Suppressors aren’t just having a good year. They’re having a historic one.
According to new reporting from NSSF, Americans are buying suppressors, short-barreled rifles and other National Firearms Act (NFA) items at a pace the industry has never seen before. If current trends continue, suppressor applications alone could approach 2 million by year’s end.
The surge isn’t happening by accident. Lower costs, dramatically faster ATF approvals and growing interest from hunters and recreational shooters are all fueling demand.
Tax Stamp Change Lit the Fuse
The biggest catalyst came from Congress.
After the One Big, Beautiful Bill reduced the federal tax stamp on suppressors from $200 to $0, many buyers who had been sitting on the fence decided it was finally time to jump in.
For years, that extra $200 tax made suppressors a tougher sell. Remove that hurdle, and demand skyrocketed.
According to NSSF, ATF data shows:
- More than 845,000 suppressor applications were submitted from January through May 2026.
- Nearly 768,000 applications had already been approved during that same period.
- June also saw a 177% increase in NFA background checks compared to June 2025, jumping from 60,147 to 166,677. NSSF says those numbers include suppressors, SBRs and other NFA-regulated firearms and accessories.
Waiting Months? Not Anymore.
The other big change is speed. Anyone who bought a suppressor a few years ago probably remembers waiting the better part of a year—or longer—for ATF approval.
That’s changing fast. NSSF credits years of work pushing for electronic processing, and the results are obvious. Current ATF averages show:
- Individual Form 4 eForms: about 8 days
- Trust Form 4 approvals: around 25 days
Some companies say it’s even faster. Silencer Central reports many individual applications are clearing in roughly three days, while Silencer Shop says many approvals are landing in the three-to-10-day range.
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For buyers who once expected months of waiting, that’s a massive shift.
More Hunters Are Going Suppressed
The popularity of suppressors isn’t just about paperwork getting easier. More hunters and recreational shooters are discovering the benefits firsthand.
Suppressors reduce muzzle blast, soften recoil and make follow-up shots easier. They also lessen hearing damage: one of the biggest reasons NSSF continues to push for passage of the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove suppressors from the National Firearms Act while keeping them subject to the same background check required for any retail firearm purchase.
Today, suppressors are legal to own in 42 states and legal to hunt with in 41 states.
The Industry Is Racing to Keep Up
Manufacturers aren’t standing still. NSSF notes companies across the industry are expanding to meet demand.
Silencer Central recently opened a 70,000-square-foot, $20 million distribution center in South Dakota, while companies including FN America, Bergara and Lyman have all entered the suppressor market.
Meanwhile, Silencer Shop has expanded to nearly 7,000 dealers, making the buying process easier than ever.
More Than 6 Million Suppressors Already Registered
The numbers have become staggering.
According to ATF data obtained by NSSF, there were approximately 6.3 million registered suppressors in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as of May 2026.
That’s a dramatic increase from just over a decade ago, when registered suppressors numbered only a few hundred thousand.
With tax stamps effectively eliminated, approvals measured in days instead of months, and more shooters embracing suppressed firearms, 2026 is shaping up to be the biggest year the suppressor market has ever seen.
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