In a historic move, the excise tax levied on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns will end January 1, 2026, after President Trump signed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” which delivered a huge blow to the National Firearms Act of 1934.
The U.S. House voted to pass the reconciliation bill that officially removed the $200 tax after years of pressure from 2A advocates.
The news was immediately met with excitement as advocates celebrated this monumental move.
“By eliminating the excise tax on these NFA items, the OBBB will not only lift the heavy burden of an unconstitutional tax from the backs of hard-working Americans, it will also serve as a critical step towards our ultimate goal of dismantling the NFA once and for all,” the Firearms Policy Coalition said in a news release.
The FPC said that it hoped for a full repeal of the NFA and would continue to fight for it.
“While we will continue to fight for the total legislative elimination of the NFA, our organizations are proud to stand together in a new strategic lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of the NFA in Federal Court.”
Opponents, on the other hand, were not happy about the removal of the tax, citing safety concerns.
Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-D) told the Associated Press that the availability of suppressors will “make it harder for victims of mass shootings to know where the shots are coming from as they’re trying to run for cover.”
“As a combat veteran, a lifelong hunter and gun owner, I can tell you this has nothing to do with hearing protection, but everything to do about making money for one segment of the gun industry,” Thompson added.
The first draft of the bill removed the tax, but a second revision completely ditched any mention of the excise tax. But that didn’t last long. The final version that made its way to the President featured the excise tax removal and was ultimately signed by President Trump on July 4.
The NFA
The NFA was enacted in 1934 and required enhanced background checks and a $200 fee. The NFA was updated in 1986 with the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act — amending the original NFA and expanding the definition of silencer to include all silencer parts and other items intended to be used to make or create a silencer.
To own a suppressor, a person would have to fill out a Form 4 if buying or a Form 1 if making, submit fingerprints, pay the $200 fee, and wait for approval from the ATF. Depending on the ATF’s backlogs, wait times could be as short as a few weeks or up to months.
Though gun owners will still have to go through the paperwork and registration process to legally own a suppressor, SBR, or SBS, starting January 1, 2026, they no longer have to shell out $200 in addition to the cost of the item.
Over the past decade, several attempts at removing suppressors from the NFA have been made, but ultimately failed, with the most recent example being the SHUSH Act introduced in February 2025.
Industry Reaction
Now that items like suppressors, SBR, and SBS can easily be owned by the average gun owner, expect to see a boom in sales once the tax disappears next year.
Silencer Central told Pew Pew Tactical in an exclusive that though they are disappointed suppressors weren’t completely removed from the NFA, a tax break is a welcome change.
“While we’re disappointed that the full deregulation of suppressors and popular firearms did not make it into the final bill, we are very happy that the cost of the tax stamp for these items will be reduced from $200 to $0,” Joe Kurtenbach, Senior Manager of Media & Relationships for Silencer Central told us via email.
“This is a big win for our customers and removes a major barrier to suppressor ownership. With the cost of the burdensome tax removed, we expect interest in suppressors and suppressor purchases to continue the exponential growth the industry has experienced during the past few years.”
As for the implementation of the tax removal in January, Silencer Central says they are prepared to help customers between now and then — even offering a promotion to cover the $200 stamp on select suppressors. (You can learn more about that here!)
“We’ve been preparing for all possible scenarios, and we will be rolling out measures to ensure customers don’t have to wait to enjoy the benefits of this victory. For example, we are already offering free tax stamps on select suppressors and suppressor brands, at our expense, through the end of July.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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“Again, this is a major win for all gun owners, and a great step towards our ultimate goal of full deregulation, but there is still work to be done and Silencer Central is committed to seeing it through.”
What do you think of the government ditching the tax on SBRs and suppressors? Let us know in the comments below. Interested in picking one up? We have a ton of resources to help you shop below!
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MIGHT BE WISHFULL THINKING, BUT I FORESEE FIREARM SUPPRESSORS IN CLEAR CLAMSHELL PACKAGES HANGING ON THE SHELF AT LOCAL GUNSHOP / HARDWARE STORES. 20 YEARS AGO I WAS ENROLLED AT THE LASSEN COLLEGE GUNSMITHING PROGRAM. THE COST OF MAKING A "CAN" WAS DIRT CHEAP. MANUFACTURES ARE GOUGING ON THE COST TO PRODUCE A SUPPRESSOR. FIREARMS MANUFACTURES SHOULD START MAKING AND SELLING THE SUPPRESSORS AND OFFER THEM WITH A NEW FIREARM . . .
The NFA is still an illegal database.
Well, it’s a start and better than nothing. But, we must continue the march, however long it takes. Freedom demands no less.