NFA engraving?

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I've used both Ident and Orion. Both do great work but Ident is closer so I save on shipping and the guys there are great to BS with
 
It depends how I want the engraving done:
Diamond tip pantograph: Coast to Coast Trophies in Glendale
CNC router: AZEX in Queen Creek

I really like the look of the pantograph but it does not work well for every material/finish.

Mike
 
That's what I did. My AR SBR is a 10" with a tubular free float hand guard, so there was enough room on the section of the barrel sticking out that I was able to engrave the info there. That leaves my lower pristine, but if I ever add a shorter barrel upper I might have to have my lower engraved.

I have an approved Form 1 for a 10/22 but I haven't started working on it yet. I may have to do the receiver on it, and I hate to take a dremel to the actual part that the stamp is attached to.
 
What does "NFA engraving" mean?

Aarond

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If you "make" a short barreled rifle or shotgun from an existing firearm you are required to engrave additional information on the gun. Specifically you must add the name, city and state of the person who turned it into an NFA item.

If you are making a silencer then you must also add the caliber and a serial number. A preexisting firearm already has that stuff engraved so you don't need to add it.
 
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For folks in the Western WA area, Trevor with Jet-City Laser in Auburn does excellent laser engraving after 4:15 pm. He may be reached at 253-293-2164. It took less than 30 minutes to engrave the trust and city/state on this aluminum receiver. Any blurring seen in the photo is the result of camera focus, the engraving is crisp and legible in reality.

20141016_172745_REV_zpse0d1b334.gif
 
Elkins45 said:
That's what I did. My AR SBR is a 10" with a tubular free float hand guard, so there was enough room on the section of the barrel sticking out that I was able to engrave the info there. That leaves my lower pristine, but if I ever add a shorter barrel upper I might have to have my lower engraved.

You're going to want to get that lower engraved ASAP since it's the firearm. The upper is just an accessory on the firearm.
 
I was planning on driving mine to a guy in Jacksonville FL rather than pay to ship a lower and have it shipped back and wait. BUT I found a guy locally who manufacturer's car parts. Turns out he is a huge "gun guy" and has a laser engraver and old fashioned engraver (not sure what the technical term is).

Anyway he said he would engrave my lowers. I think he has engraved 3 or 4 to include an AK SBR. He only charges me about $30-35 and is a perfectionist.
 
You're going to want to get that lower engraved ASAP since it's the firearm. The upper is just an accessory on the firearm.

Incorrect! You can engrave any part of the firearm that is not easily removable (i.e. magazine) The downside to engraving the barrel is if he changes it to another barrel he must engrave that one as well. If he converts it to a 9mm or .22 or something like that he must also engrave the barrel first. Obviously barrels get shot out over time, the lower in theory should NOT.

I did the lower because it is once and done. If the lower gets damaged the whole SBR is destroyed anyway. I just dura-coted them once the engraving was done. Many people don't like to do the lower because they want it to look "clean" or because it "reduces the value"

I have about 10 stripped lowers sitting in my safe and 5 attached to completed AR's. I think I paid on average $70-75 a piece including ALL FFL and shipping fees. I am not that worried about decreasing the value of a $70 part.


ATF 5300.4 in 27 CFR 479.102 (page 92)
1) On the Frame or Receiver the Serial number;
2) on the frame, receiver, or barrel the following additional information;
A)The model;
B)The caliber or gage;
C)Your name or name of the Trust in the case of a Trust (no abbreviations are permitted for the Trust name);
D)The city and state (you can abbreviate the state with the official 2 digit state code)

The above mentioned information must be engraved, casted, stamped (impressing) or otherwise conspicuously placed or caused to be engraved, cast, stamped (impressed) or placed to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size of the Serial number shall be no smaller than 1/16 inch.
 
You mean, like the upper receiver of an AR-15?
Barrel is specifically mentioned as an acceptable place to engrave the additional information in the ATF regs quoted above. The serial number is already engraved on the lower because it was made from an existing gun.

I understand that if I mount another upper or different barrel that I must engrave the info on it as well. The reason I opted to do the barrel is because of the specific gun I picked to build my SBR on. It's a Colt with a fairly high intrinsic value when assembled in original configuration and engraving it would probably reduce the value more than the $200 the tax stamp cost. If I had started with just a raw lower I would probably just have engraved it and been done.
 
Barrel is specifically mentioned as an acceptable place to engrave the additional information in the ATF regs quoted above. The serial number is already engraved on the lower because it was made from an existing gun.

I understand that if I mount another upper or different barrel that I must engrave the info on it as well. The reason I opted to do the barrel is because of the specific gun I picked to build my SBR on. It's a Colt with a fairly high intrinsic value when assembled in original configuration and engraving it would probably reduce the value more than the $200 the tax stamp cost. If I had started with just a raw lower I would probably just have engraved it and been done.
That was a good idea.
 
You're going to want to get that lower engraved ASAP since it's the firearm. The upper is just an accessory on the firearm.
Fish gotta swim, bees gotta buzz, and people who don't know what they're talking about gotta pass more bad info on the 'net.

[CITE: 27CFR479.102]
[Page 188-189]
TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS
CHAPTER II--BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS, AND EXPLOSIVES,
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
PART 479--MACHINE GUNS, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES, AND CERTAIN OTHER FIREARMS--Table of Contents
Subpart G--Registration and Identification of Firearms
Sec. 479.102 How must firearms be identified?
(a) You, as a manufacturer, importer, or maker of a firearm, must
legibly identify the firearm as follows:
(1) By engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise
conspicuously placing or causing to be engraved, cast, stamped
(impressed) or placed on the frame or receiver thereof an individual
serial number. The serial number must be placed in a manner not
susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered, or removed, and must
not duplicate any serial number placed by you on any other firearm. For
firearms manufactured, imported, or made on and after January 30, 2002,
the engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) of the serial number
must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller
than 1/16 inch; and
(2) By engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise
conspicuously placing or causing to be engraved, cast, stamped
(impressed), or placed on the frame, receiver, or barrel thereof certain additional information. This information must be placed in a manner not
susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered or removed. For
firearms manufactured, imported, or made on and after January 30, 2002,
the engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) of this information
must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch. The additional information
includes:
(i) The model, if such designation has been made;
(ii) The caliber or gauge;
(iii) Your name (or recognized abbreviation) and also, when
applicable, the name of the foreign manufacturer or maker;
(iv) In the case of a domestically made firearm, the city and State
(or recognized abbreviation thereof) where you as the manufacturer
maintain your place of business, or where you, as the maker, made the
firearm;
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HRnightmare
Incorrect! You can engrave any part of the firearm that is not easily removable (i.e. magazine)
You mean, like the upper receiver of an AR-15?

YES. I mean ANYWHERE that is part of the firearm. I would say anything easily removable like sights or magazine are not part...BARREL is without a doubt a part and is specifically mentioned. Upper assembly can be engraved, but than you MUST have that upper available. If you engrave the lower, than you can have any upper "temporarily" part of it.
 
^^ Look at any semi auto handgun to see where the serial number is engraved (frame) and where the additional information is engraved (slide) and then... well.... engrave your upper or barrel and forget about it. Pick up a Colt 1911 and tell me where the makers name and address are engraved.


Using a vibro-engraver on the BBL under the handguard is just fine... And yeah you can argue about it being "hidden" but my local BATFE field office said "As long as it's conspicuously marked, even under a handguard, we will find it if we need to investigate it after it's recovered in a crime scene and that's good enough for us", and so... it's good enough for me.


Willie

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Quote:
Originally Posted by HRnightmare
Incorrect! You can engrave any part of the firearm that is not easily removable (i.e. magazine)
You mean, like the upper receiver of an AR-15?

YES. I mean ANYWHERE that is part of the firearm. I would say anything easily removable like sights or magazine are not part...BARREL is without a doubt a part and is specifically mentioned. Upper assembly can be engraved, but than you MUST have that upper available. If you engrave the lower, than you can have any upper "temporarily" part of it.
It's not a NFA gun when it had a 16"+ barrel attached. If it has a upper with a <16" barrel then it better be engraved. Engraving the lower eliminates this worry, but since I only have two barrels at the moment it's not a big worry for me.

I still haven't decided how to do my 10/22. I've had the stamp for a couple of months now and haven't even started on the gun.

Using a vibro-engraver on the BBL under the handguard is just fine... And yeah you can argue about it being "hidden" but my local BATFE field office said "As long as it's conspicuously marked, even under a handguard, we will find it if we need to investigate it after it's recovered in a crime scene and that's good enough for us", and so... it's good enough for me.

This is different than some of the opinions I've seen shared on SilencerTalk. One of the reasons I went with 10" rather than 7" was because of the extra 3" past the gas block to engrave on. I wonder if there's an "official" letter out there somewhere?
 
You're going to want to get that lower engraved ASAP since it's the firearm. The upper is just an accessory on the firearm.
1. Barrel is specifically allowed in the regs as an allowed place to engrave.
2. The ATF does not tend to get involved in when a firearm is "done". Your Form 1 is permission to build and the law does not dictate the order of the steps. I've taken as many as 3 to the engraver at once. A couple were done, one was not yet started. I've done fit and function tests mid-build at the range. As long as you have your Form 1 and you are building within a reasonable amount of time after approval you are fine.

Mike
 
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