FFLSafe’s new state-by-state map finds 30 of 51 jurisdictions still tie suppressor, SBR, SBS or AOW legality to federal NFA registration.
NFA Laws by State: FFLSafe Maps Where State Law Still Ties to Registration
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Ryan Cleckner
Firearms Attorney, Best-Selling Author & Founder of RocketFFL
Ryan Cleckner is a firearms attorney, best-selling author, and founder of RocketFFL, where he has helped more than 20,000 students learn how to get an FFL and operate a firearms business.
Ryan's firearms-industry experience includes serving as a Vice President for Remington Outdoor Company and as Federal Government Relations Manager for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). As an attorney, he has represented hundreds of FFLs in firearms-related legal and ATF compliance matters.
Ryan has taught Constitutional Law at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, testified before Congress on firearms law and ATF-related issues, and regularly appears in national media as a firearms legal expert.
Before becoming an attorney, Ryan served as a special operations sniper in the U.S. Army's 1st Ranger Battalion, including two deployments to Afghanistan. He is the best-selling author of the Long Range Shooting Handbook, which has sold more than 250,000 copies, as well as Advanced Long Range Shooting and other firearms books.
Through RocketFFL, Ryan focuses on making complicated firearms laws, ATF requirements, and compliance topics easier to understand.
Find Ryan online: Wikipedia | RyanCleckner.com | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Areas of Expertise
- Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs)
- ATF compliance
- Federal firearms law
- NFA and SOT requirements
- Firearms business operations
- Firearms training and long-range shooting
Articles by Ryan Cleckner
ATF Stops Enforcing the NFA for SBRs, SBSs, Silencers, and AOWs: What It Means
ATF’s Oct 9, 2026 Open Letter announces an enforcement-discretion policy: no NFA approval or registration required for SBRs, SBSs, silencers, and AOWs. Here’s what changed and what didn’t.
Gunsmithing License: Do You Need an FFL to Be a Gunsmith?
If you're the person your friends hand their guns to when something isn't working right, or you've gotten good at trigger jobs, fitting barrels, or Cerakote, you've probably wondered whether you can charge for it. You can. But once it becomes a business, federal law...
The ATF FFL Interview: What to Expect and How to Prepare
After you send in your ATF Form 7, the next big step is a sit-down with an ATF Industry Operations Investigator (IOI). ATF calls it a qualification inspection. Most people call it the FFL interview. It makes a lot of applicants nervous. It shouldn't. I've been through...
How to Get Your FFL in Pennsylvania (PA): Step-by-Step Guide
Pennsylvania has over 5,800 active Federal Firearms Licenses (FFLs) in the state. If you’re thinking about starting a firearms business in Pennsylvania, the first step is deciding which type of FFL will be right for your business. Then, you’ll need to meet both...
How Long Does It Take to Get an FFL?
When you're thinking about getting a federal firearms license (FFL), one of the things you may wonder about is how long it's going to take the ATF to approve your FFL application, and for you to become a federal firearms licensee. The ATF portion of the FFL...
Silencer Shop vs ATF: What the NFA Ruling Means for FFLs
UPDATED Aug 28, 2026 On August 5, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF, consolidated with Jensen v. ATF, that key portions of the NFA can no longer constitutionally be enforced against...
FFL Requirements – How To Qualify for an FFL [2026]
Getting a Federal Firearms License (FFL) is easier than many people think, but there are specific federal, state, and local requirements you must meet before ATF will give you a license. At the federal level, you generally must be at least 21 years old, be legally...
How to Get an FFL License – Step-by-step Guide
Thinking about getting an FFL License? Here’s where you need to start. We cover each step of the process and give you the tips and tricks to be successful.
Best FFL Software for A&D Records
Now that you've got your FFL, you're going to need a way to manage your Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) records. This is an important decision to make now - it can be difficult to switch from one set of FFL records to another (but not impossible). Still Need an...
FFL License, Application, SOT, and Inspection Statistics
Welcome to the mother-lode of ATF-related data on FFL Applications and Inspections statistics! Each year the ATF publishes a report that includes data on the number of firearms in commerce (made, exported, and imported) and statistics on NFA firearms (forms, revenue,...
Solvent Traps – Fun Time or Jail Time?
There are many questions about solvent traps and few correct answers. So, I'm writing this article to be a solvent trap Q&A. The first question is perhaps the most important: Why should you listen to me? I am firearms attorney (but I'm not your attorney...
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