So I recently bought a new Marauder FDE Limited edition that comes standard with a threaded barrel. The gun was a safe queen with low mileage and I got it as a great deal with six mags and a few other accessories. I live in a state where the threaded barrel is not legal to have on your gun and not transferable (DMV- District, MD, VA--guess which state). My intent was to swap the barrel out and to that end, I bought a KART Exact fit replacement barrel ($300). I can't transfer it until this gets sorted out and I want to have it for IDPA matches by mid-May. After running it past a few local shooting sources, I am finding it hard to get a strong recommendation for a gunsmith in the DMV who can do the job right and/or in a timely way-- within a few weeks, thus I am being told to save myself the heartache and send it to a well know national Smith who can allow me to not have regrets. I spoke to a well know national gunsmith who said he would do me a solid and cut the barrel and recrown it with a fast turn around, but it seems like a crime against nature to do this, as I would like to maintain the marketability of the gun in the long term if I choose to sell it (keeping the barrel in storage in another more permissible state). I really want to get this up and running for the spring season, so based on the stated problem I am reluctantly considering cutting the barrel.
Any recommendations for a good gunsmith in the DMV or nationally who can sort this out for me?
Is there even a market for a used threaded barrel that was factory fit to an STI Marauder?
Any other advice here?