So I own a palmetto state armory PA-9 Colt style AR pistol with hybrid 7.5" upper (at the moment). I filed and submitted my Form 1 SBR paperwork last Friday, lets see if we've hit the peak of the NFA rush/approval bell curve yet?
When I got the pistol, the first mag jammed every round, didn't bug me honestly anything can be fixed and I know AR-9s are finicky. So after researching I learned about ejectors and how they ride within the bolt channel. I took a set of baby channel locks and gave it a lil umph torque inwards, and negligibly upwards, checked the bolt in and out it and it landed perfect in that upper left corner. I also handled bolt over travel with 2.00 in quarters so I could start on a fresh bolt catch. Travel beyond catch was around 1/4". Went back to the range 200 rounds later zero issues, BHO worked everytime on 3 different metal form mags, had a great time.
After adjusting the ejector I started thinking about metal fatigue, hardened metal etc, checked my ejector and saw no contact marks within bolt channel and slight expected polishing on actual ejector face (SWEET!) I'm an infantryman and am well aware that anything can break and at some point will if you ride it hard so I decided to try and contact PSA to purchase a few extra bolt catches and ejectors. Surprised to find out they weren't willing to sell me individual small parts but did warranty their work and if something broke I could send it in. Ok fine good enough for me. The ejectors are roll pinned in (with real roll pins) and honestly look like a dead swap for CMMG MK9 ejectors. My cheap ass needs to buy a CMMG ejector for 11.00 and just check but I'm kinda waiting to see how long she holds. More range trips and now I'm sitting at 500+ still no malfunctions no noticeable further wear, so still super pleased. It's become a favorite.
Having had so much fun and realizing that the thing literally is a 25-50 yard tack driver I got the NFA bug and decided it needed a 4" bbl, PDW stock and of course gotta purchase a cheap dedicated 9mm can to "permanently" dedicate to the 4" bbl so I got a HTA guardian 9. 7" with fixed mount, to dedicate, bringing me up to a total OAL of 10.5" barrel and muzzle device under 9" of rail.
I know very much the complaints about HTA, the sometimes questionable customer service, and the aluminum baffle stack replacement to steel wait times etc BUT ....I'm an employee at a store with an HTA already priced very competitively with an employee discount. I don't own a threaded 9 pistol (although it comes with 1/2x28 booster) and litterally am gonna torque it down on a 4" AR 9 work horse. Extra plus it disassembles from the muzzle end and mounting end so I have no need to remove it unless the worst happens. I figured it suited that need completely and honestly with the Overall price I couldn't say no. It'll bring the weapon up to a total bbl length of 10.5 which is a great size all around on ar platforms in my mind, kinda "integrally suppressed" look too.
I dropped the completed new ( photos,fingerprints,Cleo notification) form 1 and check in the mail for the SBR, then popped at my work with employee discount for a guardian 9, called HTA expecting terrible service, received a nice gentleman named Aaron who easily ordered me a fixed 1/2x36 mounting cap, expected delayed shipping, shipped in less than 24 hours, awesome, and now I'm filing a form 4 and ready run this thing at our store range while awaiting approval (can I get a prayer for a demo-letter!?)
So what's the warranty part? Well I realized after ; 200.00 stamp, PDW Stock treefiddy, 4" bbl 100.00, 9" Troy rail 150.00, mounting cap fiddy, HTA G9 <200.00...A bit under 1000 in a PSA 9 colt style lower, to a company who doesn't sell individual parts to customers (at least not to me), and while this gun has been utterly reliable post ejector-Mod, I always like having spare parts, and in abundance preferred. So I called PSA and while they don't like selling individual small parts to customers they are more than welcome to provide warranty work but wasn't sure if they'd warranty an engraved registered SBR lower with a few upgrades. The kind young lady on the phone went told me she didn't think so but wasn't sure because of "engraving" and wanted to double check. I told her it was just my name and city and state but sure check anyways. She returned telling me as long as I send in a copy of my tax stamp and proof of ownership they'd be willing to do any warranty work, to include a broken ejector, no problem. Not sure if this is considered regular or industry standard for companies and their products that have been registered as NFA items seeing as I've never had to mail back a manufacturered form 1 receiver for repair?
A so far in my book though. They lose the + because they won't sell me parts, and I haven't HAD to put their warranty team to the test yet but if I ever do, especially when Form 1 is approved, I'll report back on their performance.
But.....it sure does look like a CMMG MK9 ejector......that'd be such an easier route....
Will also report back after if I do break ejector and attempt to replace with MK9 ejector
A form 1 baby being conceived
HTA Guardian 9
(Picture from Copper Custom Armament)
That's with booster. It's long AF by today's standards.
Without the booster and with a fixed mount it's sitting at 7"
(Picture from The Truth About Guns)
Ejector on my PA-9
CMMG MK9 Ejector (11.00)
When I got the pistol, the first mag jammed every round, didn't bug me honestly anything can be fixed and I know AR-9s are finicky. So after researching I learned about ejectors and how they ride within the bolt channel. I took a set of baby channel locks and gave it a lil umph torque inwards, and negligibly upwards, checked the bolt in and out it and it landed perfect in that upper left corner. I also handled bolt over travel with 2.00 in quarters so I could start on a fresh bolt catch. Travel beyond catch was around 1/4". Went back to the range 200 rounds later zero issues, BHO worked everytime on 3 different metal form mags, had a great time.
After adjusting the ejector I started thinking about metal fatigue, hardened metal etc, checked my ejector and saw no contact marks within bolt channel and slight expected polishing on actual ejector face (SWEET!) I'm an infantryman and am well aware that anything can break and at some point will if you ride it hard so I decided to try and contact PSA to purchase a few extra bolt catches and ejectors. Surprised to find out they weren't willing to sell me individual small parts but did warranty their work and if something broke I could send it in. Ok fine good enough for me. The ejectors are roll pinned in (with real roll pins) and honestly look like a dead swap for CMMG MK9 ejectors. My cheap ass needs to buy a CMMG ejector for 11.00 and just check but I'm kinda waiting to see how long she holds. More range trips and now I'm sitting at 500+ still no malfunctions no noticeable further wear, so still super pleased. It's become a favorite.
Having had so much fun and realizing that the thing literally is a 25-50 yard tack driver I got the NFA bug and decided it needed a 4" bbl, PDW stock and of course gotta purchase a cheap dedicated 9mm can to "permanently" dedicate to the 4" bbl so I got a HTA guardian 9. 7" with fixed mount, to dedicate, bringing me up to a total OAL of 10.5" barrel and muzzle device under 9" of rail.
I know very much the complaints about HTA, the sometimes questionable customer service, and the aluminum baffle stack replacement to steel wait times etc BUT ....I'm an employee at a store with an HTA already priced very competitively with an employee discount. I don't own a threaded 9 pistol (although it comes with 1/2x28 booster) and litterally am gonna torque it down on a 4" AR 9 work horse. Extra plus it disassembles from the muzzle end and mounting end so I have no need to remove it unless the worst happens. I figured it suited that need completely and honestly with the Overall price I couldn't say no. It'll bring the weapon up to a total bbl length of 10.5 which is a great size all around on ar platforms in my mind, kinda "integrally suppressed" look too.
I dropped the completed new ( photos,fingerprints,Cleo notification) form 1 and check in the mail for the SBR, then popped at my work with employee discount for a guardian 9, called HTA expecting terrible service, received a nice gentleman named Aaron who easily ordered me a fixed 1/2x36 mounting cap, expected delayed shipping, shipped in less than 24 hours, awesome, and now I'm filing a form 4 and ready run this thing at our store range while awaiting approval (can I get a prayer for a demo-letter!?)
So what's the warranty part? Well I realized after ; 200.00 stamp, PDW Stock treefiddy, 4" bbl 100.00, 9" Troy rail 150.00, mounting cap fiddy, HTA G9 <200.00...A bit under 1000 in a PSA 9 colt style lower, to a company who doesn't sell individual parts to customers (at least not to me), and while this gun has been utterly reliable post ejector-Mod, I always like having spare parts, and in abundance preferred. So I called PSA and while they don't like selling individual small parts to customers they are more than welcome to provide warranty work but wasn't sure if they'd warranty an engraved registered SBR lower with a few upgrades. The kind young lady on the phone went told me she didn't think so but wasn't sure because of "engraving" and wanted to double check. I told her it was just my name and city and state but sure check anyways. She returned telling me as long as I send in a copy of my tax stamp and proof of ownership they'd be willing to do any warranty work, to include a broken ejector, no problem. Not sure if this is considered regular or industry standard for companies and their products that have been registered as NFA items seeing as I've never had to mail back a manufacturered form 1 receiver for repair?
A so far in my book though. They lose the + because they won't sell me parts, and I haven't HAD to put their warranty team to the test yet but if I ever do, especially when Form 1 is approved, I'll report back on their performance.
But.....it sure does look like a CMMG MK9 ejector......that'd be such an easier route....
Will also report back after if I do break ejector and attempt to replace with MK9 ejector
A form 1 baby being conceived
HTA Guardian 9
(Picture from Copper Custom Armament)
That's with booster. It's long AF by today's standards.
Without the booster and with a fixed mount it's sitting at 7"
(Picture from The Truth About Guns)
Ejector on my PA-9
CMMG MK9 Ejector (11.00)
