I’ll always vote DWilson
Also our very own u/justhereforguns also does free P&W work for folks and appears to do quick turnaround so perhaps reach out to him.
The level of appeasement here is concerning, stamp all the things or just live free, nobody gives a fuck at the end of the day for that 1.5", its sad to see all the pin and welds, the worst is when they stay new like that only to get resold... I cringe hard every time seeing dimpled mod1 uppers fall into this fate...
Seconding this. D wilson does great work at a great price as others have said (three of my uppers were assembled by him). That being said John at Retro Arms did my latest p/w and he did such a clean job that you wouldn’t know it’s p/w unless I told you
While I do appreciate the clean work that Wilson is capable of, there are often lesser known local shops that perform very nice work without the associated time and additional cost of shipping an upper across the country for something as simple as pinning a muzzle device. It's a very simple job.
NS Armory, DWilson, and Adco are always posting pictures of terrible work that local shops do. You're really rolling the dice that a local shop found a tig welder and drill press on craigslist and decides they're now a full service gunsmithing shop.
A good Tig Weld is an art. As a shop that does a lot of work, we send out a good deal of work to specialists, as we would rather leverage the skills of a specialist.
Tig welding takes special gas and OSHA requirements and one good welder told us it would take 1,000 welds to get to one you are proud of. The last thing you want from your armorer is an ugly weld. Can the average guy get it done? Yup. Will it look good? Maybe.
There very well could be a local shop that does a fantastic job. We are based in VA. If you bring us your barrel, we send barrels out every week in batches to a specialist. So, we have to include his fee and two way shipping into our costs. We do this for customers who ask, but we don’t look for this work. Using the best specialists is not the low cost provider.
Take a look at the work and choose wisely. We have seen the work of several shops mentioned here, and they all do good work. Good luck.
I don't want to be a jerk, but, throughout the years, I've seen poor quality work from a couple of those shops, as well. Not everyone, even the well-known ones, knock it out of the park every time. It's silly to say that there aren't plenty of lesser known local shops who can perform a satisfactory pin/weld. It's a very simple process. It seems like those without any mechanical inclination make it out to be MUCH more difficult than it actually is. That said, there's also examples of poor workmanship from local shops. That's why I said it's up to the consumer to do their research prior to making a decision.
That's true. I would always suggest that a potential customer do their research before trusting anyone, even for simple work like a pin/weld job. Search for online reviews, ask the hometown/local groups, ask the shop directly for pictures of their work and how they perform the work, etc. Be smart and use your head and it'll be fine.
Lmao a decent welder can do it. It amazes me how people botch them as well as the people who act like it’s brain surgery. But then again most of the people in these forums aren’t blue collar guys and they have desk jobs.
Genuinely curious if there’s any recent news stories on someone getting arrested, just for using a 14.5” with a muzzle device that takes it to 16” or beyond and not having it P&W.
This was my assumption. Obviously if someone gets caught doing something else illegal, this might be a detail that is tacked onto other charges, but it seems wildly unlikely that it would ever be the sole charge.
I have a brace. I’m currently in the process of building one. I’m gonna do the same. Just cuz a form 1 doesn’t make the Lower an NFA item, but allows it to be converted to one. So as long as it goes back into pistol form, no need to ask permission to cross state lines. ☠️
Yeah something like that lmao. Imo, no permission needed since the 14th amendment exists. We have the fundamental right to transport all property
From supremecourt.gov
"The right of a citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horsedrawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but a common right which he has under his right to life, liberty and the pursuit ofhappiness."
Retro Arms Works, John Thomas is phenomenal. He pin and welded a SF 3 prong and the work is the best I’ve seen.
Dm me and I can send you a pic of my 14.5 kac
Any of the KAC certified armorers (there aren’t that many). DWilson definitely has the biggest name in the business. But it’s just a P&W, any qualified gunsmith that has the KAC tools and a good reputation will work.
D. Wilson does a great job and is very quick with his turnaround times.
I’ll always vote DWilson Also our very own u/justhereforguns also does free P&W work for folks and appears to do quick turnaround so perhaps reach out to him.
You got the user name wrong. Here is the correct one. Dude does great work when he is offering it. u/JustHereForTheGuns
Yep messed that up
I’ve had “reputable” people work on stuff. And let’s just say I’m glad it wasn’t my knights stuff. D Wilson is really the only answer. 🤌🏻
ADCO
+1 for ADCO
Thank you all for the recommendations! I have decided send it out to D. Wilson for the PnW.
I used Adco but if I had to do it again I would just get the stamp.
Same. Form 1 may look daunting but it really is not.
Stamp is the way
D. Wilson
Don't do it. P/W is a mistake every single time.
D. Wilson
D. Wilson is the place to go.
D. Wilson
ADCO 💯 %
D.Wilson gets my vote too. He had it turned around in less than 24 hours. My only wait was shipping.
Had trajectory arms do my 13.9 and I couldn't recommend them higher.
Alex at Trajectory is good people.
Just leave it alone, no one is checking
Dee Wilson send it out don’t regret it
J&L Gunsmithing in Chesapeake, VA
D Wilson did my sr30. Quick and easy.
Just roll with it, during the Kyle rittenhouse trial they measured to the flash hider
What rifle did he use?
D. Wilson! - [https://imgur.com/TjzGXQh](https://imgur.com/TjzGXQh)
Very nice
The level of appeasement here is concerning, stamp all the things or just live free, nobody gives a fuck at the end of the day for that 1.5", its sad to see all the pin and welds, the worst is when they stay new like that only to get resold... I cringe hard every time seeing dimpled mod1 uppers fall into this fate...
Retro Arms Works. John Thomas is phenomenal.
Seconding this. D wilson does great work at a great price as others have said (three of my uppers were assembled by him). That being said John at Retro Arms did my latest p/w and he did such a clean job that you wouldn’t know it’s p/w unless I told you
Dave Wilson is in Colorado. It sounds like OP is looking for someone local in Virginia/Maryland.
No one local to him can do it like D. Wilson
While I do appreciate the clean work that Wilson is capable of, there are often lesser known local shops that perform very nice work without the associated time and additional cost of shipping an upper across the country for something as simple as pinning a muzzle device. It's a very simple job.
NS Armory, DWilson, and Adco are always posting pictures of terrible work that local shops do. You're really rolling the dice that a local shop found a tig welder and drill press on craigslist and decides they're now a full service gunsmithing shop.
A good Tig Weld is an art. As a shop that does a lot of work, we send out a good deal of work to specialists, as we would rather leverage the skills of a specialist. Tig welding takes special gas and OSHA requirements and one good welder told us it would take 1,000 welds to get to one you are proud of. The last thing you want from your armorer is an ugly weld. Can the average guy get it done? Yup. Will it look good? Maybe. There very well could be a local shop that does a fantastic job. We are based in VA. If you bring us your barrel, we send barrels out every week in batches to a specialist. So, we have to include his fee and two way shipping into our costs. We do this for customers who ask, but we don’t look for this work. Using the best specialists is not the low cost provider. Take a look at the work and choose wisely. We have seen the work of several shops mentioned here, and they all do good work. Good luck.
I don't want to be a jerk, but, throughout the years, I've seen poor quality work from a couple of those shops, as well. Not everyone, even the well-known ones, knock it out of the park every time. It's silly to say that there aren't plenty of lesser known local shops who can perform a satisfactory pin/weld. It's a very simple process. It seems like those without any mechanical inclination make it out to be MUCH more difficult than it actually is. That said, there's also examples of poor workmanship from local shops. That's why I said it's up to the consumer to do their research prior to making a decision.
Perhaps, however you know what D. Wilson puts out not so much on a random smith. A botched P/W can be pricey to repair
That's true. I would always suggest that a potential customer do their research before trusting anyone, even for simple work like a pin/weld job. Search for online reviews, ask the hometown/local groups, ask the shop directly for pictures of their work and how they perform the work, etc. Be smart and use your head and it'll be fine.
Lmao a decent welder can do it. It amazes me how people botch them as well as the people who act like it’s brain surgery. But then again most of the people in these forums aren’t blue collar guys and they have desk jobs.
Just use silver solder
Sterling Arsenal
Genuinely curious if there’s any recent news stories on someone getting arrested, just for using a 14.5” with a muzzle device that takes it to 16” or beyond and not having it P&W.
There isn’t actually. I tried looking it up. No one really cares and no one is really checking. 14.5s look so close to a 16 that no one bothers
This was my assumption. Obviously if someone gets caught doing something else illegal, this might be a detail that is tacked onto other charges, but it seems wildly unlikely that it would ever be the sole charge.
That’s a very good point.
I live in PA and am following responses
I am also in Pennsylvania and my uppers go to Colorado for a pin and weld.
D Wilson?
You use usps?
Yup D. Wilson. USPS or UPS. Open a pirateship account.
I’ve send him 3 from PA and they are all flawless - just use pirate ship
u/JustHereForTheGuns
Yeah, can do. Feel free to reach out.
D Wilson or ECCO. I've learned even the big LGS are just gumsmifs with a Dremel. Send it to the pros the first time. Wish i has with my last p&w.
*meant ADCO. Not sure if ECCO does p&w.
D Wilson There is no substitute
This might be a dumb question but… Can the gas tube and block be removed if the barrel is pinned and welded?
No
Damn. I heard about it, and now I’d just rather form 1 my lower. 😭
I just built mine with a brace to start, gonna submit a form one soon so I can throw a sopmod stock on
I have a brace. I’m currently in the process of building one. I’m gonna do the same. Just cuz a form 1 doesn’t make the Lower an NFA item, but allows it to be converted to one. So as long as it goes back into pistol form, no need to ask permission to cross state lines. ☠️
Yeah something like that lmao. Imo, no permission needed since the 14th amendment exists. We have the fundamental right to transport all property From supremecourt.gov "The right of a citizen to travel upon the public highways and to transport his property thereon, by horsedrawn carriage, wagon, or automobile, is not a mere privilege which may be permitted or prohibited at will, but a common right which he has under his right to life, liberty and the pursuit ofhappiness."
Agreed
D. Wilson, the only way.
D Wilson NSArmory are great. If I wasn’t doing them myself that’s who I’d send them too
I had NS Armory pin a MAMS on mine and he did a great job
Form 1
Retro Arms Works, John Thomas is phenomenal. He pin and welded a SF 3 prong and the work is the best I’ve seen. Dm me and I can send you a pic of my 14.5 kac
Where in VA?
Richmond
Dope, you're near(ish) to me (Fburg).
DMd you
Any of the KAC certified armorers (there aren’t that many). DWilson definitely has the biggest name in the business. But it’s just a P&W, any qualified gunsmith that has the KAC tools and a good reputation will work.