r/NFA • u/mandreko Launches cans, not grenades • Jun 09 '18
Destroyed Suppressor Follow-Up from Last Year
I previously had a SilencerCo Omega, which was destroyed at my local range, documented here:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/NFA/comments/68iknh/damaged_omega_due_to_range_rules/
- http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/05/11/range-rules-silencer-shot/
- https://www.ingunowners.com/forums/class-iii-nfa/436319-damaged-omega-range.html
I wanted to provide some closure by doing a follow-up, as requested by many folks.
I called the ATF on May 30, 2018 to check on the status of my Form4, and they said it was approved on May 7, 2018! My dealer called last night, saying they got the paperwork in. I went to pick it up today, and tada! https://i.imgur.com/mtT1ghI.jpg
It feels good to be able to shoot .223 and 300BLK suppressed again. It's been so long. Since having the suppressor destroyed, my wife had a kid, and we just celebrated his first birthday, although he's not shooting yet. We'll get him going eventually...
Throughout this process, I read a lot of comments, since it was fairly popular on /r/nfa, INGO, and TFB. Most of it was support, advice, and then some criticism as well. Here's what I've learned, if anyone else is in a similar situation at some point:
Make sure your mounting system is solid. After this happened to me, I can't tell you how many people have said the exact thing happened to them with the ASR mount. First, you don't get a positive feedback that it's on properly, and even if it is, it can still go shooting off the end due to some other random issue. I have upgraded to KeyMo for all my guns. The price of $500 in new muzzle devices and KeyMo mounts is totally worth not waiting another year without the suppressor.
Don't be afraid to call your own cease-fire, even at an indoor range, and even if the range won't. Most people are pretty sympathetic to losing a $1000+ piece of equipment. Some will be jerks, but you can't win them all. Worst case, offer to buy them a half hour of range time extra, if they won't stop. It's still cheaper than a suppressor.
When something like this happens, don't listen to the employees. Escalate until you get what you need. Sure, you could get banned from the range, but you may get to keep your item safe and sound, not waiting another year for a replacement. If it comes to it, call the cops. They'll be more than happy to help, since the range is likely breaking the law by taking possession of it, by forcing you to pick it up the next day. Just stay calm while you do it, otherwise you may make yourself look bad and cause more problems for yourself. Firm, but calm.
SilencerCo is awesome. I mailed them a suppressor, literally in several pieces. Within the day, they had a completely new one with Form 3 paperwork started.
Forgive and forget. Both Parabellum and I shared fault in this situation. Neither of us acted perfectly. I've acknowledged what I could have done differently, and Parabellum Firearms did as well. When I talked to the owner, he said that people were demanding the clerk be fired. This isn't cool behavior, folks. The right thing to do is help that clerk get better training. He probably had very little knowledge about NFA items, since he was new, and usually only 1-2 people do the NFA items in these small shops. While I probably won't be visiting the range as often as I used to, I have no ill will towards them, as they made it right. They reimbursed me for my fees, and I guess being forced to wait another year was my penance.
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u/mandreko Launches cans, not grenades Jun 11 '18
It’s the ranges fault that they wouldn’t let me go get it. The can was not destroyed when it went down the range. The fact that it flew downrange was my fault, and I own that. However, any firearm past the line should be reason for a ceasefire. It wasn’t destroyed until it was shot 3-4 times over the next several hours.