Suppressor Ownership Is Exploding—And It’s Only Getting Started

Suppressors were originally invented as a safety device

If you want a clear picture of where the firearms market is heading, look no further than suppressors. According to the American Suppressor Association (ASA), there were 5,776,685 registered suppressors in the United States as of January 2026. This is based on data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Let that sink in for a second. That’s not a niche market anymore, that’s mainstream adoption. Thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, we now have opened the flood gates on NFA items in the United States.

A Growth Curve You Can’t Ignore

Suppressor ownership isn’t just growing—it’s accelerating. It is showing an annual growth rate of around ~22.6%. This rate doubles roughly every 3 years. This year in 2026, we have over 150,000 NFA applications approved already in early 2026. That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when demand meets awareness—and when barriers start to crack.

Why Suppressors Are Gaining Popularity

Despite decades of misinformation, suppressors are not some Hollywood gimmicks, they’re practical safety tools. They help reduce hearing damage and lower noise pollution. Another benefit to suppressors is improving shooting comfort and control. A suppressor is a muffler for your firearm and just like mufflers on cars, their purpose is safety—not stealth.

The Real Barrier: Government Regulation

Right now, suppressors are still regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA). Unfortunately, that means lengthy approval times and federal registration. This process adds costs and paperwork to the purchasing process.

Even with recent changes eliminating certain tax burdens, the registration requirement still exists—and that’s where ongoing lawsuits come into play. At 2 If By Sea Tactical, we’ve been covering multiple legal challenges that could completely dismantle the current suppressor regulatory framework.

What Happens If Regulations Fall?

If suppressors are removed from NFA restrictions—or even just loosened significantly—the market could explode. We’ve already seen what that looks like elsewhere.

Real-World Example: New Zealand

Before 2019, suppressors in New Zealand were sold over the counter and available by mail. Due to their lack of regulations, they were extremely affordable. Their price ranged roughly ~$30–$40 for rimfire suppressors and ~$120–$450 for higher-end rifle models.

What is different about them from our system is that there is no special licenses or federal registry requirements. They were treated as just normal consumer products. This is the goal here in the United States.

The Price Factor

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n comparison to the U.S. today, you see suppressors typically costing $350 to $2,000+. The reality is that price isn’t just about materials, it’s driven by, in large part, by regulation. Due to increased compliance costs and limited manufacturing scale, you are seeing companies having to charge more here in the U.S. than elsewhere.

If one was to remove those barriers, basic economics kicks in. You would see an increased supply and with less regulations, the outcome would be lower prices.

Could the U.S. See 50 Million Suppressors?

At the current growth rate, projections suggest the U.S. could hit tens of millions of suppressors within a decade. That may sound aggressive—but consider that there are over 100-million-gun owners and more than 500 million firearms in circulation. Even partial adoption puts those numbers well within reach.

The biggest impact to these numbers would be if one or more of the many legal challenges succeeded. If that is the case, that timeline could accelerate dramatically. We would most likely see an explosion of sales like we have never seen before.

Suppressors are no longer a fringe accessory—they’re becoming a standard part of responsible firearm ownership. We already have millions in circulation, and their demand continues to surge. The hope is that the legal battles will continue to reshape the entire market. Here at 2 If By Sea Tactical, we see this is a shift toward normalizing safety equipment. This equipment, truthfully, should have never been restricted in the first place

The only real question now isn’t whether suppressors will become more common—

It’s how long the government can justify keeping them artificially restricted.

Here at 2 If By Sea Tactical we strive to bring you the best experience in the firearms world.  As we continue to grow the media arm of 2 If By Sea, make sure you keep tuning in to our Youtube and Rumble channels and right here at “The Patriot’s Almanac” to stay informed on the latest happenings in the firearm world! But we are not lawyers, so this isn't legal guidance. We are proud to be Southern Minnesota source for all things 2A.

Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay ready.