Suppressors are going to become A LOT more common, and quickly. It'll be interesting to see if pressure forms in the blue states that have banned NFA firearms to at least allow their citizens to buy and use these these items when millions of their friends and family members start thinking of their suppressed rifles as the default?
“suddenly discovered ability to process form 4’s”
To make a new registry of gun owners, you mean. Is that tinfoil?
Ok, I’m getting my paperwork ready!
I believe that you need written permission to cross state lines.
I live on the in PA, on the WV border.
Do I need written permission, every time, from my betters, to go hunt coyotes on my buddy's farm, in WV?
Do I give up any 4th Amd protections?
First of all, integrally-suppressed handguns are substantially bulkier and heavier than non-suppressed. Neither of which is a plus for EDC or CCW. It could work for a plinking toy or a nightstand gun but most people don't buy so many handguns that they can afford to have one that they know will never need to leave the house mounted on their hip.
But putting a threaded barrel on a handgun (so you can mount a thread-on suppressor [or Nielsen device]) is more utilitarian because without the can it's almost identical to a regular handgun, so you can still CCW with it with virtually no handicap. But you can slip the suppressor on as suits your need.
But the down-side, obviously, is it's a fair bit longer than an integral suppressor mounted.
But the integral suppressor also puts you in a jam if you're wanting to run really hot loads because the integral barrel is ported along much of its length to tap off gas before the bullet ever gets to the muzzle. So you can NEVER match the non-integral barrel's muzzle velocity.
Second, integrally-suppressed rifles are a mixed bag of nuts because they cost you a substantial portion of your usual muzzle velocity. Yes, they weapon will be shorter overall but rifle bullets are designed to perform at rifle velocities. Take off too much MV and you'd be better off shooting a pistol-cartridge carbine instead.
One thing you don't hear people talk about when they're hawking silliness like 300 Blackout subsonics is that when you're shooting subsonic rifle rounds, the first rule is ALWAYS MAKE CERTAIN the last round you fired exited the barrel before squeezing the trigger again.
Why? Because you're "down-loading" the cartridge to such an extent that you've manifestly increased the potential for of a "squib" load. One that doesn't have enough "Pop" to drive the bullet the out of the barrel.
Ruh-Roh!
The funny thing about suppressors is that after you've owned one for a while, once the novelty of it has worn off, you start asking yourself, "Why the heck didn't I didn't do this sooner?" Because not having to deal with all that noise, and especially the muzzle blast in the face (in the case of long guns) just makes the whole shooting experience more enjoyable and less taxing.
Plus, in most cases, they'll make your rifles very slightly more precise. However, depending on your suppressor and the length of your barrel, hanging that added weight out at the end of the barrel might spoil its handling characteristics. Not such a prob with shorter barrels (like 16" ARs) and light-weight (<16 oz) cans, but still noticeable.
FWIW, suppressors have evolved tremendously (to the GOOD) in the last 20 years. They've gotten smaller and lighter all at the same time while still targeting that magic "hearing-safe" (<140dB) sound pressure level. Because these improvements weren't self-evident, somebody had to spend money on the R&D to make them to happen. And the more suppressors they sell, and the brighter their future prospects look, the more inclined they are to spend from the black side of the P&L sheet on product improvement. There are steel centerfire rifle suppressors on the market now in the 12-oz range, which was strictly exotic materials country just a few years ago.
And there are new mounting standards that make the latest generation of cans more utilitarian than ever before.
Already would be if the ATF hadn’t added suppressors to the DD list...
In an agency with a history of STUPID and unConstitutional BS... This is one of the worst.
I think the Form 1 applications are also up. The suppressor “kits” you can buy are increasing in quality but you have to have your tax stamp in hand before you can buy the components. For some unknown reason, Form 1s usually take much less time than Form 4s.
No, they’re not of the same quality as factory-made and bought thru a Form 4, but they are in general just a fraction of the price.