ATF Purposes Rule - Identification Markings Placed on Firearm Silencers and Firearm Mufflers

According to the Federal Register "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)" recently published documents purposing rules changes to the "Identification Markings Placed on Firearm Silencers and Firearm Mufflers".  We have included below the link to the recently published rule change document below.  You are able to submit a formal comment about the the this issue until 8/02/2016. 

View Document - Identification Markings Placed on Firearm Silencers and Firearm Mufflers

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice is considering amending the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to require licensed manufacturers, licensed importers, and nonlicensed makers to place identification markings on the outer tube of firearm silencers and firearm mufflers. The Department wishes to gather information and comments from the public and industry concerning whether or not the regulations should be amended.

DISCUSSION: 

ATF is requesting information from industry members, trade associations, consumers, and all other interested parties to determine whether to require placement of identification markings on the outer tube of firearm silencers and firearm mufflers. Along with industry members, ATF considers the term “outer tube” to mean the largest external part of a silencer and is that portion of a silencer which encapsulates all components of the silencing unit and which contains and controls the expansion of the escaping gases.

As indicated, placing all required markings on the outer tube of a completed firearm silencer or firearm muffler is the accepted industry standard. In addition, requiring identification markings to be placed on a single part provides consistency of markings throughout the industry and eliminates the need to remark a device in the event an end cap bearing the markings is damaged and requires replacement. If a silencer is not aligned with the barrel, the end cap might be damaged when a projectile passes through it. Outer tubes are rarely damaged in this way. Such damage often requires replacement of the end cap. Further, end caps are often removable so that processors may access the internal components within the silencer. Permitting serialization of a removable and fungible component may facilitate trafficking or illegal transfer of silencers by permitting registrants to use the serialized end cap of a registered silencer with an otherwise unregistered silencer.

If you want to comment on this issue you will need to reference on the below issues: 

Although ATF is soliciting comments on the following specific questions, it is also requesting any relevant information on the subject.

1. What percentage of manufacturers mark the end cap? If an outer tube is present, why do manufacturers mark the end cap instead of the outer tube of the silencer?

2. If there is an additional cost (fixed or variable) between marking the end cap instead of the outer tube, how would ATF estimate such costs across the entire industry?

3. Are there other parts or locations where the markings may be placed and still meet the requirements? If so, where?Start Printed Page 26766

4. Are there silencer designs for a completed device for which marking the outer tube would be impossible? If so, what are those designs?

5. When there are multiple outer tubes that make up one complete device, how should they be marked?