Ruling in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF bars enforcement of NFA registration requirements against customers of the named plaintiffs; state law, background checks and dealer requirements are unchanged
HERRIMAN, Utah (Aug. 13, 2026) — The federal court injunction in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF took effect August 13, 2026, barring the ATF and the Department of Justice from enforcing the National Firearms Act’s registration and approval requirements for suppressors against the plaintiffs in the case and their customers. B&T USA is a named plaintiff. Its customers are within the group the injunction protects. This ruling will apply to new purchases made after Aug 13, 2026, and includes both dealer and direct purchases. It does not change or remove the Form 4 requirement for previously purchased products, including those currently in the transfer process.
“A federal judge looked at a registration system built to collect a tax that no longer exists and reached the conclusion we’ve argued from the start. Our customers benefit from that today because we chose to be a plaintiff rather than a spectator. The case isn’t over, and neither is our part in it,” said Ridley Key, CEO of B&T USA.
What this changes for covered customers
For a covered purchase of a suppressor, the federal registration process no longer applies. That means no ATF Form 4 or Form 1, no fingerprint cards, no passport photographs, no entry in the federal registry and no wait for federal approval. The purchase still runs through a licensed dealer with an ATF Form 4473 and a background check, the same as a standard rifle or shotgun.
What has not changed
- State law is untouched. Several states prohibit or restrict suppressors and short-barreled firearms independent of federal law, and those restrictions remain fully in force.
- The Gun Control Act still applies, including dealer licensing, the Form 4473, background checks and all prohibited-person rules.
- The Gun Control Act still requires a Form 4 for short-barreled firearms.
- Machine guns and destructive devices still carry a federal tax and remain fully regulated under the NFA. They were not part of this case.
- The injunction is not nationwide. It protects the named plaintiffs, their members and their customers. Not every person and purchase will be covered. This remains subject to appeal
The federal government can appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and may ask that court to pause the injunction while the appeal proceeds. If a stay is granted, the registration requirements would return, and B&T USA will announce it. Because the case remains active, customers should confirm the current status and their own state’s law with a qualified attorney before purchasing. Questions about B&T USA products can be directed to the support team at 813-653-1200
“This is a court order in an active case, not a change in the statute, and the appeals court could pause it at any point. Talk to an attorney about your own state before you buy. If the courts pause this, we’ll say so publicly and quickly,” Key said.
Why B&T USA is in this case B&T USA builds suppressors for military units, law enforcement agencies and responsible citizens. These are the people who wait on federal approvals before equipment reaches the field, under a registration process built to collect a tax Congress has since eliminated. The paperwork should have ended when the tax did. B&T USA helped start the fight to make that happen and will continue to commit funding, legal resources and company personnel to the case through appeal.
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