Episode Details

State of the Second sits down with Kevin from GSL Technology, a Michigan suppressor maker that has been building cans since 1985. Before suppressors, GSL did aerospace machining with titanium and inconel, and Kevin says a couple of components the company built are still on the moon. From its Jackson, Michigan facility west of Ann Arbor, GSL handled all the production for GemTech before Smith and Wesson bought GemTech in 2016. Kevin came to the company from an IT and military background, turned down the sales role twice, then flew up, shot the line, and got hooked.

Most of the episode clears up what suppressors actually are and how you legally get one. Suppressors are completely legal in most states and only slightly harder to buy than a handgun. The process runs through an FFL that holds the Special Occupational Tax, a background check, fingerprints, a passport photo, a $200 tax stamp, and an ATF wait Kevin puts at two to thirteen months, followed by a second 4473 to take it home. He walks through the long list of myths he hears at shows: that the government can inspect your house unannounced, that suppressors have a short lifespan, that they lower velocity or accuracy, that one can only fits one gun, and that they are outright illegal. He points listeners to the 10 Most Common Suppressor Myths article at the bottom of gsltechnology.com.

Kaylee takes the legislative side, tracing the path from the Hearing Protection Act to the new Shush Act introduced by Senator Mike Lee, and explaining why GOA backs these bills even when they will not pass right away. The argument is the long game: get good people to put their names on the bill, build a coalition, and create a record that the American people want suppressors out of the NFA. She and John tie it to the cultural fight too, from how Hollywood portrays firearms to attacks on hunter education in schools, and they push listeners to contact their representatives through gunowners.org, which takes about 45 seconds. Kevin closes with a tease of new suppressors using new baffle design technology that GSL may release at SHOT Show.

Links

• gsltechnology.com

Questions this episode answers

Is it legal to own a suppressor, and how hard is it to buy one?

Suppressors are completely legal in most states and have always been legal. Kevin says buying one is only slightly harder than buying a handgun, mostly paperwork and a wait rather than a ban.

What is the step-by-step process for getting a suppressor through an FFL and the ATF?

You buy through an FFL that holds the Special Occupational Tax, then complete a background check, fingerprints, a passport photo, and a $200 tax stamp. After the ATF wait, you fill out a second 4473 to take the suppressor home.

How long does ATF suppressor approval take, and what does the $200 tax stamp cover?

Kevin puts the ATF wait at roughly two to thirteen months. The $200 tax stamp is the federal National Firearms Act tax required to legally transfer the suppressor.

What are the most common myths about suppressor ownership, and which are false?

Kevin debunks claims that the government can inspect your house unannounced, that suppressors wear out quickly, that they lower velocity or accuracy, that one can fits only one gun, and that they are illegal. He points listeners to the 10 Most Common Suppressor Myths article at the bottom of gsltechnology.com.

Can a single suppressor be used on more than one firearm?

Yes. Kevin names the belief that a suppressor only fits one gun as one of the common myths he corrects, so a single can is not locked to a single firearm.

What is the difference between the Hearing Protection Act and the Shush Act?

Both aim to ease suppressor restrictions. Kaylee traces the path from the earlier Hearing Protection Ac