Suppose we wanted to experiment...

[GoodOlDave]

Let's just say we have a legally transferred and registered to us silencer that's easy to take apart and has a hell of a lot of empty space inside it begging to have a few more baffles put in (cough cough YHM Cobra cough). Now suppose we have a few washers we picked up at Home Depot that we're interested in soldering into said can just to see if any extra sound suppression quality from the increased number of baffles can be had (theoretically a can with twice the number of baffle chambers would take twice the amount of time to release the compressed gasses, yes?). Now, I'm not going to ask whether it's legal to do this because a government as socialist as ours would naturally think it needs to be illegal for us to do what we want with our own property. If we wanted to proceed with this legally, which scenario would apply?

a) each individual Home Depot washer is a silencer in itself and each washer needs its own serial number and ATF transfer from Home Depot

b) Since we're only modifying a can we already own, we need to obtain some modification permit from the ATF before we're even allowed to possess Home Depot washers

c) we can't do it ourselves for any reason and we need to bring it to a professionally ATF registered class 3 manufacturer authorized to handle Home Depot washers.

...and if said experiment shows no real improvement, do I need another ATF permit or bring it to a ATF registered Home Depot washer dealer to remove them and properly dispose of the class 3 Home Depot washers? I'm at least going by the assumption I don't need an ATF permit to ask what kind of ATF permit we'd need to possess Home Depot washers.

[OJB4]

I would think you would have to fill out and send off a Form 1 and pay your tax. Then you could put the washers in your can. I'm sure Bender will chime in and tell you exactly what has to be done though. I would think that what you want to do would be considered making your own silencer and would require a form 1.

I wouldn't go through that much trouble to just see if those extra washers would quiet it down any. I also don't know what, how or if you can have both your name engraved on the tube as well as YHM's name. Hell, maybe it's not possible to do it legally for all I know.

[doubloon]

From what I've read and heard the only way you can "experiment" is to pay your SOT.

A Form 1 is supposed to be for building a can "as designed" and not getting permission to do research to develop a can.

[Capt. Link.]

c) we can't do it ourselves for any reason and we need to bring it to a professionally ATF registered class 3 manufacturer authorized to handle Home Depot washers.

...and if said experiment shows no real improvement, a ATF registered Home Depot washer dealer to remove them and properly dispose of the class 3 Home Depot washers?

Theses two will apply.
A 02/07 is required for experimentation.
It bites but compliance is mandatory to keep what we have.
Non compliance of simpler regulations lead the B.A.T.F.E. to adopt these laws.
Drop me a line if you have the itch to "fix" your cobra.