First AR Build

BubbaDX · Post by **BubbaDX** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:12 pm

I've been wanting to do it for a while, and today seemed like as good a day to get started as any. PSA was running a clearance sale on a complete AR build kit minus the stripped lower receiver. The price was too good to pass up so I ordered one and a blemished receiver. It probably cost me a couple dollars more because I did it in 2 orders so I could have the non FFL parts delivered directly to my door. The receiver is going to my FFL. I know there are folks on the board that have done this and many are probably old hacks at putting these together. Any special tools I should order now while I wait for my box of parts to be delivered?

RazorBurn · Post by **RazorBurn** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 9:24 pm

Congrats on the new build. I have three sets of tools I find indispensable when building an AR. First a good set of roll pin punches. I have the Grace set of 7. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 38883.aspx

Second, a rear pivot pin tool. Hands down the best six bucks I've ever spent. I have the Wheeler pivot pin tool. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/919925 ... r-15-steel

Third, a good quality castle nut tool. I'm partial to the Magpul armorers tool. https://www.primaryarms.com/Magpul_AR_1 ... mag535.htm

Avoid the DPMS armorers multi tool like the plague. I've broken two of them on castle nuts. There's a reason that they're thirty some bucks cheaper than the Magpul one, very soft metal and only one point of attachment for castle nuts. I wish I had spent the extra thirty some bucks the first time.

If you want a cheap receiver extension castle nut tool I have one of these, and they work decent.
https://www.primaryarms.com/Midwest_Ind ... mi-esw.htm

BubbaDX · Post by **BubbaDX** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:38 am

Very cool. Thank you sir. How about a vice block for the receive? Are they necessary or just make it easier?

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RazorBurn · Post by **RazorBurn** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 1:00 pm

BubbaDX wrote:Very cool. Thank you sir. How about a vice block for the receive? Are they necessary or just make it easier?

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A vice is on my short list of things to buy, but haven't found a quality one yet. I haven't needed a vice to build a lower yet. If building an upper I'm sure you would need one. I don't really see a lot of cost savings in building an upper personally, so I only buy complete uppers. A whole different bag of tools are needed with building uppers.

If one wanted to build an upper with a specific upper receiver like a VLTOR MUR, and with a specific barrel, say a Noveske, Sionics or Rainier then I can kind of see it. Then that lets you play around with your gas block and rail options. I've found enough free float rail options in Midwest Idustries and Troy that three of my AR's with front sight posts are free floated without having to do any serious modifications. With all the options out there from BCM and Palmetto State Armory's premium line it's hard to convince me there is savings in building an upper.

BubbaDX · Post by **BubbaDX** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 4:48 pm

Well, the tools have been ordered. The AR upper and lower build kits are ordered. The stripped lower receiver is ordered. This is going to be a good time one packages start to arrive.

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:11 pm

I use the two piece polyurethane vise block set you can usually find on ebay or amazon. A plus is that the pins also double as the front takedown pin detent and spring installation tool that helps keep you from launching the spring and detent across the room. My hint is to set up a large box directly in front of you to catch it when (if) it does slip past the takedown pin.
The only special tools I use are the vise block set, the detent and spring tool, the armorers wrench and a good torque wrench. I have a small brass rod I use to install the bolt catch roll pin to prevent marring the receiver, a strip of duct tape across the receiver will also help in that. Taking a small drill bit to take the edge off that roll pin hole and touching up the end of the roll pin will stop a lot of the cussing. Once it's started you can also use a pair of large pliers with duct tape on the jaws to press the roll pin in, it's a lot easier than banging on it with a punch and hammer. I have a set of aluminum jaws on a regular bench vise that I use for that, but I've built quite a few AR's so have a bunch of personal tricks that I use.

Your barrel torque should be at least 30 pounds, then just go until the gas tube lines up and passes through the nut and receiver squarely.

A free float handguard can be acquired pretty easily if you don't want to stick with the spring loaded ones that probably come with that kit, a lot easier to put it on the first time you assemble it rather than wait until later.

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:15 pm

Since you've already ordered everything, I guess it's too late to steer you towards good deals from good sellers...

BubbaDX · Post by **BubbaDX** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:36 pm

mogunner wrote:Since you've already ordered everything, I guess it's too late to steer you towards good deals from good sellers...

Not necessarily. I ordered the Grace roll pin punches, pivot pin tool and Magpul armorer's tool that RazorBurn linked to. They seem to have a lot of good reviews and look like quality stuff. Good recommendations for tools to make the job easier are always welcome, especially since this will not be my last AR build. Could help someone else also. Here is a link to the kit I purchased from Palmetto:

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ptac-16-m4-5-56-nato-slick-side-1-9-rifle-kit.html

And I also ordered an Anderson receiver that was clearanced on their site for $39, but I cannot find it listed anymore

Lee-online · Post by **Lee-online** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:44 pm

I have assembled a few lowers and two uppers. I usually hold the lower in my lap in a white towel to assemble it. I use a razor blade for the detent springs and roll pin punches for the pins. Be careful with the trigger guard pin. It is easy to get it out of alignment and break off the casting.

For the upper I purchased a vice block to hold the barrel.

My first one I SBRed it on a form 1.

I have a couple receivers in the safe. A cheap way too have an AR incase of more political BS come up.

entropy · Post by **entropy** » Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:17 pm

I did it the hard way, way back before all these specialized tools came out. I used two blocks of wood, one shaved down to fit up the magwell, and an issue castle nut multitool. I did do it on the smith bench at the gunshop I worked in at the time, so I had the right punches and such, feeler gauges work good for detents, etc. I used an Essential Arms lower, and a Model '1' CAR A2 kit; it came all in a big sealed bag, with parts in individual sealed bags, not the upper all fit together and headspaced like I see a lot advertised today.
OTOH, the US Army did send me to school for 4 months to learn how to put them together.

(Along with the M1911, M10, M203, M79, M60, M2, M224and M3A1)

Nice looking carbine, lee-online!

Lee-online · Post by **Lee-online** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:23 pm

I picked up two more stripped lowers today. I have been wanting to get a scoped AR since all mine are open sights and one red dot. After seeing the new Spikes Crusader I thought it was perfect.

My plan is to register it on a form one so I can SBR it and then add a suppressor so it is a reasonable length. I'll built it over the next year as funds are available.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... roupid=722

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:29 pm

I've got two lowers completely assembled but no funds at the moments to do the uppers, this move to the boonie house wiped out the savings I had put back, and with the sanctions against Russia stopping the Mosin flow, business has slid dramatically so no spare funds for guns at the moment. Not a big deal, I have two AR's that are complete, I'd already swapped a few off for other firearms prior to the move. One is a red dot with 3x magnifier and popup backup sights, the other has a 3-9x50 scope with offset sights.

Lee-online · Post by **Lee-online** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:39 pm

That's the thing with ARs, you can slowly buy the parts as you can afford them. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up there will be some good deals to be had. Last year I purchased a stripped 16" Mossburg barrel for less than $100 and all the parts to complete the rifle were deals. All in with me using old take off furniture I was in it for less the $400.

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:00 pm

There's always tons of deals on Black Friday, especially from PSA if you don't mind their slow shipping.

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:01 pm

Lee-online wrote:That's the thing with ARs, you can slowly buy the parts as you can afford them. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up there will be some good deals to be had. Last year I purchased a stripped 16" Mossburg barrel for less than $100 and all the parts to complete the rifle were deals. All in with me using old take off furniture I was in it for less the $400.

A quick look through my box of "take-off parts" shows me all I need to build another one is a stripped lower, upper, barrel and bcg...

lethe · Post by **lethe** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 7:43 pm

Just a heads up, You can have all your stuff on the same order. Psa will ship the lower to the ffl you selected and all other parts will be shipped directly to you.

walnut red · Post by **walnut red** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:40 pm

I've had no desire to own any AR platform since I turned my M16A1 for the last time a quarter century ago. However a few weeks ago I was at a LGS and they had stripped Anderson lowers for $40 ea if you bought three. I picked them up just in case I ever find a A1 or A2 parts kit as I'd kinda like to have a 20" barrel version and as the local range is only 200 yds mounting a scope would be a waste.

BubbaDX · Post by **BubbaDX** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:10 pm

lethe wrote:Just a heads up, You can have all your stuff on the same order. Psa will ship the lower to the ffl you selected and all other parts will be shipped directly to you.

Thanks, I was not sure how they would do it. I will know next time. UPS attempted delivery of my parts kit early today while I was at work. I am hoping he stops back by on his way to the terminal. If not, maybe I will catch him tomorrow.

mogunner · Post by **mogunner** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 5:49 pm

walnut red wrote:I've had no desire to own any AR platform since I turned my M16A1 for the last time a quarter century ago. However a few weeks ago I was at a LGS and they had stripped Anderson lowers for $40 ea if you bought three. I picked them up just in case I ever find a A1 or A2 parts kit as I'd kinda like to have a 20" barrel version and as the local range is only 200 yds mounting a scope would be a waste.

Carrying an A1 and then an A2 over the course of 13 years in both the Army and National Guard was one of the compelling reasons that I built my first one...so that I could learn how to make one actually run the way it was intended! My A1 ran 100%, the new A2 had either an undersized chamber or too large of a gas port as it ripped the extractor right through the rim of the case. Needless to say, the armorer was clueless as I was at the time and would fiddle with it, then give it back and say to try it now. Never did get it to run...I always ended up borrowing someone else's when it was time to qualify, couldn't get the armorer to admit he didn't know squat about what the problem was and to turn it in as defective to a higher level maintenance.

Of course, having built one, I then went on to build another, and another...I'm currently on either my fifth or sixth build, they kinda run together after awhile!

Lee-online · Post by **Lee-online** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:05 pm

I have an ever growing group of ARs. I too had a m16A2 and after carrying it everywhere for a year on deployment I never really felt the need to get one. A few years after getting out the AWB expired and the market was flooded with them and I picked one up. Fell in love again with how easy they are to shoot and maintain.

My favorite is the 10" I posted above but the best shooting is my CMP 20"AR. WOA make some of the best barrels/uppers.
http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcart/p ... 259&page=1

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First AR Build

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