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Are Solvent Traps Legal?

MissionMan

February 13, 2022.

Armory Den = HELL YEA! 🙂 Finally a company who doesn't rip people off. I searched forever for a trap kit that matches industry design and option. Ran into tons of scam sites until now. I bought the 304 Steel Adaptive Trap (10" inch) and that was on a Friday. That same night or the next day they already had USPS label from Florida and it shipped out that same day! Armory Den is the best site out of all the knock off scams or just plain fraudulent sites claiming to sell traps. Everything from their shipping to the transparency of sells via Stripe payment, keeps reputation in the front seat. Thank you whoever runs Armory Den. You are doing so many people favors. Your prices are cheapest along with design and materials offered. Its China that makes knock offs and Armory Den DONT PRODUCE OR SELL THAT GARBAGE. (P.S. stay away from Solvent Traps Direct).

Frankie

December 17, 2021.

Amazing! Absolutely thrilled with the level of customer service. Anytime I had a question they respond very quickly and always answer my questions completely. I love their packaging. While it may be somewhat difficult to get to their products through all the packaging, I really appreciate that they take the time to properly wrap their products. I feel like this attention to detail would protect my order if the delivery person were to leave it where it could get rained on or left in the weather. The packaging is amazing, and I will continue to return as a customer.

Mike S.

December 11, 2021.

Outstanding on all fronts Great company! I am 110% satisfied with my experience. The ordering process was easy and secure. The package arrived 3 days early by USPS. The product was extremely well-packaged: outer bubble envelope, inner bubble wrap, a box, and the individual pieces were separated and secured within holes in foam material. The trap itself is very well constructed as advertised. I’m glad I paid the extra $$ for a high quality product rather than risk with a random internet company just out for sales. Also customer service responds within hours and is extremely responsive—they have actual humans interacting with you! Will use again. Thx!

Adam Carruth

June 19, 2021.

custumer of Armory Den for life. where do i start, well for one thing these people have custumer service covered on a legit level. the best hands down communication with me then any company has ever had. up until my first purchase amazon had that on lock. but Armory Den has them beat. And if your skeptical of the quality of material or machining. one time is all it will take for you to truely trust that every single purchase you make with them will be the best you can buy. The best business and people you will ever spend money with. I am a customer for life and that is a fact! truely greatful for a business that actually cares about the people they do business with. thanks yall god bless you!! Adam Carruth

William Patterson

May 25, 2021.

Solid from website to my hand, top shelf As I shopped for the product, I kept returning to the Den website. Descriptions are clear, lots of good information, very good value. Ordering is simple, terms are straightforward. I had special shipping instructions, followed perfectly. Secure packaging. The trap is well machined, fits tight, and is nicely finished. The hand-feel has heft and is of quality. Extra care at every step. Thanks.

Frank

May 15, 2021.

Great experience Great experience

Yank

May 3, 2021.

They did the right thing! Let me just start with Thank you Armory Den! What exceptional customer service! Their response time to emails, is faster response time then the police department has where I live for 911 calls lol j/k. Seriously, they answered me on Sunday, morning and afternoon. No company does that! Also, I asked about a part I thought came with my order. I was ready to pay for it, nope, they sent them to me for free, and shipped on a Sunday! No one does that! I’m a customer for life! I even canceled an order I had with another company, just so I can buy from ARMORY DEN! My business motto is “always do the right thing l, no matter what” they obviously follow it also!

Paul F

April 7, 2021.

This company is the real deal I was a little skeptical about ordering honestly. I hadn't heard much about armory den and could only find good reviews lol. But I took a chance and put through an order. Everything arrived as described and is awesome. Be aware that you may receive multiple shipments based on what you order. These guys respond fast and from what i have seen, produce quality products. They have my future business. I've put up similar reviews and given a recommendation on their FB page.

Michael Whitehurst

February 14, 2021.

Great experience Great experience. Product can exactly on time, as expected. Very pleased with product. Very well engineered and good quality. Customer service is excellent. Answered all questions quickly and very informative about products. Will definitely be ordering more in the future

The Laws that Govern the Legality of Solvent Traps

The ATF has previously stated that the sale of “solvent traps” and parts to “solvent traps” by a company is legal. It is also permitted to use them as a firearm cleaning accessory, which makes cleaning extremely efficient. The issue is that some individuals who buy them plan to modify them in order for a projectile to pass through them. Our disclaimers and policies are clear, as well as our intent. We do not advocate or recommend modifications to our products.

So What Exactly Is A Solvent Trap?

A solvent trap is a “firearm accessory” that can be fitted as a cleaning accessory to the end of a barrel with the correctly threaded mount or adapter. They are not considered anything more than an accessory because, without modification, a projectile or bullet cannot pass through the tube

Moreover, correctly engineered solvent traps do not have center marks or dimples that would imply or show intent that they should be modified – This would be considered “constructive intent” from an ATF/NFA legal point of view. We urge our customers to stay away from these types of purchases. Purchasing center marked solvent traps are the type of products you want to stay away from, as these markings are considered by the ATF, ‘intent for other purposes’ and/or ‘illegal items’. It’s important to know what you are buying!

We Support Veterans & First Responders!

All Veterans and First Responders receive 10% off all Armory Den purchases – Just like Lowes! Getting verified is quick and easy. Simply visit our Veterans or First Responders Den and complete our short verification form. Once our team reviews and verifies your submission, you will be sent an email with your 10% discount code to use for purchases. That’s right, 10% off for life!

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You Can Purchase Solvent Traps Legally without a Form 1

Absolutely! Don’t let anyone tell you different, including firearm industry regulators. Solvent traps are nifty accessories that trap solvent during bore cleaning processes. There is a caveat: you can not alter, adjust or redesign them into a system for silencing, muffling, or decreasing the firearm report without first filing and receiving an approved Form 1 from the BATFE.

Felony Alert!

A crime is committed if you make the changes before the tax stamp is obtained. Be mindful and understand the laws and limitations, and the specific laws within the state you reside.

Armory Den’s intent is clear. We sell solvent traps for their main purpose legally and mechanically, which is to trap solvent. These products help firearm owners avoid huge messes and make routine firearm cleaning become more effective and efficient. However, due to our industry, regulations, and to appease to companies who insure us, it is our responsibility to share this information with our visitors.

Browse Solvent Traps

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Legality or Illegality of Solvent Traps

Do Solvent Traps Work?

We can’t speak for other suppliers, but when it comes to Armory Den’s Solvent traps we can tell you that they work, and they work well when used for their intended purpose of collecting solvent fluids when cleaning a pistol or rifle.

Are Oil Filter Adapters Illegal?

Using an oil filter with certain characteristics may very well land you in the Big House…federally. In 2012 a man was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for possessing a man-made oil filter solvent trap, which was later deemed an unregistered suppressor. To reiterate, whether anything (albeit an oil filter for a car, a solvent trap purchased from a company like Armory Den, Inc., or a home made PVC Pipe solvent trap (not recommended), or any other item in the world that resembles a tube, depends on ones “express intent” when purchasing the item and any evidence of, or lack thereof, “constructive intent” characteristics, such as dimples or center marks.

What Makes a Solvent Trap Potentially Not Legal?

Solvent traps are not illegal, according to an ATF spokesperson. However, suppose a device contains components deemed by the ATF as having characteristics that show they are being sold and purchased with the ‘intention’ to make the mechanism work in illegal ways other than their intended use, which is for trapping solvent during the firearm cleaning process. In that case, for sure, it must be defined and adequately controlled as such. This is the entire point of the Form 1 Process, but it is important when purchasing anything in this category of product, that you do not purchase items that have ‘constructive intent’ characteristics!

Can you Modify a Solvent Trap Legally?

Per the NFA/ATF anything, not just solvent traps, can be converted or even manufactured into a registered firearm or a registered NFA controlled device, such as a suppressor. The key term here is ‘registered’. One must first send in a Form 1 application and NFA Tax Stamp, passport sized photos, along with the chosen serial number, and received the approved Tax Stamp/Form 1 back.

Receiving the approved Form 1 means the applicant passed their background check and provided the necessary documentation. Only then can modifications be done. Again, solvent traps are only one thing that individuals use who are looking to legally modify an item into an NFA item… One can receive an approved Form 1 and apply that serial number to a Maglite if they wanted…

The title on the Form 1 Application coded 5320.1 Updated in 2019 is “Application to Make and Register a Firearm”, thus you can use this Form 1 to make and serialize a firearm too. It is important to know that solvent traps simply get the wrap because, well it’s easy to blame the lowest hanging fruit…

For Form 1, How Much is a Tax Stamp?

A tax stamp is $200 and has been the same price, unindexed to inflation since June of 1934. It is a tax paid to the NFA/BAFTE that allows them to know who has a Class III item and also they collect a little cash to support their efforts in encroaching on our 2nd amendment right further – it is a win-win for them as national registration of everything is ultimately their goal.

On an A.R. Barrel, What are the Threads?

Standard AR-15s chambered in 5.56 NATO or .233 have a barrel thread pitch of 1/2 x 28 inches, with the thread normally being covered with a factory flash hider or muzzle break.

How Long Would it Take to Get Accepted for a Form 1?

The Form 1 process can be done using the ATF E-form filing system, not only are Form 1 applications historically much faster than the Class III Dealer Form 4 process, but the E-filing system for Form 1s expedites things even faster! One must ask, “why is there more innovation in the form 1 application process if it seems to be such a problem for the ATF/NFA?”. If you find the answer to that, please let us know! The Form 4 process normally averages 6-9 months and is a process used when purchasing NFA items directly through a properly ‘Classed’ SOT dealer. Form 1s can be approved in as little as 3 weeks to as long as 5 or 6 months (estimated figures). Recently 3-6 weeks has been the norm, even as the Form 4 process is taking 9 to 14+ months.

And What's Form 1?

A.T.F. Form 1 is a “Firearm Making and Registration Application.” It is used if a non-FFL or individual that wants to manufacture an “NFA Firearm” such as a short-barreled rifle (S.B.R.), short-barreled shotgun (S.B.S.), some other firearm (A.O.W.), or Suppressor/Silencer. The difference between a Form 1 and Form 4 is that the latter is used by a Class III SOT when selling any of the abovementioned items to the public, it uses a Form 3 when transferring to other dealers at a Stamp Transfer Cost of $5 instead of $200 (a point obviously irrelevant to individuals or non-dealers). Also, Form 1s are done and approved under the individual’s, company’s or Trust’s name and are not transferrable unless using a Class III SOT Dealer via the Form 3 to Form 4 process.

Armory Den does not advocate nor facilitate the Form 1 process and can not control what customers do with their purchased items, thus Armory Den cannot be liable for any impact, effect, harm, or liability related to any modifications of their products. This is heavily disclaimed and explain on www.armoryden.com.

These statements above make no suggestion or recommendation related to modifying items into registered NFA items, whether it be solvent traps, Maglites or fuel filters. Any other result, change, and adjustment is performed at the product owner’s risk. Please read, study, and observe all federal legislation about NFA items and reference the NFA Handbook for further information on these topics.

A solvent trap‘s specified function is to capture and trap solvent cleaning fluids during the firearm bore cleaning process that is typically performed on firearms. Solvent traps bind to a firearm’s muzzle but do not have any construction characteristics designed to allow a projectile to travel through them.

As they are not meant to minimize the report of a portable firearm as initially made, they are not real firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(24) and are thus therefore not firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(3) or 26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(24) (7).

However, if the solvent trap was redesigned or used to assemble a system to mute, or minimize a portable firearm report. “As specified in 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(24), the solvent trap will be listed as “firearm silencer” and as “firearm” as stated in 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3)(C) and 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(7).

Guaranteed Customer Satisfaction.

Our 5 star customer reviews published on various sites such as Trust Pilot, reflect our ability and drive in bringing only the best solvent traps and parts while providing top-notch customer service! Our goal is to exceed all expectations!

Quit overpaying for solvent traps or worse, overpaying for inferior products! We keep the best Aluminum aluminum solvent traps, titanium solvent traps, and stainless steel solvent traps in stock at all times. If you’re still looking for a reliable solvent trap products you came to the right place!

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