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Legality of Pin and Weld blending


KzBoost

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So I asked a few gun shops and got mixed answers. I have a 14.5" barrel pinned and welded with a compensator so that it meets the 16" requirement. There is a small nub of weld still visible protruding from the weld. Am I allowed to grind this nub down and blend it so that it is flush with the barrel creating a more seamless look?

 

I was told that the ATF needs be able to verify a weld by both visually and by touch. I was also told by another gun shop that I could blend it, as long as the comp is still fixed to the barrel. What's the truth?

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Let them try to wrench it off... that'll prove it is welded.  And BTW, if you're dealing with the ATF over the legality of your 14.5" pinned barrel, then there is a lot more trouble on your doorstep.

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8 hours ago, KzBoost said:

So I asked a few gun shops and got mixed answers. I have a 14.5" barrel pinned and welded with a compensator so that it meets the 16" requirement. There is a small nub of weld still visible protruding from the weld. Am I allowed to grind this nub down and blend it so that it is flush with the barrel creating a more seamless look?

 

I was told that the ATF needs be able to verify a weld by both visually and by touch. I was also told by another gun shop that I could blend it, as long as the comp is still fixed to the barrel. What's the truth?

I have several JP rifles, and that's the way they do a pin and weld.  You can't tell it's not one piece.

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From the ATF Handbook:

 

Quote

The ATF procedure for measuring barrel length is to measure from the closed bolt (or breech-face) to the furthermost end of the barrel or permanently attached muzzle device. Permanent methods of attachment include full-fusion gas or electric steel-seam welding, high-temperature (1100°F) silver soldering, or blind pinning with the pin head welded over. Barrels are measured by inserting a dowel rod into the barrel until the rod stops against the bolt or breech-face. The rod is then marked at the furthermost end of the barrel or permanently attached muzzle device, withdrawn from the barrel, and measured.

 

https://www.atf.gov/file/58251/download

 

If blending the weld over the pin head removes the weld, then MAYBE the method of attachment no longer is classified as permanent? 

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2 hours ago, SCTaylor said:

Let them try to wrench it off... that'll prove it is welded.  And BTW, if you're dealing with the ATF over the legality of your 14.5" pinned barrel, then there is a lot more trouble on your doorstep.

It is my understanding that this is how they check.

Have seen several old Bushmasters with pinned devices that were parked after the pinning, no way to tell visually. 

If all they wanted was a visual you could just burn a dot on the MD and skirt the law, visual means nothing without testing, if you have to test to prove who cares how it looks as long as it doesn't look like the pin is easily removable. Silver solder is also a legal attachment, leaves no visual clues if you use a crush washer.

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16 hours ago, STIboy said:

I have several JP rifles, and that's the way they do a pin and weld.  You can't tell it's not one piece.

Really? I contacted JP and they specifically said that they deliberately leave the weld so that it is visible, they even sent me pictures of their welds. Wonder if they stopped doing that..

 

 

Thanks for the responses everyone.. I did contact a few more vendors and most have said to just leave the weld there. I'm assuming they are speaking out of liability, but the general consensus from them is to have it there so no one will bother to hassle you about it

 

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FWIW... nub, no nub...  just because it's welded doesn't mean it's welded. You have no way of knowing. (unless you do it yourself)  I had a well known company do one for me years ago. A few years down the road I needed to remove it, so I ground down the weld and tried to remove the pin. Only to find the pin not only wasn't into the barrel, it wasn't even all the way through the comp. Nice to find out you not only paid money for something you didn't get, but that you were also running around with a state felony and a federal offense. 

Edited by cas
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On 6/24/2017 at 6:58 PM, Flatland Shooter said:

Just out of curiosity, when the BATF wrenches a comp to check compliance, do the twist it to failure or do they have a set torque amount they consider it good?

 

Bill

I doubt it would ever get to this point. There are far bigger fish to fry, and they'd probly only be looking at this if you were in trouble for something real.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/24/2017 at 2:36 AM, KzBoost said:

Really? I contacted JP and they specifically said that they deliberately leave the weld so that it is visible, they even sent me pictures of their welds. Wonder if they stopped doing that..

I have older rifles.  Maybe they changed their method of pinning brakes?

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On 7/5/2017 at 8:22 AM, STIboy said:

I have older rifles.  Maybe they changed their method of pinning brakes?

 

I think they did. Perhaps due to liability reasons.

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