Giving Veritas Machining, LLC a go for my SBR engraving. Having it done on the inside lip of the magazine well opening. $40.00 plus return shipping, not bad and Vet owned.
I was just wondering while I wait if anyone else has had them engrave inside their mag well?

Sent off a lower Saturday, it arrived today. I contacted them previously and was told they are running under a week for NFA engraving.
They pre-approve the engraving with you before doing it, which is nice.
Once I have it back I'll post pic's of their work.
Here's a link to their NFA engraving page:  http://www.veritasmachiningllc.com/#!nfaweapons/c1pl3

Phil did a great job on my stuff. Super fast turn-around time of 7 days.

Never seen that engraving location before but I dig that. That's a nice advantage for a lower with a flared magwell.

They can do it on standard mag wells also. I sent Phil a Aero Precision lower.
I think I'm actually more excited for the engraving than getting my e-filed form one approved.

Nice
I actually hand engraved an older used Bushmaster lower in the same place.
Then I found out about Veritas engraving inside the mag well.

So, I got the proof from Phil at Veritas. Unfortunately the inner ledge of the mag well is just to narrow for the engraving.
So he proposed moving it to the bottom edge of the mag well opening. I'm not to picky, I just prefer anywhere other than the sides of the receiver or the front of the mag well.
Here is the approved proof. He should be running it anytime.

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Just dropped a lower in the mail to Veritas today.  I will post pics next week.
My first F1...whoo!!

The serial number is the only thing that has a height requirement. Other information (name, city &state) has no height requirement, only depth.

Damn, that was fast! My lower is already done and packed for return shipping!
$48.44 for engraving and USPS Priority shipping. I should see it Thursday.
Now if only the ATF could process forms that fast.
The nice part is that Phil accepts credit card or PayPal for payment. Really convenient.
Took 2 hours and 16 minutes from initial proof email to finished email with tracking info. I had one minor change in the trust name due to spacing so it would match the legal spelling.
Guess I just picked a really good time to send Phil my lower.

Ok - looks like I'll be giving Veritas some business on a SBR build.

How did you guys ship your lower to them? UPS, Fedex? Overnight?

Thanks for the info,
Bob S.

I think I'm going to give them a try when I do my next Form 1. As far as shipping goes I usually just do a small flat rate box from USPS when shipping lowers.

Unfortunately, a fact many business and customers aren't aware of.

All the markings have a minimum depth requirement of .003". The serial number is the only marking that has the minimum of 1/16" height requirement.

I ship USPS 2 Day Priority and insured for total replacement cost includung the pending stamp.
Veritas ships 2 Day Priority for the return.

I agree, most people aren't aware of this. I personally am not to concerned with the specs.
As long as it is not on the sides or the front of my receiver, I can live with it.

In for pictures of results, I'm debating whether to go w/ CS223 or Veritas. I like that they can engrave on the lip.

I sent off an e-mail to them with the excerpt from the ATF Reference Guide where it defines the requirements, so we'll see what they say. I've got an 18 character trust name along with a 12 character city and state, plus I need to mark the caliber on one of my receivers so I will need all the room that I can get!

The reality is you're the customer. They should offer/recommend you a service, but it's your firearm and your responsibility to meet the law. If you wanted yours engraved 1/32" tall, and .002" deep, you should be able to request that. For all they know you're engraving your info on all your firearms, whether NFA or not.

Just sent a lower off to Phil yesterday, lots of positive comments about his company on the Michigan Gun Owners forum.

Any idea what font that is that he uses?  Looks pretty sharp.
CHRIS

Got this message back after asking about the font size. Hats off to them to making sure their work is on the up and up as well as being willing to look into it a little deeper in order to provide a more customized service to their customer.

Brandon,

   I have a call in to to ATF on this matter.  I have also looked up this regulation and I would agree with you analysis.  It is not as clearly stated as it should be.  I just want to make sure that we have you covered legally on the requirements mandated by the ATF.

   Thanks again and I will be back in touch soon.

Sincerely,

Phil

Phil Mumaw, President

ETA - Follow up

Brandon,

   My agent has replied to my question and you are absolutely correct.  I can make your engraving any height that you want.

   Please let me know if you would like to proceed.  Thanks

Well here it is, received it yesterday. I'm really happy with it.
When you think about it, it is really out of sight and out of mind; unless you are looking into the magazine well.
Phil will get my future lowers for engraving.
Picture could be better, a lot of lint showed.

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So they also reblacken the engraving?

Yeppers

Looks awesome!

I used veritas this past fall to get two lowers engraved.  Before sending my lowers, I called the shop and talked directly with Phil.   He explained the different areas that he can engrave the receiver.  He told me that some of them don't require that the lower be stripped.  I got my two receivers engraved on the mag release side, just above the FCG.  This required that the lower be stripped except for the trigger guard and buffer tube, I think.   The engraving is very well done and definitely deep enough.   It's kind of a times new roman font, which is slightly different than the other engraving.   It doesn't bother me at all because I don't even notice it.

Phil also had several options for blackening the engraving.   He could leave it as is, which would be raw aluminum.    He could blacken it at no charge with aluminum black.   Or he could send it out to a local company to re-anodize the lower.   I could be wrong, but I think the last option was about $75.  I just had him blacken it for free and it looks great.  

Veritas is only about an hour drive from my place.  Phil said I could set up a time, come in to the shop and he could have the engraving done while I waited.   For two lowers, it would take no more than an hour.   I could also ship them in.  He's an FFL, so receiving firearms is not an issue.   He just requested a copy of my drivers license be sent in the package.  I decided just to ship it to him because I wasn't in a rush to have it done, and the cost of shipping would be about the same as the cost of fuel.  

I sent it USPS in a small flat rate box with tracking.  According to the tracking, it arrived around noon.  Within an hour or so, he emailed me a "proof", which was just a photo with my engraving superimposed on several different areas.    I emailed him back right away with which one I wanted.   Within 2 or 3 hours of him receiving the lowers, he emailed me that they were complete and he would ship them as soon as he received payment.  I payed with credit card over the phone.   The total was $90.08 for the engraving on two receivers and return shipping.  He shipped them back that same day.   I think my receivers were in his shop about 6 hours total.  I sent them out on a Saturday and I got them back the next Saturday.

This was a very long post just to say that I would definitely use veritas again.  A great experience and no complaints whatsoever.

Maybe I'm just blind and missing it, but I do not see anything on their website to place and order for the engraving?  Do I just need to call them to place an order?  Thank you in advance

Shoot Phil an email to let him know you are shipping it to him. He requires a copy of your drivers license when you ship the lower to him for his ffl record requirements.
I just wrote the trust info on my copy of my DL with my contact info.
I shipped then emailed him a heads up with the tracking number.

Great appreciate the information! Will be doing this tomorrow.

I just sent my lower to them around three weeks ago.  Comms were excellent and turn around time was around a week. Will definitely use them again.

Phil turned my lower around in a couple of days.  Very nice work under the trigger guard and excellent communication.  He sent an email to tell me he received it, sent a proof photo and then sent a completed email. $48 including return shipping.
Once I photoshopped out the private information, there was nothing left to show you all

Got my lower back from Phil the other day. Very happy with the work and communications, top notch on both points.

Glad I saw this thread! I was kind of annoyed at the need to engrave my name on the two lowers that have Form 1s pending. The magwell flare engraving idea is awesome. Email sent to Veritas.

Shipped on a Friday, received on the next Friday. Happy customer

It's already in writing...the statutes themselves.

And then ATF Ruling 2013-3 includes this nugget:

Title 27 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 478.92(a)(1) and 479.102(a) further require the licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or maker of a firearm to legibly identify each firearm manufactured, imported, or made by engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise conspicuously placing the individual serial number on the frame or receiver, and certain additional information - the model (if designated), caliber/gauge, manufacturer/importer’s name, and place of origin - on the frame, receiver, or barrel. Both regulations require the serial number to be at a minimum depth and print size, and the additional information to be at a minimum depth.

Another A+ for Phil. Two receivers done on the mag. well turn around time a week plus he is a veteran.

+100 super fast turn around time, GREAT customer service, cheap , quality second to none , what else could you ask for?

Any concerns here about the magwell lip being obscured by a magazine inserted in the magwell?

Wes

Yes.

But the counter argument has always been "would you hand an ATF agent a loaded rifle?"

Are there concerns on a regular lower being obscured by a magwell grip?

I wouldn't hand any stranger a rifle with a mag in it anyway, so I'm not concerned.

Ok, for all the "I wouldn't hand the ATF a loaded gun" I give you:
Display stands

Maintenance

Empty mag locks the bolt back and the shooter lays the gun on a bench


OR some ATF agent perhaps simply looks at it and says..."Gee...when a magazine is inserted it's going to obscure that marking."

If it's not a concern because someone has it in writing from the ATF, please share.

Wes

Is it in writing that it's not? I'm never writing a letter to the atf, look at what that has gotten us in the past year

You have to flip a rifle upside down to see it inside the trigger guard, I think my flare is big enough to probably see even with a mag in if you also turn it upside down. It's being cerakoted so I can't check.

Me either which is why I'm asking if someone already has.  The underside of the lower, by the trigger opening, seems like an out of view location that wouldn't be as easily construed as an obscurable/blocked area as the inside of the mag well lip.  I'd prefer the mag well lip marking myself but I'm thinking I'll avoid it if there hasn't been some documentation generated saying it's an acceptable location for the marking.  In the event that it's not in writing already, party on if you are comfortable with it.  I'm not going to write to ask, but if some one has and got the OK, please share.

Wes

I think the purpose of the engraving is to identify the manufacture's name and location. As long as it's readly visible without removing parts I think you would be GTG. Plus what are the chances an ATF agent is ever going to ask to see it anyway.

Tarheel State Firearms did mine underside the lower inside the trigger area and I'm happy with it.