AR build

1506 Views 17 Replies 0 Participants Last post by Badshot, Jun 17, 2007

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Discussion Starter · Jun 12, 2007

So I'm going to start buying parts for my AR build. I've wanted to do this since cleaning the m-16s in ROTC freshmen year of college. I'm getting a stripped lower and parts kit and then parts for the upper. I'm not doing it to try to save money or anything like that, I want this to be my rifle. Put a little pride in my work.

I'm trying to figure out a minimum list of tools needed to do that.
-punch(or something to use as a punch)
-armorers tool
-barrel vise?

What else? I know I'm missing something(s).

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Discussion Starter · #2 · Jun 12, 2007

For me it was a rubber mallet and a small brass tipped hammer for the punches. The DPMS (and many other brands) AR wrench will be helpful, unless that's what you're calling the Armorers tool? Band-Aids... An Action Block maybe.. dunno if that's a real requirement or if that's what you mean by barrel vice.

Small/narrow tipped needle nose pliers help a lot with putting in the LPK and such. A little bit of CLP will go a long way towards helping getting stuff in place too.

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Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 12, 2007

yep, an Armorer's tool is a buttstock wrench and a couple other handle tools for the upper assembly.
a set of roll pin punches
a rubber mallet
barrel vise (most expensive AR assembly equipment...not that bad tho)

when putting the detents in for the two takedown pins you'll want something really thin to hold the spring loaded detent down as you slide the larger pins into the receiver. a thin flat tip screwdriver works, as does a razor blade...something thin that lets the pin slip into the hole completely, then the detent can ride against the pin forever.

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Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 12, 2007

You'll need a barrel wrench if it's not part of your stock spanner wrench, and a good torque wrench to bring it to spec - I can't believe people would just guess on things like torquing down the barrel, but plenty of people do.

An upper receiver holding fixture tightened into a vise works better than the generic diamond-shaped barrel vise jaws, and a URHF will have a bolt insert that replaces the carrier and keeps it from deforming while you're working on it. Other than that, a hammer and punch set is about all you need. Oh, and a screwdriver for the pistol grip. The barrel wrench/armorer's tool should have a slot cut for installing the flash hider.

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Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 12, 2007

id buy an assembled upper. makes it easier.

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Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 13, 2007

leeindy said:
id buy an assembled upper. makes it easier.

But where is the pride in that? and I love putting things together, it makes using them all the more sweeter(if that's possible with an AR :grin

.

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Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 13, 2007

i take pride in my trigger fit, smooth operation of my lower. what makes a gun is the interface.

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Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 14, 2007

leeindy said:
id buy an assembled upper. makes it easier.

bteague2 said:
But where is the pride in that? and I love putting things together, it makes using them all the more sweeter(if that's possible with an AR :grin.

I wanted a upper that had very specific parts. All the way down to the charging handle and the way the bolt/carrier was assembled.

The only way to get what I wanted was to have a shop custom build it or built it my self.

For example, I wanted a bolt/carrier group by either CMT or LMT. I wanted the gas key hand stoned and bedded with red loctite. The gas key screws had to be staked by a MOACKS tool. On the bolt I wanted a Wolff extractor spring, black insert, and Crane o-ring. I also wanted a CS ejector spring.

GTS/Denney's Guns sells a BCG just like that but I want to build my own. So I bought a striped BCG, the springs I wanted and a MOACKS tool.

All the other parts for my upper are just as detailed.

Building it my self was less expensive and more fun. And it taught me exactly how it all works together.

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Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 14, 2007

Damon said:
I wanted a upper that had very specific parts. All the way down to the charging handle and the way the bolt/carrier was assembled.

The only way to get what I wanted was to have a shop custom build it or built it my self.

For example, I wanted a bolt/carrier group by either CMT or LMT. I wanted the gas key hand stoned and bedded with red loctite. The gas key screws had to be staked by a MOACKS tool. On the bolt I wanted a Wolff extractor spring, black insert, and Crane o-ring. I also wanted a CS ejector spring.

GTS/Denney's Guns sells a BCG just like that but I want to build my own. So I bought a striped BCG, the springs I wanted and a MOACKS tool.

All the other parts for my upper are just as detailed.

Building it my self was less expensive and more fun. And it taught me exactly how it all works together.

holly picky. ive never had a problem with a milspec bolt group. and i have tons and tons of trigger time with the ar.

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Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 14, 2007

leeindy said:
i take pride in my trigger fit, smooth operation of my lower. what makes a gun is the interface.

Actually what makes the gun is the ability to fire a gunpowder powered projectile. Or something like that.

But I agree.

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Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 14, 2007

Well.....I've never so much as touched an AR rifle, but I have been thinking about it for several months now. I think I am going to try to build one. There's a big state wide gun show next weekend that I'm going to. I will look for a stripped lower there.

Are there any really good websites I should look into? any advice?

I mainly want to use it to punch paper, i have no intention of getting into competitive rifle shooting, i'm much better with a handgun than a long gun.. I was thinking 18 or 20" barrel, flat top.

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Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 14, 2007

Heathen-Yak said:
Are there any really good websites I should look into? any advice?.. I was thinking 18 or 20" barrel, flat top.

You mean like a varmint rifle with a free float tube? Here's a step-by-step for the upper.

http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/StaticPages/pdf/Instructions/AR-15 Varmint Rifle Instructions.pdf

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Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 15, 2007

Polymerhead said:
You mean like a varmint rifle with a free float tube? Here's a step-by-step for the upper.

http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/StaticPages/pdf/Instructions/AR-15 Varmint Rifle Instructions.pdf

awesome thanks.

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Discussion Starter · #14 · Jun 17, 2007

Well today I was at one of the ranges I shoot at and they happened to have a half dozen Bushmaster lowers. I had been to 4 or 5 gun shops last week and had seen none. I probably paid a premium because of the name, but I really like their range so I don't mind that much. So far $177 after taxes for the lower. Now I'm reading up on other parts and what I want

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Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 17, 2007

Polymerhead said:
You mean like a varmint rifle with a free float tube? Here's a step-by-step for the upper.

http://www.midwayusa.com/midwayusa/StaticPages/pdf/Instructions/AR-15 Varmint Rifle Instructions.pdf

Just noticed that only covers the upper, what about a lower?

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Discussion Starter · #16 · Jun 17, 2007

Sorry Bro, I've never put together a lower. I know DPMS and others sell complete parts kits minus a lower and buttstock assembly, so you should be able to put one together for about $200.

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Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 17, 2007

Yah i'm looking at lower parts kits, i'm wondering if the RRA national match trigger is worth the extra 100 bucks....

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Discussion Starter · #18 · Jun 17, 2007

That RRA 2 Stage trigger is very nice. At $80 or so, if you're going to do semi-percision shooting at beyond 200m then yeah, I'd pick it up. The one I have came with my mid-length RRA, I shot it a few times and realized that it would serve me better in my 20" support rifle. It is smoother than the standard trigger. Then again it is one of those things you can do later after you've had the chance to shoot a lower with one installed.

Another option is to check with your local smith, see what they believe they can do to the stock trigger and if it's under the $80 for the 2-stage, it might be worth going that route.

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