Firearm Education Center
Straight answers to the questions we hear at the counter every day: Indiana gun laws, FFL transfers, suppressors on a 4473, and how to clean and care for your firearms.
Suppressors & NFA
Buying a suppressor on a 4473, tax stamps, Form 4, SBRs and hunting suppressed.
Are Suppressors Legal in Indiana? 2026 Suppressor Laws
Yes. Suppressors are legal to own in Indiana, and Indiana has allowed hunting with them since July 1, 2013. Indiana adds no…
Read guideBuy a Suppressor on a 4473 in Indiana: 2026 Guide
Yes, in many cases. Since August 13, 2026, Silencer Shop says suppressors that come from Silencer Shop, sold online or through a…
Read guideForm 4 vs Form 4473 for Suppressors: What's the Difference?
A Form 4 is ATF's application to transfer and register an NFA item, with fingerprints, a photo and an ATF approval wait.…
Read guideHow Do Suppressors Work? Suppressor Meaning Explained
A suppressor is a muzzle device that traps and slows the expanding gas behind a bullet so the gunshot is quieter. It…
Read guideHow to Clean a Suppressor: Rimfire, Pistol and Rifle Cans
Check your manufacturer's manual first. Rimfire and many pistol suppressors need regular cleaning because lead and carbon build up fast, often every…
Read guideHunting With a Suppressor in Indiana: What the Law Says
Yes, you can hunt with a suppressor in Indiana. The state legalized suppressor hunting effective July 1, 2013, and Indiana DNR says…
Read guideIs an NFA Suppressor Trust Still Worth It in 2026?
It depends on what you own and why. For a covered Silencer Shop suppressor bought on a 4473 in Indiana, a trust…
Read guideSBR and SBS Rules in 2026: $0 Stamp, Still a Form 4
Short-barreled rifles and shotguns are legal in Indiana if you follow federal law. The NFA tax on SBRs and SBSs is $0…
Read guideSilencer Shop Kiosk: What to Expect at Your Visit
A Silencer Shop kiosk scans your fingerprints digitally, takes your signature and records details like height and eye color for an ATF…
Read guideTax Stamp on a Suppressor in 2026: Is It Really $0?
The federal tax stamp on a suppressor is $0 as of January 1, 2026. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act cut the…
Read guideIndiana Gun Laws
Permitless carry, transport, private sales, where you can and cannot carry.
Can You Own an AR-15 or AK-47 in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana has no assault weapon ban and no magazine capacity limit, so adults who can legally own guns can buy and…
Read guideIndiana Gun Laws 2026: A Plain-English Guide
Indiana gun laws are among the least restrictive in the country. Since July 1, 2022, adults 18 and older who aren't prohibited…
Read guideIndiana Gun Laws for Non-Residents and Out-of-State Visitors
Out-of-state visitors can carry a handgun in Indiana without a permit if they are 18 or older and not prohibited under Indiana…
Read guideIndiana Gun Purchase Laws: How to Buy a Gun in Indiana
Yes, in Indiana you can usually walk into a gun store and leave with a gun the same day. There is no…
Read guideIndiana Gun Transportation Laws: Car, Work, School, Air
In Indiana, anyone 18 or older who can legally carry a handgun can keep it in their vehicle, loaded, without a license.…
Read guideIndiana License to Carry: Reciprocity and Why It Matters
Indiana honors carry licenses from every other state for non-residents under IC 35-47-2-21. Whether other states honor Indiana's license depends on each…
Read guideIndiana Permitless Carry: Who Can Carry Without a License
Yes. Since July 1, 2022, Indiana lets anyone 18 or older carry a handgun, open or concealed, without a license, as long…
Read guideIndiana Red Flag Law: How the Jake Laird Law Works
Indiana's red flag law, called the Jake Laird law (IC 35-47-14), lets police seize firearms from someone they believe is dangerous, with…
Read guidePrivate Gun Sales in Indiana: What the Law Requires
Indiana does not require a background check or paperwork when two Indiana residents sell a gun privately. It is still illegal to…
Read guideWhere You Can't Carry a Gun in Indiana
Even though Indiana allows permitless carry, you can't carry a gun on school property or school buses (except locked in a vehicle),…
Read guideBuying & FFL Transfers
FFL transfers, Form 4473, background checks, buying online and out of state.
ATF Form 4473 Explained: What It Asks and How to Fill It Out
ATF Form 4473, the Firearms Transaction Record, is the federal form you complete whenever you get a gun from a licensed dealer,…
Read guideBuying a Gun as a Gift: Gifts vs. Straw Purchases
Yes, you can buy a gun as a gift if it's a genuine gift: you pay with your own money, nobody is…
Read guideBuying a Handgun Out of State: Federal Rules Explained
You can buy a handgun from a seller in another state, but you can't take it home from there. Federal law requires…
Read guideChoosing Your First Handgun: A Practical Beginner's Guide
Choose your first handgun by fit and purpose, not by brand hype. Decide what it's mainly for, such as home defense, carry…
Read guideFFL Transfer Fees: What an FFL Transfer Costs and Why
An FFL transfer fee is what a licensed dealer charges to receive a gun you bought elsewhere, log it, run your Form…
Read guideGun Background Check Delayed? What It Means and What to Do
A delayed background check means the FBI's NICS system needs more time to review your record. It is not a denial. Under…
Read guideGun Layaway: How It Works and What to Know First
Gun layaway lets you reserve a firearm with a down payment and pay the rest over time. The shop holds the gun…
Read guideHow to Buy a Gun Online Legally: A Step-by-Step Guide
You can buy a gun online legally, but it can't ship to your house. You pay the online seller, the gun ships…
Read guideHow to Ship a Gun Legally: Rules for Gun Owners
As a private gun owner, you can ship a gun to a licensed dealer in any state, or to a resident of…
Read guideWhat Is an FFL Transfer? How It Works, Step by Step
An FFL transfer is when a gun you bought somewhere else, usually online or from an out-of-state seller, is shipped to a…
Read guideCleaning & Maintenance
Step-by-step cleaning, rust removal, lubrication and storage.
Gun Cleaning Kit Essentials: What You Actually Need
A basic gun cleaning kit needs a cleaning rod or bore snake, a bronze bore brush and jag that match your caliber,…
Read guideHow Often Should You Clean Your Gun? A Practical Schedule
Clean a gun after every time you shoot it, and any time it gets wet, dirty, dropped or sweaty. Carry guns need…
Read guideHow to Clean a Glock: Field Strip, Clean and Lube Points
To clean a Glock, unload it, field strip it into slide, barrel, recoil spring assembly, frame and magazine, clean the barrel from…
Read guideHow to Clean a Gun Barrel: Bore Cleaning Step by Step
To clean a gun barrel, unload the gun and remove the barrel or open the action, push a solvent-wet patch through the…
Read guideHow to Clean a Gun: Step-by-Step for Beginners
To clean a gun, unload it and remove all ammunition from the room, field strip it per the owner's manual, run solvent…
Read guideHow to Clean a Shotgun: Pump and Semi-Auto Guide
To clean a shotgun, put it on safe and confirm the chamber and magazine tube are empty, remove the barrel, scrub the…
Read guideHow to Clean an AR-15: Bolt Carrier Group, Bore and Lube
To clean an AR-15, clear it, push out the takedown pins and separate the upper and lower, pull out the charging handle…
Read guideHow to Clean Rust Off a Gun Without Ruining the Finish
To clean surface rust off a gun, unload it, degrease the rusty area, soak it with gun oil for several minutes, then…
Read guideHow to Store Guns to Prevent Rust: Humidity, Oil and Cases
To store guns without rust, clean them, wipe off fingerprints, and coat metal with a thin layer of gun oil or protective…
Read guideWhere to Oil a Gun: Lube Points and How Much to Use
Oil a gun where metal slides against metal: slide rails, the barrel hood and locking lugs, the outside of the bolt or…
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Still Have a Question?
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