Looks like a quarter inch. Which means if you shim it, you're looking at ~0.25"+ of shims (to get a little past 16.0"), which will likely be ugly, for one. I would be more worried about the muzzle device only having ~0.30" of threads at that point, and then stacked tolerances impacting concentricity when mounting a can... which even assumes that despite his demonstrated lack of competence in measurements, and not disassembling the barrel from the upper (according to OP's recounting of their conversation), he somehow cut the threads concentric to begin with.




If they are both "getting screwed" I think that's what we call "fair". OP doesn't get his barrel done correctly, and smith doesn't get paid. I don't see the problem. Except OP is out a barrel now.

Gunsmith doesn't need to be a lawyer to know what the laws relevant to his job are. I dont think any of us in this thread are lawyers, but we seem to know more about legal requirements relevant to S&S Precision Rifle's job than he does and we aren't getting paid to work on guns. It would be like going to a guy to do your taxes who doesn't know the most basic tax laws. Is it possible? Probably. He's not a lawyer. Should you let him do your taxes? Probably not.

And to be fair, yeah, it's entirely possible that a gunsmith is offering pin/weld services without understanding what the ATF requires (despite it being a service that is requested almost exclusively for ATF compliance), but that is just more proof he's not a competent gunsmith, and you probably shouldn't let him work on your stuff.

I told the story earlier in this thread where I took a gun to a local gunsmith to chop/pin/weld and after 2 minutes of talking to him and him explaining to me that the ATF doesn't require welding - a simple blind pin will suffice, I realized he was not a competent gunsmith and took my guns and left.

Anybody in the business of cutting and P/W AR15 barrels that is "unaware" of federal regs should find another profession.

well said

The smith PMed me also.  It looks like the smith is trying something, but I'm just not sure what yet.  I do agree that the OP being happy when he left means nothing, not when he got home and found out his barrel is short and now he could possibly be a felon.  And it also makes me wonder why the smith let him take the barrel home without receiving payment?  Who does that?

That is the part that has me scratching my head.  Also why I think we are missing parts of the story from one or both sides.  I would like to hear and see a resolution reached but I think they are not coming back.

Exactly. Why in the hell is this so hard for people to grasp? I figure if you are too ignorant/helpless to measure a goddamn barrel, you shouldn't have a gun.

Yep, ignorance strikes! He didn't even know to account for it and based everything off the end of the barrel. And, having heard nothing to the contrary, (but I didn't read all the posts) he probably either did not re-crown the barrel or screwed it up trying. You might as well use that barrel for a property corner although a somebody with an SBR might be interested in it. Oh, speaking of 'SBR', you now have one, so you cannot have that short barrel anywhere on your property, assuming you have an AR15 lower also. That falls under the 'construction' clause.

Jack Reacher says "Details are important".
What exactly was said is pretty critical, which is why you need to put your wishes down on paper.
Did OP bring in just the upper and not clarify if it was for a rifle or pistol?
Did he say cut off x amount or cut to x OAL?

The devil is in the details, for sure.

How many other P/W jobs by this Smith are not to NFA regs?

Who doesn't pay if happy prior to leaving with your stuff?

Who let's stuff leave without payment?

And both involved ghost the thread...LOL

Don't get carried away. Does the OP have a pistol or SBRd lower?

My statement is completely correct. You cannot have an unregistered short barrel upper if you also have a lower. It would probably be okay if you had already submitted the paperwork.

You're miss informed on several levels. There is no such thing as a registered or unregistered  short barrel UPPER. It's the lower that gets registered. Your assumption is it illegal to own a barrel less than 16" if you have an AR15 lower as it constitutes constructive intent.

My point is you are assuming the OP doesn't have either of the following:

A pistol lower or a
Registered SBR LOWER.

If he has either, there is nothing in the NFA prohibiting him from owning a spare/replacement barrel/upper.

That is now a pistol upper.  

My son is a hell of a welder.  PM me and I’ll put you in touch.  He can TIG weld onto the flash hider to make you legal.  Fucker can weld a broken heart and the crack of dawn.

My son is a hell of a welder.  PM me and I’ll put you in touch.  He can TIG weld onto the flash hider to make you legal.  Fucker can weld a broken heart and the crack of dawn.

I'm sure your kid can weld, but he'd need like a 3/8" spacer (based on the lower tape measure, which seems to be better lined up). Not something I'd be happy running. Especially if a can is a possibility.

OP was this "smith" in the DFW area?

@0630skirmish