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Posted: 5/22/2014 3:45:10 PM EDT
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LGS is going to charge me $80 dollars to engrave 20 letters...that seems a bit high. What are my other options to get my engraving done? Jewelry store? Hammer and chisel?
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Dremel.
It's not going to affect accuracy, who cares what it looks like? 
All kinds of options. Local trophy shops, gift shops, CNC engravers...plus all kinds of options if you're willing to mail it off. I've had 6 done in the last 9 months, and paid anywhere from $0 to $45. |
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Be careful where you take it. I took mine to a place that has supposedly done engravings for other shops. He engraved two lowers for me, and the engraving didn't even break through the anodizing. So now for them to be legal, I have to send them out and have them done again. Just gonna go with Orion and be done with it. I tried to not have to send them out, and now I have to anyways. Just my $.02.
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Front of the magwell
Under trigger guard Over trigger pins Well...that's where a quality engraver could do it. No idea what limitations local trophy shop will have. The one I tried wasn't very good. You can see some examples here. |
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Quoted: Front of the magwell Under trigger guard Over trigger pins Well...that's where a quality engraver could do it. No idea what limitations local trophy shop will have. The one I tried wasn't very good. You can see some examples here. |
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If I used Ident, would I legally have to ship via FFL? The website claims that "Engraving is considered a repair. Repaired items do not need to be shipped through an FFL. They can be shipped directly to Ident Marking and we can send your receiver directly back to you. If a receiver comes from an FFL then it will have to be shipped back to an FFL." You answered your own question by quoting their website. Ship it to them, they'll ship it back. I used Ident for one of mine. Very nice job. However, I think you can get it done equal in quality, but MUCH faster and a little less expensive from other places. |
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Here's a thread with some Engraving Examples, including cost and turnaround time.
If I had to do one today, it would go to Gray Laser or user CS223. |
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Here is what a local engraving shop did for me, they do trophys, plaques etc...He was limited on how he could clamp it down so no exotic places but round the trigger/hammer pins and magwell were options. Just curious...why'd you have the 5.56 engraved? (I have a theory...just wanted to hear it from you). |
| Things remembered in the mall did one of mine. Ask for the third setting in depth and the small needle. Tell them to do it on the first depth setting. then the third to prevent chipping. It will do it just fine. Have a bottle of Aluma black with you, and degrease and apply immediately. |
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Quoted:
Thongs remembered in the mall did one of mine. Ask for the third setting in depth and the small needle. Tell them to do it on the first depth setting. then the third to prevent chipping. It will do it just fine. Have a bottle of Aluma black with you, and degrease and apply immediately. They did a horrible job on mine. Wasn't straight, and chipped to the point AB wouldn't reblacken all of it. I think I read on here what needle to tell them to use, but it definitely wasn't a two pass combo job like you mention. |
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They did a horrible job on mine. Wasn't straight, and chipped to the point AB wouldn't reblacken all of it. I think I read on here what needle to tell them to use, but it definitely wasn't a two pass combo job like you mention. Quoted:
Quoted:
Thongs remembered in the mall did one of mine. Ask for the third setting in depth and the small needle. Tell them to do it on the first depth setting. then the third to prevent chipping. It will do it just fine. Have a bottle of Aluma black with you, and degrease and apply immediately. They did a horrible job on mine. Wasn't straight, and chipped to the point AB wouldn't reblacken all of it. I think I read on here what needle to tell them to use, but it definitely wasn't a two pass combo job like you mention. yeah the two pass is the big thing. THe number 1 setting in depth will only do the anodized section. Its very shallow and make sure they use lots of the cutting oil they have on hand at this point. After that i usually have the lady at mine do the 2nd setting, then the 3rd depth setting. With each setting being a little over 1 thousandth. by the end of it, you'll have no chipping. Just make sure you're there with them when they do it, and have them run the "tape test" on it, to check how straight it is. Should work out to under $20 and look great. edited to add For the tape test, they will actually put a piece of clear tape on the section and then run the engraver on less than the first setting. This will show what the end engraving will look like. Study it well and make all changes. First time we did one at mine, we went through 5 pieces of tape to get it right, and then proceeded from there. |
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Hopefully that helps others...good info.
If you don't follow those directions, you end up with this: 
The flecks you see are spots where it didn't reblacken. And you can see it slopes slightly downward as you love left-to-right. The saving grace is neither the accuracy of the firearm or the legality of the engraving is affected.
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Quoted:
Just curious...why'd you have the 5.56 engraved? (I have a theory...just wanted to hear it from you). Quoted:
Quoted:
Here is what a local engraving shop did for me, they do trophys, plaques etc...He was limited on how he could clamp it down so no exotic places but round the trigger/hammer pins and magwell were options. Just curious...why'd you have the 5.56 engraved? (I have a theory...just wanted to hear it from you). PSA lower is marked "Multi" not 223 or 556... |
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PSA lower is marked "Multi" not 223 or 556... That's what I figured. Somebody gave you some bad info. Multi is not OK in a Form 1, but perfectly ok in the lower...as there's a 99.9% chance your barrel has the caliber engraved. Four of my six say mutli. No biggie...won't hurt anything. Just wasn't necessary. |
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That's what I figured. Somebody gave you some bad info. Multi is not OK in a Form 1, but perfectly ok in the lower...as there's a 99.9% chance your barrel has the caliber engraved. Four of my six say mutli. No biggie...won't hurt anything. Just wasn't necessary. Quoted:
Quoted:
PSA lower is marked "Multi" not 223 or 556... That's what I figured. Somebody gave you some bad info. Multi is not OK in a Form 1, but perfectly ok in the lower...as there's a 99.9% chance your barrel has the caliber engraved. Four of my six say mutli. No biggie...won't hurt anything. Just wasn't necessary. Yup, barrel does say 556 on it but will be covered by rail, I figured in this climate better to be doubly safe but I agree with your conclusion that it was not "necessary". |
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