10/09/2026
ATF issued an open letter today on suppressors, short-barreled ri**es, short-barreled sh****ns, and “any other weapons.”
Here is what it actually means.
Effective October 9, 2026, ATF says it will no longer require approval before someone makes or transfers a suppressor, SBR, SBS, or AOW, and it will no longer require those items to be registered in the National Fi****ms Registration and Transfer Record. The $0 tax from the One Big Beautiful Bill is what led a federal court in the Northern District of Texas to block those rules for the plaintiffs in that case. ATF is now applying the same approach nationwide as a matter of enforcement discretion.
That is a real change. It is not a repeal of the National Fi****ms Act, and it does not cover everything.
What did not change:
• Machine guns and destructive devices are still fully under the NFA, including the $200 tax and the registration requirement.
• These items are still fi***rms under the Gun Control Act. A prohibited person still cannot possess one. A dealer transfer still requires a Form 4473 and a background check.
• Anyone in the business of making or dealing in these items still has to pay the NFA special occupational tax. That part of the law was not touched.
• State law still controls. ATF was clear that this letter does not override state or local bans, and a dealer still cannot transfer a fi***rm in violation of state law.
• Interstate travel needs care. ATF says individuals transporting an SBR or SBS should still file a Form 20, even if the gun is not in the registry. Other states may still ban these items, or only allow them if they are federally registered. Do not assume a Texas-legal item is legal in the next state over.
In Texas, suppressors are not prohibited weapons, and short-barrel fi***rms were removed from the state prohibited-weapons list effective September 1, 2025. For a Texas buyer, the old Form 4 wait, fingerprints, and photos are no longer what ATF is requiring on these four categories. Voluntary registration is still available if you want the paper trail, especially if you travel.
If you have a can, SBR, or SBS question, call or come by Bulldog Fi****ms in Borger and we will walk through the current process on that specific item. This is our read of today’s ATF letter, not legal advice.
ATF open letter: https://www.atf.gov/media/30961/download
