I'm not surprised the shop (Steele Point Guns) is going out of business; it is a fairly small operation run out of a detached garage behind a lawyer's home office but not quite as hokey as it sounds. They are a little out of my way but charming and I like the employees. Coincidentally, I found them through MO hometown forum recommendations.

Anyway, 2 suppressors just exited purgatory (Form 4's to an LLC; pending May 17th and approved January 24th) and am working out a time to meet for the transfer which is how I found out the shop is closing. A 3rd suppressor went pending on June 20th; same dealer going to the same LLC.  I don't yet know why they are closing (not profitable/owner passed away/other), how many other NFA items they are holding onto (i.e. other pending transfers behind me as a reason to keep the business open), or when they want to close out everything.

What are my options if Steele Point is not willing or able to keep the shop "open" until my pending form 4 is approved?  I have no reason to question their integrity but also don't want to subject both of us to additional paperwork if it can be avoided.

Can the FFL call the ATF and ask for expedited processing on my form given the situation? I don't really want to cut in line but literally all the info on the pending form 4 is identical to what was just approved except for the suppressor model & SN and this seems to be a non-typical scenario.

Would it be possible to surrender my suppressor to the local ATF field office and let them hold it until my application is approved?

No need to do anything. When it is approved you go pick it up. No 4473 if he had already given up his license.

When the FFL notifies the ATF he is closing they will do an inventory of all pending approvals and they will expedite the approval. He looses, you win.

I just went through the same thing. ATF still has possession of the can, with no time frame in sight. There is a thread here I started on it.

I picked up my approved cans this afternoon. Fortunately, the shop because it wasn't turning much of a profit but the owner isn't physically going anywhere. (He's a lawyer that works out of his house and would rather have some free time back then tend to a side business that barely stays afloat.) They still have about a dozen NFA items pending and don't have plans to dissolve the business until everything clears so I'm not worried about losing my other suppressor.