When the ATF tax stamp drops to $0 on Jan. 1, SOT FFLs should expect a surge of customers who are curious, motivated and often profoundly uninformed. Many will assume suppressors are plug-and-play accessories. Some will not know they need a threaded barrel. Others will not understand why one suppressor costs $500 and another costs $1,400.
This guide is designed to prepare dealers for those conversations before they happen.
Your job at the counter will not just be selling suppressors. It will be educating buyers fast enough to prevent bad purchases, returns, frustration and unsafe setups.
Start With the Hard Stop: Can Their Gun Even Accept a Suppressor?
- A suppressor requires a threaded barrel. No threads, no suppressor
- Many customers assume any barrel can accept a suppressor
- Some believe clamp-on or universal options exist
- Others assume a gunsmith can quickly modify anything
Dealers should be ready to explain:
- Common thread pitches such as 1/2×28 and 5/8×24
- The difference between factory threaded barrels and aftermarket replacements
- Why pistols often require a barrel swap rather than threading
This is where sales either become trusted guidance or immediate confusion.
Explain Mounting Early Before They Buy the Wrong Can
Suppressors are systems, not single purchases.
Customers routinely confuse:
- Direct thread
- Mounts
- Muzzle devices
- QD or quick-detach systems
Dealers should be comfortable explaining:
- Why QD systems cost more
- Why moving one suppressor between rifles requires multiple muzzle devices
- Why stacking adapters increases alignment risk
- Why pistols require pistons or boosters to function properly
If the buyer plans to move a suppressor between firearms, mounting costs matter as much as the suppressor itself.
Bore Size and Caliber: Where Buyers Make Costly Assumptions
Common misconceptions dealers will hear:
- A .22 suppressor will work on an AR-15
- A .45 suppressor can handle .45-70
- Bigger bore automatically means better performance
Dealers should be fluent in explaining:
- Rimfire versus centerfire pressure differences
- Why .22 suppressors are almost always rimfire only
- Why .30 caliber suppressors are common first purchases
- Why .46 rifle suppressors exist and why pistol suppressors are not interchangeable
Caliber ratings are safety limits, not marketing labels.
Weight and Materials: Where Expectations Go to Die
Most first-time buyers shop suppressors by specs instead of usage.
What they often overlook:
- Front-end weight and balance
- Reliability issues on pistols with heavier suppressors
- Heat tolerance during sustained fire
- Point-of-impact shift and the need to re-zero
How to frame materials simply:
- Aluminum is light and affordable but limited in heat tolerance
- Stainless steel offers durability with added weight
- Titanium balances strength and weight at a higher cost
- Inconel and superalloys are built for extreme use and extreme budgets
Most buyers do not need full-auto durability, but many will buy it if no one explains usage honestly.
The Question Every Dealer Should Ask First
Before recommending a suppressor, staff should ask:
- How often do you shoot
- How many rounds per session
- Which firearms get used most
- Will this suppressor stay on one gun or move around
Suppressors are long-term purchases. A bad first experience creates hesitation. A good one creates repeat customers.
Changes With a $0 Tax Stamp and What Does Not
What will change:
- Volume
- Impulse interest
- Number of first-time buyers
- Education demands at the counter
What will not change:
- Compatibility rules
- Physics
- Safety margins
- The need for proper mounting and alignment
Lowering the tax stamp removes a barrier to entry, not the complexity of suppressor ownership.
Final Dealer Perspective
Suppressors are no longer niche products. In a $0 tax stamp environment, they become mainstream accessories with specialized requirements.
The SOT FFLs who succeed will:
- Control the conversation early
- Set expectations clearly
- Sell systems, not just suppressors
- Educate without talking down
The goal is not just selling more suppressors. The goal is selling the right suppressor the first time.
