothers me. You obtain the parts in order to get dimensions required on the form...... which has obviously not been submitted, or approved.... for the parts you intend to construct.... I certainly lack understanding here.
    This is where words mean things.

    The “parts” you obtain in the 80% kit are not, legally “suppressor parts,” they are unfinished raw materials, hence the 80% qualifier. Until you finish the remaining 20% of Machine operations they are not legally “suppressor parts.”

    You don’t finish the other 80% and “make” them into suppressor parts until you have your form 1. Form 1 being an application to “make” an NFA item.

    You can have constructive intent to possess an item when the parts you have are, by legal definition, not yet parts of that item.

  9. #9
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    TEXAS !
    Quote Originally Posted by mtnbkr View Post
    As far as I can tell, all you need for those measurements is the tube and end-caps. I think intent applies to a willingness to break the law as well as having the components available, in a finished state. So, if you bought the tube and unfinished caps, made your measurements, submitted your paperwork, and did nothing else until the approval came back, there would be no intent to break the law.

    That said, I haven't looked at the form yet as eForms was down when I tried to check, so there may be dimensions beyond simple exterior dimensions necessitating having on hand the rest of the components.

    Chris
    Having the parts in a finished state vs 80% state are two VERY different situations.

    The whole rationale for the 80% kit is “it’s not soup yet” so you can possess it without legal risk until you have the form 1 in hand allowing you to legally finish the parts.

    If you finish the parts from an 80% without a form 1, then yeah you have broken the law and defeated the whole rationale behind the legitimate use of an 80% kit.

    It may sound nit picky but referring to 80% parts, which are NOT legally suppressor parts with finished parts that ARE legally suppressor parts contributes to confusion where there should be none.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    TEXAS !

    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by mtnbkr View Post
    Serious question...(spun off from a GD discussion about https://amzn.to/2InO8Fn)

    How does one go about getting "80% parts" for a suppressor, filling out a form 1, building said suppressor after approval, and putting it to use?

    Can a regular person (ie not an FFL or licensed manufacturer) do this? Is it as simple as buying the uncompleted parts, filing the form, paying $200, waiting..., then completing the suppressor to the description in the form 1?

    Next, where are good places to get parts or kits? Are some better than others? What does one look for in a kit?

    I love building stuff and have built or help build a number of ARs (8 including the ones that I assisted others on). I've build a Glock P80. I've rebuilt near basket-case revolvers, performed some minor gunsmithing on a number of guns, etc. I'm pretty comfortable with this sort of thing. I think I'd like to try my own suppressor. I'm looking at it as more of an educational exercise as well as a quicker (I think above it was mentioned the wait time is shorter), and potentially cheaper, route to another can. However, the risk being what it is, I prefer to be fully educated on the process and risks first.

    If there is a good site that covers all this, just point me to it. A quick web search didn't turn up anything.

    Thanks,
    Chris
    I feel like someone asked this before

    https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....m-1-Suppressor

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •