Suppressor build success

[der Teufel]

You can e-file the form 1 online and pay by credit card. You don't need to do it by mail.

If I do another one, I'll almost certainly go that route. This was my very first submission, and I suppose I'm guilty of overthinking it. I literally spent over two hours (maybe three) filling out the form, looking at three or four different web sites (forums, law firms, ATF) trying to make sure I didn't goof up. I REALLY don't want to have it returned because I did something wrong. My confusion was mostly related to very minor things —
Under the payment section: One web site just said "sign the form". Another said "sign and add 'on behalf of Trust Name'"
Regarding having a FFL: Some sites said leave it blank, others said to put in "N/A". Same thing with the length of barrel. I finally put N/A down.
One web site said to include a form 5330.20 (Certificate of Compliance) that basically just restates I'm a US citizen. Others didn't mention it. I included it just to be safe.

Very minor things, but I worked for a while in a field that dealt with government specifications. We'd get things rejected for the most minute of issues, and then we'd return to the end of the line for processing. Then they'd find something else, we'd correct it, and go to the back of the line. I'm hoping BATFE isn't that bad, but didn't want to take chances. So I sat and studied the forms, and looked at them, and then looked some more, and finally took a deep breath and sent them in.

We'll see what happens, now the waiting begins . . . and the fun part, deciding exactly how to build it while I'm waiting!

[The Annoyed Man]

I'm hoping BATFE isn't that bad, but didn't want to take chances. So I sat and studied the forms, and looked at them, and then looked some more, and finally took a deep breath and sent them in.

We'll see what happens, now the waiting begins . . . and the fun part, deciding exactly how to build it while I'm waiting!

I found ATF people to be unexpectedly cooperative and helpful. My impression is that at the field agent / application processor level, they don't have a dog in the fight and are happy to help you get what you want - as long as you do it all legal like and follow the law. They are also very patient with frustrated callers who think they've waited long enough. LOL

You should register at NFA Tracker, which is free. They compile stats on all the members applications to see how long it is taking ATF to process various kinds of applications.

http://www.nfatracker.com

[der Teufel]

I found ATF people to be unexpectedly cooperative and helpful.

I worked in a Tech Support capacity for a few years, and I can say with certainty that the attitude of the caller heavily influences the attitude of the person answering the phone.

[RogueUSMC]

What is the OD on the tube?

[The Annoyed Man]

What is the OD on the tube?

1.5"

[RogueUSMC]

excellent! I have a 15" free float hand guard on my 16" barrel and it extends my sight radius all the way out to the muzzle almost. I would like to SBR it and run the can inside the hand guard for roughly the same overall length.

[The Annoyed Man]

excellent! I have a 15" free float hand guard on my 16" barrel and it extends my sight radius all the way out to the muzzle almost. I would like to SBR it and run the can inside the hand guard for roughly the same overall length.

Just be aware of your mounting system. Unless you're going to use a dedicated can and thread it directly to the muzzle, running the can inside of the hand guard can be a problem. ALSO.....and I can't stress this enough......the can will get HOT. REALLY HOT.......hotter than your barrel gets. And if your can is inside a hand guard, the hand guard will get hot. The KMR hand guard that is on my SBR has an ID of 1.3" - too small for the can. BUT.... my son also has one on his 16" carbine, and it gets hot enough just from the barrel heat under a lot of firing to require wearing gloves so as to not burn his hand. Assuming barrel OD of .75" at the gas block, that leaves a clearance of .275" all the way around the barrel under the 1.3" ID of the KMR hand guard. If the can is 1.5" OD, and your hand guard has probably 1.6" to 1.7" ID, that is .1" or less clearance between your hand guard and your can, and that is going to get hot enough to leave skin on the hand guard.

Given the heat, I'm not convinced it would be worth it to run the can inside the hand guard like that. Since you have to register the lower anyway, why not just build a second short barreled upper with an appropriate length of hand guard, and keep the carbine upper intact?

Here is the SBR with the carbine upper next to it. You can see that the hand guard on the SBR has a significantly smaller circumference than the 11" Rainier Arms/Samson Evo hand guard on the carbine. (I went with an 11" hand guard on the carbine because it's a mid-length gas-piston system, and I needed to be able to get to the gas adjuster on the gas block. Otherwise I would have gone with a 15" rail too for the 16" barrel.) The Evo has a 1.56" ID:



Here is the SBR with the can mounted, with the carbine upper next to it. You can see that the SBR with the can is still a half inch or more shorter than the carbine. Also, you can see that the can's 1.5" OD would fit inside the carbine hand guard's 1.56" ID......but just barely (the can pictured here is a AAC 762-SDN-6, but it is also a 1.5" OD can, so for the purposes of illustration it works). And, the can gets HOT, like I said you can leave skin on it if you don't have a heat cover on it.......and with the cover, it won't fit under the rail. And it won't work with a ratchet type of mount at all - in the event you decide to buy a commercial can with a 51T or similar mounting system - because you can't get to the ratchet to release it if it is hidden under the rail.

[RogueUSMC]

Excellent info.

Let's say I did run it inside the hand guard. Unless I am shooting prone, I don't hold that far out. Offhand and sitting, I hold closer to the mag well. Will the aluminum transfer too much heat toward the rear of the hand guard? My hold will still be just behind the gas block even on a pistol gas.

[The Annoyed Man]

Excellent info.

Let's say I did run it inside the hand guard. Unless I am shooting prone, I don't hold that far out. Offhand and sitting, I hold closer to the mag well. Will the aluminum transfer too much heat toward the rear of the hand guard? My hold will still be just behind the gas block even on a pistol gas.

OK..... I've added a tape measure to the picture of the two uppers. The can is 7.66" long. As you can see, 5.5" of the 7.66" long can would be underneath the 15" long hand guard......and that's with a 10.5" barrel. You didn't mention how long or short your SBR would be. I don't know how much the aluminum would conduct heat. It's not as good of a heat sink as steel is, but your talking about a full third or more of your hand guard covering the suppressor. Personally, if it was my SBR, I wouldn't do it. But that's just me. The good news is that if it becomes intolerable for you, you can always swap out the hand guard.

[Bitter Clinger]

And the there's this:

First Look: Gemtech’s New Integra Silenced AR Upper — NRA 2016

https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/first- ... -ar-upper/

[der Teufel]

I submitted paperwork in mid-May, and my check to BATFE has cleared the bank, so I thought I'd call and just verify that there weren't any known issues. Actually, the guy on the phone couldn't tell me anything except that they're now beginning to process applications submitted in mid-March, and that the current processing time is six months.

Guess I'll just have to be patient for (quite) a while longer.
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