Fit, finish, customer service, overall quality etc?  I have never had a problem with standard pins walking out, if they were of good quality and properly installed---just looking for something new to try.

Thanks.

I have used a couple kns sets in the past. Never an issue. I honestly don't think I needed them but hey, they look pretty cool. I do like to run them on drop in trigger units like my timney for peace of mind.

KNS are the ones worth using. I built a 80% and used the KNS to mitigate the lack of anodizing after machining.

I have the KNS pins on all my builds. Are they needed...nope. Do I like the look...yep. I'm sure the regular fire control pins work just fine, but these do too. I also use the KNS detents in my builds. Again, they do nothing more that the ones provided in a LPK but it gives me piece of mind knowing they are in there.

Yep, like they said.

Cosmetic.

I have never had pins walk. I know the KNS kits are extremely popular, but I've never really seen the need, myself.

However, I was also of the understanding that the point of the KNS kits was for anit-rotation, rather than anti-walk? As in, making it so that the pins stayed in place, and the trigger/sear, disconnect, or hammer rotated around them. The "fear" was having steel pins rotating with those components in the aluminum body of the receiver, and that was the reason for locking the pins. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is what KNS calls them.

I've only needed them on one rifle, a 50 BMG conversion of an AR15 lower. the hammer it came with didn't have a J spring.

they do look cool, though.

A friend told me he installed a set of KNS pins in his new Colt 6920, a milspec gun if anything is,  and the pins stuck out on both sides of his lower enough to be noticeable and he didn't like the look. I have heard of this from another person as well, and they were also using them in a high quality lower. Any current users have a thought on this? Something minor, or more than that?

Of course they stick out the sides of the lower, they have to in order to interface with the struts that connect them (which also adds bulk past the receiver dimensions).

 

Whether or not they stick out "enough to be noticeable" is entirely up to the individual, as is "not liking the look"


In a properly built AR15, there is no need for anti-rotation/anti-walk pins, they only serve as a cosmetic feature.

They do have pins that are a bit longer then normal. Is it possible your friend got those by mistake?

My fiancee has a lower from a company no longer in business. They built up the areas around the pin holes and included standard configured pins that were a bit longer to fit. When we looked at drop in trigger groups, I contacted KNS and they advised that they make longer then standard length pins and that they would work in our application but, might stick out a little.

I put them on my 9mm AR pistol.  More for extra insurance on an expensive dedicated 9mm lower than anything else.

Unless of course you shoot 22LR(I have broken 3 pins) or 7.62X39(in my case, both pins broke) and break pins.
Also, if they are leaving a gap after installation you can grind the ends just a bit. That's what I did.
Edit, after shortening, I formed the anti rotation pin end with a file. It's so easy a caveman can do it.

I have a Jard trigger in a spikes lower as it has the pins held in by an internal retention plate, which I wasn't a fan of. So I switched to KNS anti walk Gen 2 i think, and have fired several thousand rounds without an issue.

I use the Jard with a Fostech DefendAR15, so its only for bumpfire mag dumps. Cant abuse them much more than that...

Got a look for myself. Took the trusty mike along. Engagement surface of the Gen 2 KNS pins measured .9015. Colt receiver width is .8830 at the pin locations.  So the pin surfaces  are .0185 longer than the width of the receiver, plus the added length of the pin's locking tabs.  That's a lot, and it definitely leaves a gap between the pin locking collars and the receiver, enough for dirt, etc to enter that area. Shortening the locking tabs is easy, as already said, but shortening the pin surface itself to approximately the width of the receiver....?  I assume the pin surfaces are hardened so if you want them to really fit the receiver properly there would have to be some delicate filing done.  Upon finding this, I measured two of my own AR's--two different brands, both high quality--and the receiver widths didn't vary by more than .002 from my friend's  Colt, so the Colt isn't abnormally narrow.

Comments appreciated, preferably from those running KNS.  They're hugely popular so maybe everybody just ignores this. Or maybe a lot of receivers are wider.  

yup. Everyone ignores it, or they grind the pins down to improve the fit. It bugged me a little at first, but it really doesn't hurt anything. Push it up snug to the side of the receiver that you plan to look at the most

I have an old, well worn rifle that had the trigger pin work its way out somewhat last Sunday at the range.  

I am curious if these would be a good idea, although it looks like many think it's purely cosmetic.   I'm not looking for style points, but if they work, I may want to grab some.

2 or 3 of my builds have them.  They work best on 80% lowers when you biff the holes slightly.  I put them on my builds now just for peace of mind.  one less thing to worry about.

Replace you fcg springs.  They are probably weaker then they used to be and the culprit.

I installed an Elftmann Tactical trigger in one of my rifles once using the stock lpk pins.  I took it to the range, it ran fine, and I came back home.  Only then I realized my hammer pin had disappeared during the trip.  Needless to say, that gun now has KNS pins installed.  In addition to the cosmetics, I like the piece of mind that I'm not relying on set screws to keep my drop in triggers pinned in place.

Like others have said before me, I have KNS pins on all my 80% builds for peace of mind. I even use them on **GASP** my Cola Warrior Texas Edition Geissele SSA-E. These KNS Pins were made specifically for Geissele Triggers. I had this lower engraved with the Cola Warrior Peep so I don't want this lower to go bad at the trigger and hammer pin holes.