Evening, so I'm about to be in the market for a Bushmaster ACR. Thing is I would want it in NR and I would rather not go for the "DMR". Would it be something I could go to a gunsmith and add a permenant 2-3 extra inch barrel piece to the barrel?
Bushmaster ACR
- Thread starter Bodogh
- Start date
You'll have to get a new barrel and have a gunsmith use the ratchet system off the restricted barrel or order new ratchet components. There are a few on the EE with this already done, cheaper then getting the work done yourself I'm sure.
Adding to the existing barrel will not work, that is a US thing.
Adding to the existing barrel will not work, that is a US thing.
As Kratos said. Dlask is probably the cheapest option for barrel swap, Herron is probably the best option. Herron can do a barrel with a built-in brake or flash hider, to reduce the overall length to just the legal minimum, which is nice if you don't mind spending the money. Factory Bushmaster replacement barrels are also now available for just under $1K
Go on the EE and if it's under $4000 and already converted to NR it's a pretty fair price. I personally wouldn't pay more than $3500 though, you can buy a used restricted model for $2200-$2500 then it's $500-$1000 more to convert depending which route you go. Keep in mind that the cheap barrel options are chromolly rack grade barrels and the $1000 conversions are stainless match grade barrels so there actually is a difference in what you end up with if you spend more.
Last time I looked there was one for $3800 with the NR barrel but it had not been verified and actually made NR yet, this is easy to get done if you have access to a certified firearms verifier who will help with the paperwork but just know that it is still restricted until that is done. It will probably cost you an hour of his time so budget for that as well.
Don't worry about having to take the gas system and retention system off the restricted length barrel, you can't legally switch back to the short barrel without registering it as restricted anyway. Unfortunately even though the barrel is almost identical to an AR barrel the gas port is too small so it can't be used on an AR without modifying it making resale almost non existent. I opened up the gas port on my old barrel and put it in an AR and it works very well.
Last time I looked there was one for $3800 with the NR barrel but it had not been verified and actually made NR yet, this is easy to get done if you have access to a certified firearms verifier who will help with the paperwork but just know that it is still restricted until that is done. It will probably cost you an hour of his time so budget for that as well.
Don't worry about having to take the gas system and retention system off the restricted length barrel, you can't legally switch back to the short barrel without registering it as restricted anyway. Unfortunately even though the barrel is almost identical to an AR barrel the gas port is too small so it can't be used on an AR without modifying it making resale almost non existent. I opened up the gas port on my old barrel and put it in an AR and it works very well.
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I'd have to measure it, I just went through my bits and kept trying a bigger one till it wouldn't drop through the hole then made it that big. It's very hard drilling through the nitriding, as I was breaking through to the bore I think I broke 4 bits. There are specs for the port available breaking down the port size for barrel length and gas system length, not sure where I saw that though.
A little google-fu
http://www.tacticalmachining.com/learn/ar-style-rifles/ar-15-gas-port-sizes.html
