To all retail customers:

On January 2010 American Tactical Imports Inc received official notification from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives that the original barrel shroud (aka: fake suppressor) supplied with your GSG 5 SD model must be replaced. It has been determined that this shroud is regulated under the National Firearms Act. American Tactical will provide a replacement shroud at no charge for each GSG 5 SD model sold or currently in inventory.
Consumers in possession of a GSG 5 SD model with the original shroud in place on the firearm are now in violation of the NFA. To avoid continued violation of the NFA, ATI asks that all persons in possession obtain a replacement shroud as soon as possible. We anticipate arrival of the new shrouds to begin by the middle of February 2010.
IMPORTANT: THE ORIGINAL SD MODEL SHROUD MUST BE RETURNED ACOMPANIED BY THE FIREARM SERIAL NUMBER BEFORE A REPLACEMENT SHROUD IS ISSUED. THE DIAMETER OF THE SD SHROUD IS 1-9/16”. DO NOT RETURN THE SMALLER CARBINE SHROUD.
WHAT TO DO:
If possible return your old shroud to the dealer where purchased and show him this notice. The shroud will be returned to ATI along with a list of serial numbers from the guns that the shrouds were removed. ATI will send replacements to the dealer for pick up at your convenience; ATI will be sending replacements as fast as logistics allow. If your dealer is out of business or difficult to reach, or you purchased your gun used, from a consumer, return the shroud directly by US mail or UPS to American Tactical Imports Inc. 100 Airpark Drive Rochester, NY 14624.
PLEASE TRY NOT TO CALL US. We will provide comprehensive information on our web site www.americantactical.us , and www.ar15.com or by e-mail to [email protected]
REMEMBER, INCLUDE THE FIREARM SERIAL NUMBER WITH EACH SHROUD OR A REPLACEMENT WILL NOT BE ISSUED.
This action IS NOT being instituted through any fault and is strictly due to NFA compliance. American Tactical will assume the responsibility to satisfy the requirements in an effort to minimize the impact on our customers and protect your investment.
We at American Tactical Imports Inc. sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this unfortunate situation.

Sincerely,
Anthony DiChario
President C.E.O. retailcandoc.021210

Hi,

I know you have questions.  I have some answers for you so far.  Unfortunately, we were pushed into action a little ahead of schedule with this because we couldn't say anything until the ATF legal guys said so, but their field agents were spreading info from an ill advised internal memo.  

I am going to review all of these posts and reply to each as necessary.  Hang in here with me boys, here we go....

The original SD fake suppressor weight .45 LBS (7.2 ounces).  The new fake suppressor weight .5 LBS (8 ounces) so there's not really too much difference in the overall weight.  Looking at the new one next to the old one, the finish looks the same.  The modification is completely internal, there is no change in the guns appearence with the new fake suppressor.



As it stands right now it is only the SD can that is being effected by the mind changing at ATF.



Tell me about it



At this time, we would like you to return it to the dealer where you bought it from.  That way we can get them in bulk from the dealer and ship replacements to one location.  How it gets to your dealer is up to you.



Yes it was.  I even have a letter I'm not allowed to share where they revoked our permits for being approved in error.  The brunt of this entire situation is on ATI here, please don't look for an official letter to be issued to the public by the ATF because I get the feeling they will not.



Nope, dead ringers.  Infact, the modification can be done at the factory on the original version, which is why we're not destroying them.  Cost saving.



Not yet.  Doesn't mean that they won't change their ruling on that either at this time though.



This is the real kick in the groin here is that there has never been an alternate 'version' of the fake suppressor.  The carbine version was a hollow shroud when it went in for testing, all the guns have hollow cans.  Same for the SD.  I think what's bothering me the most is that field agents have told dealers (I have several different accounts of this) that the can was originally solid and that it was altered at some point in time.  Sorry fellas but EVERY SINGLE GSG-5 AND GSG-5SD HAS A HOLLOW CAN.  It's the only way they were ever made.  Also to pre-empt some questions too, THERE ARE NO APPROVED CANS ON ANY SD THAT IS IN THE COUNTRY.  All the new GSG-522 guns, when they come out will have the new style can.



Mikey threaded one onto the 5P and shot a bunch of rounds.  Nope, there is no noticable change in dB.  I don't think ATF even tested it before revoking our licenses.



When we met with the ATF about this in january one of their field agents showed us how to make a suppressor out of a bottle of water that was on the table.  Granted, we have seen fake cans come in on gun repairs that have definately been altered and maybe they seized a gun with an altered one, i really don't know.  They contacted us about it way back in Novemeber and it's all been slowly building up, but other than letting us know that we imported over 13 thousand guns that they have now decided are NFA firearms, telling us to formulate a plan for a recall/swap out and sending agents here to monitor our movements on this, they're not really telling us a whole lot.



Yes, doesn't matter apparently.



Actually, I do have this, kind of, although the wording of the law and their reasons only kind of match up if you squint and tilt your head to the side a bit.  Here is what the referenced in their letter regarding the re-testing of the shroud;

"As you are aware, the GCA, 18 USC $ 921 (a) (24), defines 'firearm silencer' as follows:

"....any device for silencing, muffling or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication."

General characteristics of known firearm silencers include:
1 Ported inner tube (bleed holes)
2 Expansion chambers
3 Baffles or washers which create seperate expansion chambers
4 sound dampening material such as foam, steel wool and other materials
5 End Caps
6 Encapsulators

The previously submitted GSG-5SD barrel shroud incorporates a large expansion chamber and integral end caps and, therefore, was classified as a firearm silencer."

That's what they said.



This is accurate.  Right now we have to wait to see what ATF tells us to do.



Right on brother.  



Well, that is hard to say.  My first shipment of replacment cans is going into US Customs tomorrow.  Got about 1500.  The manufacturer over seas can pump out a few thousand a month and of course they all have to be paid for.  As previously mentioned, unfortunately, all the fine details are not 100% solidified on how we're doing all of this and what the ATF tells us we can and cannot do.  Case in point, the ATF is issuing an amnesty period for consumers but hasn't decided what that is yet, but we had to go live with the news because of what their field agents are telling store owners.  Decisions are coming from the higher up ATF brass but on site execution is being handled by field agents from Buffalo on the local level.  Needless to say, lets hope one hand knows what the other is doing.



I think your first sentence says it all my friend.  ATF says that we are to export all fake silencers back to Germany.  Each one we receive will have to be connected to the firearms serial number and manually accounted for by the ATF.  We lucked out that the interior sleeve can be added to the old design so once we start shipping quantities back to Germany they can be retro-fitted to the new design so hopefully we'll have some good turn around on getting larger quantities of cans.  Receiving back the cans at our facility for inventory and packing is the ATFs call, so I can't imagine they would hold you for shipping the can when it's what they have instructed.



We at ATI only have an official ruling on the can its self as being now classified as a real silencer.  ATF has not issued any official documents regarding this publically or to ATI, other than having their lawyers approve the statement that starts this thread for consumers.  I wish I had a 'here's the official word!' doc from ATF to give you, but it appears at this time I will not be getting one, or be allowed to show you what I already have.



Be prepared to not recieve that letter, although I understand why you would want it.  I want it too.  The fact of the matter is that from April 2009 thru November 2009 we had a total of 5 approved permits to import the GSG-5SD, Cans individually for repair and the SD Conversion kit and those are now all revoked because of the changed decision.  Rulings change and we as the importer, distributors, dealers and you as the consumer have to comply to their revision no matter if 'someone' is willing to admit fault or not.  Once we physically mail letters to the dealers who have received GSG-5SDs from our distributors then it will be on the consumer to get the original can back, which really sucks a lot.  But, if you keep your original fake can and in like, idk, two years get busted by an ATF guy for still having it, you'll be in some trouble.



A nice wish, but don't count on it.



This is where things are really hairy right now, especially because the ATF has told us they will offer an amnesty period but they have not said how long it will be.  With everything having to be pushed up on getting this info out (thanks field agents) ATI is still dealing with setting up the distributors on this.  Then we need to work with the dealers.  Then we'll really be ready to deal with consumers.  Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world.  We're just trying to figure out which instructions given on which day from which division of ATF are the ones we need to follow with nothing but a silencer ruling on paper.



I recommend that you contact NFA branch of ATF at (304) 616-4500 and ask them for this.  I have no response from the ATF that they are going to issue this at all to us or the general populace.  They did make us remove quite a bit of dialogue regarding the ATF from our letter before their lawyers would let us make a statement.



One big hollow expansion chamber, end caps.  That's it.  I get irked by the wording in the ruling I put up in this thread a few lines up.  It says expansion chambers-plural, we have expansion chamber-singular.  Doesn't matter, they changed their minds, revoked my import licenses on original models and here we are.



Unfortunately, Brent who updates the website is out sick, so hopefully he will be back tomorrow and we will have our home page updated.  Again, we were pressed into kicking off this information sooner than we were really ready to because of field agents auditing dealers and telling them some not so correct or definate information.  ATI is in the process of tracking down every SD starting with our distributors.  We then have to track from our distributors to the dealers, then from dealers to consumer.  ATF is making us follow the course of, run it by ATF and wait for the ATF to approve the methods of action with their legal department.  This is not a fast turn around unfortunately.  As we know more I will be updating you on here and we will be updating our site once Brent is back.

If I didn't answer your questions let me know, but I hope that you have read all of this because as you can see, ATI doesn't really have a lot of answers right now either.  We're taking it a day at a time and moving forward as we are directed to by the ATF.

good one sharkbit, that made the end of the day internal memo.