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FAQ

ANSWERS? WE'VE GOT THEM.

Silencers are awesome, but if you dont know anything about them the details can get overwhelming. Check out our most frequently asked questions below, and feel free to give us a call.

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SILENCER BASICS

1. What is a silencer/suppressor?

A silencer, suppressor, or sound moderator is a device that attaches to the barrel of a firearm to muffle the noise of the gunshot and reduce visible muzzle flash.  Despite what you may have seen in the movies, silencers do not make a gun completely silent, but some can get darn close. .

 

2. So how quiet is a silencer? 

It depends. A .22 LR with subsonic ammunition is no louder than a staple gun and some bolt actions are like a red rider bb gun. while an AR-15 chambered with standard .223 ammo sounds like an un-suppressed .22 rifle. If you want to hear for yourself how quiet a silencer can be, schedule a demo at our store in Seymour, Tennessee!

 

3. Why would you own a silencer?

Silencers will allow you to shoot guns at all hours of the day without disturbing neighbors, family members, or skittish pets. Silencers are also a great hunting accessory and can protect your hearing while target shooting. Most importantly though, silencers are fun to shoot, look awesome, and make all your friends jealous! 

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4. Is it legal to own a silencer?

In the state of Tennessee and 42 other states, private citizens may own a silencer for hunting or other recreational use. 

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5. Who can Tennessee Silencer sell to?

Tennessee Silencer is licensed to sell directly to Tennessee residents.If you are too far to visit the store in person, the silencer can be shipped straight to your door after approval. We can also sell to out-of-state residents by transferring the silencer through a class 3 FFL dealer in your state.  Also, if you decide to buy your silencer from an out-of-state dealer, Tennessee Silencer is available to act as your NFA/Class 3 dealer. 

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6. What is the process to buy a silencer?

In a nutshell - if you come to the store with money and a drivers license we can do everything there. Usually takes about 20 minutes once you've selected which one you'ld like. Currently, most silencers are registered to either a trust, or to your own name. We will fill out your ATF eForm 4, do your fingerprints on our live-scan system, and take your passport sized photos. The complete process, from certifying your form to receiving your silencer takes on average a couple months. For more information, see our flyer: Buying Your First Silencer.

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**NOTE** AS OF FEB. 2024 WE ARE RECEIVING APPROVALS FOR INDIVIDUAL SUBMITTED eFORM 4s BETWEEN 1 DAY AND 2 MONTHS. TRUST FORMS ARE CURRENTLY TAKING BETWEEN ABOUT 2-5 MONTHS

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7. Why buy from Tennessee Silencer?

Since 2015 Tennessee Silencer has completed several thousand NFA transfers. We have a brick and mortar store and do free silencer demos. NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY, so you can get a closer look at the silencers before you buy. We have tried all the silencers we stock and aLmost all the silencers we don't stock so you can get honest opinions of various models. Tennessee Silencer is not a weekend operation. We do this full-time Tuesday thru Saturday 10AM-6PM, and on our days off we are usually also playing with guns and silencers. We will always be there to guide you through the registration process and are available to answer any questions you may have. We keep dozens of brands and calibers in stock, reducing your wait time. And if you want a silencer that Tennessee Silencer doesn’t carry? We are happy to special order it for you!

SHIPPING 

Do you ship to other states? 

Yes, we ship to all states with legal silencer ownership. 

 

How long does shipping take? 

We try to ship same business day after payment and FFL or approval is received. 99% of the time we are able to get your order out by the next business day at the latest. 

 

Will I be charged for taxes?

We are a Tennessee business and so we must charge Tennessee purchasers sales tax. Although we agree this sucks if you have to pay sales tax. We are grateful to live in a state with no income tax. Sales tax will not be charged for out of state buyers. 

PAYMENT

What forms of payments do you accept? 

Money Orders • Cashier's Checks • Personal Checks (require 10 business days to clear before shipment will be made) • Credit Card by phone or in store (visa, amex, discover, mastercard, diners)

Deceased Customers Property

Unfortunately we have had a handful of instances of customers who have passed while waiting on ATF paperwork to go thru. In this case we work with heirs to either receive the goods or a refund or partial refund depending on the situation. Tennessee silencer will not dispense funds or offer refunds on ordered goods to anyone but the court appointed executor, or trustee of trust. That is to say we will not give money to heirs until we can be reasonably sure we are giving funds to the correct heir.

NFA Background Check Problems

It is rare but not unheard of for customers to receive a Denial due to "Failed Background Check" or Denial due to "Open Status." In talking to customers through the years we have never once found ATF make this decision for no reason. However there could be charges customers thought were cleared up, dropped or expunged. In this case a second submission to ATF with additional paperwork may be required to to clear up the problem. In this case the customer has a choice, they can 1.) tell us to resubmit again with additional documents, 2.) ask for a refund minus our transfer fee, 3.) let us consign the silencer for them, or 4.) sell us the silencer outright. Because of the possibility of a straw purchase and federal law we will not ship silencers involved in a background check failure to another dealer, or transfer the silencer to a friend or family member. If a refund is requested the refund will be minus the standard Class 3 transfer fee. If the silencer is resubmitted due to background check Tennessee Silencer may charge a resubmission fee of $50. If no action is taken or decided by the customer in a timely manner the fee abandonment guidelines affecting silencer transfers will applied. We will not resubmit background failures more than once. We will also not submit a silencer that will obviously get disapproved again. And last but not least we will not resubmit forms for any customer that has a rude or accusatory tone, makes threats or otherwise acts in an unprofessional manner with our employees. 

RETURNS

Gunbroker? 

All our standard guns through gunbroker unless otherwise noted have a no-questions asked return policy. There is a 3 day inspection period starting from the time tracking shows delivery. No assembly or firing, must be returned as shipped. Buyer responsible for shipping and insurance if returned. Once we verify the item has been returned unchanged we will issue a refund of the purchase price minus shipping through US mail via check.  

 

NFA Sales?

We do not offer returns on our NFA regulated items like Silencers, Short Barreled Rifles, Machineguns because of the additional tax stamps and wait time. We do however inspect every product for defects before registering it to the purchaser. If you have a problem give us a call and we'll help you determine the easiest fix. 

Layaways

We do layaways on a case by case basis. A typical silencer layaway could be 60 to 90 day terms. Layaway deposits and payments are nonrefundable.

Customer Information

We do not share customer information with anyone except as required by the terms of our FFL license with ATF and required by law or court order.

Abandoned Property

Silencers Not Picked Up After Approval

Silencers not picked up within 3 months after ATF approval and notification of customer may incur a storage fee of 10 dollars a month. After 6 months the fee will increase to 25 dollars a month. After one year the silencer will be considered abandoned, the tax stamp will be cancelled thru ATF and will become property of Tennessee Silencer. Tennessee Silencer reserves the right to show leniency on these terms for extenuating circumstances or pre-discussed arrangements with customers such as military orders, health emergencies etc.

 

Silencers transfers

Customers have one month to submit a tax stamp from the date the silencer arrives at our door. After one month a storage fee of 10 dollars a month will be due for each month the item is stored in our shop unnecessarily. After 3 months the fee will increase to 25 dollars a month. After 6 months the silencer will be considered abandoned and will become property of Tennessee Silencer. Tennessee Silencer reserves the right to show leniency on these terms for extenuating circumstances or pre-discussed arrangements with customers such as military orders, health emergencies etc.

 

Gun Transfers of GCA Firearms (typical guns)

Guns that are sent to us for transfer are expected to be background checked out within 2 weeks of delivery. After 2 weeks a storage fee of 50 cents a day may be incurred. After 6 weeks the fee will increase to 1 dollar a day. After 6 months the firearm will be considered abandoned and will become property of Tennessee Silencer. As above Tennessee Silencer reserves the right to show leniency for extenuating circumstances.

Still got questions? Contact us>

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