I'm considering converting my PS90 into an SBR, but this would be my first ever SBR, so before I proceed I have some questions for people who have gone through the process with the PS90.

1. How much money did you invest in the entire process, including parts, trust, etc?

2. How much time did you invest in the entire process (everything included)?

3. How long did the entire process take, from start to finish? And how recently did you go through the process? (I think wait times have decreased lately?)

Thanks

I had my trust before I started my PS90 project.

I bought my PS90 online on Wed 10/8. I got the SN from the dealer and filed my eForm on Fri 10/10. Picked the PS90 up the next week and test fired it to make sure there was no defect from the factory. Cut the shroud off and mailed the barrel to TROS. He sent it back in less than a month, and I had my dealer hang on to it for me. Form 1 was approved 11/18 and that's when final assembly occurred.

So, total time invested for me was <2 hours including test fire, disassemble, shroud removal, filing EForm, reassembling. Wait time was 39 days from eFiling, 41 days total from purchasing a full length PS90.

I'd hazard to guess that's about as quick as could be done. I just happened to catch Mark at a time when he had the adapter in stock and was ready to cut/thread a batch of barrels.

Cost would be:
1. Price of PS90 (I paid <$1000)
2. $200 stamp
3. $188 for barrel work and adapter
4. $50 for engraving (probably around $70 after shipping both ways)
5. Whatever you pay for a trust, anywhere $0-$1000

I got out of mine (not counting trust, as that's required either way) for less than I could buy the complete SBR from TROS. I think he had them for $1495, plus the $200 stamp. I'm in for <$1500 including stamp. (Also not counting optic, as that's not required, and I'd have done the same thing whether it was SBR or not).

Since you already have one, the equivalent would be <$500 with stamp and engraving, and ~40 days.

I used quicken will maker for my trust off amazon was $12, parts cost of gun cut off flash hider send in barrel to TROS $188 for chop thread and adapter, $15 to ship to him. EDIT: Engraving done locally for $50.

Time... 30 minutes. Used sawzaw to cut flash hider off. Rest was easy.

Start to finish 41 days, E-filed form 1 took 21 days, sent the barrel off as soon as form 1 was approved.

Thanks for the responses, one thing I forgot to mention is that I'm interested in using the factory P90 flash hider.

Not sure how that might affect your responses, although I do know CMMG carries the parts for that.

I didn't care about the factory FH, because I wanted the Silencerco o-ring engagement specs. It's a more expensive route to go with the factory look, which wasn't important to me.

1) 200 for the stamp, 300 for a CMMG barrel, 120 for the CMMG flash hider, 80 to create a trust, about 50 on some random tools I didn't have, 15 for the engraving, and 10 to get the trust notarized. So about 775 total.

2) Probably less than 24 hours? I spent maybe 2 hours on the trust (ordering, filling it out, notarized, etc). I took maybe 2 hours e-filing. Maybe 8 hours doing general research before hand. I spent a few hours hunting down some tools I didn't have (a thin 15mm wrench and a thin 15mm crow's foot wrench). about 2 hours removing the old barrel and installing the new barrel... I'm mostly guessing here but definitely less than a day total.

3) About 2 months. I only waited 40 days for my stamp, that was filing electronically as a trust. I finished the SBR two weeks ago.

Its totally worth it, give it a shot! The FN forum has a really good guide for both the e-file and barrel removal.

There's a pretty good eFile guide in the General Class 3 forum here...if I do say so myself.

Yeah, I saw the e-file guide in the Class 3 forum here and that looks great. Shouldn't have any problems on that aspect.

I don't like the idea of messing with the barrel myself though.

$775 for the CMMG setup also seems pretty steep, but I really do prefer that configuration.

I'll tell you this much, hopefully as an encouragement.

I don't considering myself a gunsmith in any way. I've built out a dozen or so AR lowers, but never even built an upper. I'd never even seen a PS90 in person, including my own, when I filed my F1 (filed it once I had the serial number from the dealer via email).

I read a little online, and asked some questions, and then removed the barrel, sent it off, and reassembled it all myself. If you can use a wrench, and any saw capable of cutting metal, you're good to go. I'd recommend a band saw, but it's been done many times with a hack saw. I see no reason to try to save the shroud and use the "remove the pin" method.

I'd be glad to talk you through it if you wanted, as I'd assume many others here would as well.

I did the pin removal method, and now I have a complete 16in barrel for sale on the equipment exchange. In my case I just didn't want to wait on the barrel after getting the stamp. I managed to time it so that my CMMG barrel arrived the day after my stamp did (had it arrived early I would have had someone else hold onto it for me until the stamp came) so I had my PS90 assembled the day after the stamp.

Also, yeah, its really really easy to remove the barrel and install a new one. You just need some wrenches.

Also, I didn't mean any offense toward the guide in the class three section here, I just mentioned the one on the FN forum because its PS90 specific and I found that helpful. Their barrel removal guide is also excellent.

How hard was it to get the pin out and what tools are necessary to get it out.  I don't currently have a drill press set up and wondered if it would be necessary

I would say a drill press or mill is a must if you want to make sure you dont booger up the hole.  I used a drill press and end mill bit and it was easy to get the pin out.  I had some serious trouble though unscrewing the factory shroud.  It would not budge no matter what I tried.  I ended up cutting it off and now I'm just waiting on my stamp approval so I can send the barrel to TROS and SBR it.

I researched a bunch before trying to drill the pin out.  I even sent an email to Mark at TROS for some advice.  Mark suggested that I just use a hacksaw...but I decided to try and drill and tap the pin out.  I did not have a drill press/end mill...all I had was a vice, drill bits and a cordless drill/driver.  Took me a few hours of mucking around and the freakin pin would still not come out.  Went to Home Depot and bought a nice hacksaw and it took me about 10 mins of setup and cutting to get the shroud and barrel off.  If I had to do it again and if I felt that the 16" barrel was important to keep at the factory length......I would find the right tools, drill press, and end mill...otherwise I'd save the time, effort, and aggravation and just hacksaw the barrel/shroud.

Well lets see....

$800 for the PS90 (muahaha!)
$188 for the barrel work plus two weeks time. TROSUSA
$200 for stamp and 3 months time
Lo pro mount for Aimpoint Pro from Tros - $325 for Aimpoint - mount $110
Spectre II Suppressor $300
$200 stamp for suppressor and 7 monthsish wait for stamp
Sling...dont remember
Shit load mags at $20 piece.
$800 for second PS90
Few more mags
Ammo
Holy
Shit
I
Spent
A
Lot
!
!
!

BUT, it sure sounds like you did it RIGHT!

I've already got an Octane 45 with the right fixed barrel adapter and also a Spectre II that I can use on my PS90, now I'm just trying to get a 10" barrel and adapter so I'll be ready when the form 1 gets approved.

It sure feels right when I shoot it!

[edited, see below post]

1.  Less than $2500.. Used PS90 $1100, P90 barrel sans flash hider, clone flash hider $60, SOT to put it together, $200 tax, trust was in place already $99.  I don't remember all of the costs.
2.  Less than a year.
3.  Bought PS90 to stamp returned was in the neighbor hood of 10-11 months.  The longest portion was the approval process - I think that ran 7-8 months at the time [2010].

Yeah, that's probably what it'll come to!

I'm planning to start this process in the next month or two.

Is there any reason for me not to just go ahead and put together the Trust/eForm right now, even if I'm not quite ready to do the literal SBR switch until around early March (budget reasons)?

Also, on the barrel cut/switch, why not just send the gun to TROS along with the CMMG P90 flash hider, and have them cut the barrel down and use the CMMG flash hider? Can they do that? CMMG's barrel is $300 and it looks like it's out of stock anyway.

Is there a walkthrough guide for the Trust purchasing process, or is that part too easy to warrant one? And who does the engraving on the gun?

A lot of these are probably dumb questions, but please bear with me.

I've already got an E-stamp for mine and no plans to complete the build for quite some time.

So, I'd say yeah it's worth it. Especially if you're going the trust route to avoid a CLEO sign off considering the 41P rule change that's allegedly coming in May.

Guide to filing via Eform can be found here; Visual Guide

I purchased my trust through 199trust.com for $79.00 and haven't run into any issues with getting approvals back yet. Three approvals, three pending.

Well I bought my Trust and set it up, and I plan to do the eForm 1 next weekend if possible. Any idea what the latest wait times are for e-filing?

And anyone know of someone in Missouri who can do the engraving? DCMoney do you mind sharing who engraved yours?

Any other tips for a soon-to-be SBR applicant?

I'm still bent on using the CMMG barrel so I'll have to wait until March for that to ship, but as long as I can figure out how to install it I'm not too worried.

Just over one month wait time.

I used the long bottom portion of a plastic coat hanger to swap out the barrels.

Well I submitted my first Form 1 on Friday. Many thanks BigWaylon for the visual guide.

Am I legally allowed to get the engraving done before the Form 1 is approved? I was under the impression that that was fine, but the local gun shop tried to convince me that it's illegal to do that.

And what if they reject the name of my Trust for some reason, and I've already had the engraving done? For the record, the Trust name I used was <My Last Name> NFA Trust.

Thankfully I also got in on CMMG's latest barrel/FH run, so I have that stored at a friend's house just waiting for the F1 to be approved.

Is there anything else I need to complete this? Any final tips on the barrel swap process?

This has been much easier than expected so far, and I'm hoping it stays that way. The hardest step was probably getting the Trust set up and notarized.

Anyone can get anything engraved on their guns at anytime so I don't see why getting yours engraved with your trust info is any different. You local gun guy is a dingus, nothing illegal about engraving a gun early for your trust.

Don't forget to buy the barrel adapter for your short barrel. You either will need an OEM style P90 flash hider/brake or you'll need the 1/2x28 threaded adapter if you're going to use a suppressor with it. Without one of those pieces you can't put the SBR together. Enjoy it. I'm still waiting on my stamp, been almost 30 days now so it ought to be anyday now.

Yeah I don't plan on using a suppressor in the near future.

The only CMMG parts I picked up were the barrel and flash hider. That should be all I need, correct?

That's correct, you're all set.