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re: If you want to own an AR-15, you should build it
Posted on 10/24/11 at 10:04 am to Croacka
Posted on 10/24/11 at 10:04 am to Croacka
Make sure you have some masking tape to cover your receiver so you don't scratch it while putting in the bolt catch roll pin. that is by far the hardest part of the whole thing. i put my last one together on the kitchen table. A receiver block and a vise would be helpful for some things though. Also make sure you support the trigger guard ears so you don't break them off while putting in that roll pin. I found that a scrap piece of 1/4 inch plywood worked perfect for that part. I also used a box cutter to hold down the front take down detent while putting in the take down pin. that part is a bit tricky and if you slip the detent and spring will shoot across the room. happened to me the first time and luckily i found both parts.
ETA: Only tools i bought were a punch set and a castle nut wrench for the stock.
ETA: Only tools i bought were a punch set and a castle nut wrench for the stock.
This post was edited on 10/24/11 at 10:05 am
1
Posted on 10/24/11 at 10:51 am to Croacka
You can see the tools you need if you print out the link of instructions from ar15.com
You need needle nose pliers. You should get a brass hammer. You need masking tape unless you want to scratch the hell out of your receiver.
I didn't use a block or grip. As far as the bolt lock pin goes, read the instructions on the print out on how to do it rather than what the video says.
Using the correct sized hole punch to keep everything in position when you hammer in the pins is key. This would have been a nightmare if not for that hint. It works especially well for the bolt lock pin but also for the trigger pins and hammer pins.
You need needle nose pliers. You should get a brass hammer. You need masking tape unless you want to scratch the hell out of your receiver.
I didn't use a block or grip. As far as the bolt lock pin goes, read the instructions on the print out on how to do it rather than what the video says.
Using the correct sized hole punch to keep everything in position when you hammer in the pins is key. This would have been a nightmare if not for that hint. It works especially well for the bolt lock pin but also for the trigger pins and hammer pins.
This post was edited on 10/24/11 at 10:56 am
Posted on 10/24/11 at 9:22 pm to thetempleowl
Just finished
Need a few more accessories to finish it off but the lower assembly wasn't too bad
Posted on 10/25/11 at 3:58 am to Croacka
Are you missing the bolt?
This'll get you started:
Better Trigger Guard
Grip
Stock
Hand Guards
Work the Gun with One Hand
VFG
Rear Sight
AimPoint or EOTech (only buy one on sale, which is always somewhere)
Sling Mount
Single Point Sling
That should be it, and then build another one.
This'll get you started:
Better Trigger Guard
Grip
Stock
Hand Guards
Work the Gun with One Hand
VFG
Rear Sight
AimPoint or EOTech (only buy one on sale, which is always somewhere)
Sling Mount
Single Point Sling
That should be it, and then build another one.
This post was edited on 10/25/11 at 4:01 am
Posted on 10/25/11 at 8:30 am to Propagandalf
pump the brakes
i can see how it can get addicting, but main things i want to add to this one right now are a carry handle and some optics
may do a 4-rail handguard soon
i can see how it can get addicting, but main things i want to add to this one right now are a carry handle and some optics
may do a 4-rail handguard soon
Posted on 10/25/11 at 9:07 am to Croacka
All parts ordered. I will update on progress once they all come in. waiting on a couple to get here by thursday so this looks like my weekend project since LSU is off 
Posted on 10/25/11 at 9:42 am to Loanshark
what did you go with?
Posted on 10/25/11 at 10:37 am to Croacka
i inda went into it blind. Always wanted one and had a client who said he would show mw how to build one as he has built several. I will post all the different parts when i get them all but it is basically a heinz57 mutt. we looked at a barrell that he liked best (16in going with the M4 look on this one) the receiver he had the best luck with the rails i liked as well as stock etc..... now i am researching NOW!!! kinda bassakwards. Already looking at parts for #2, probably go with one of the name brands on that one (stag, bush, colt). found essential arms after i ordered my lower and pretty much all parts except upper and just ordered upper from them. has anyone dealt with their products? would love to buy La products. wish it had "certified coonass" on it though!!
Posted on 10/25/11 at 10:42 am to Loanshark
I'd like to build one but i'm not so knowledgeable, i get lost in the options out there and had to make uninformed decisions and later wishing I did something different.
Posted on 10/25/11 at 11:37 am to Chad504boy
Well that's the beauty of ARs of you don't like something or find a better part, it's not hard to change the old out for the new
I do that on my stocks, I still havent settled on one that I can't do without
I really like the Troy Battleaxe stock but it weighs a ton
I do that on my stocks, I still havent settled on one that I can't do without
I really like the Troy Battleaxe stock but it weighs a ton
Posted on 10/25/11 at 12:23 pm to Chad504boy
quote:
I'd like to build one but i'm not so knowledgeable, i get lost in the options out there and had to make uninformed decisions and later wishing I did something different.
i bought an essential arms lower and a del-ton M4 kit
it has everything you need except a rear sight and mags/ammo
i spent 88+shipping+FFL fee for the lower
i spent 517 shipped for the M4 kit (only upgrade was the chrome lined barrel)
everything you spend above that is completely up to you
the accessories i've ordered so far are a sling attachment plate, sling, front sight tool, carry handle
Posted on 10/25/11 at 1:27 pm to Croacka
There are lots of options out there.
Any stripped lower is about the same. CMMG, Stag, bushie, all are the same. No reason to spend much on a lower.
I didn't do the kit thing. It is more stressful picking out your own parts, but at the end it is that much more satisfying.
I just went with the daniel defense lower kit. Supposedly that has one of the better triggers in these kits. That is the important part of these kits.
Now I didn't put together an upper from parts. That would be something perhaps I will try in the future, but I would need a few more tools for that one.
Buy yourself a complete upper, a stripped lower, a lower parts kit, and a stock and you are good to go.
There really shouldn't be that much stress. Once you put it together, you will want to put another together.
Any stripped lower is about the same. CMMG, Stag, bushie, all are the same. No reason to spend much on a lower.
I didn't do the kit thing. It is more stressful picking out your own parts, but at the end it is that much more satisfying.
I just went with the daniel defense lower kit. Supposedly that has one of the better triggers in these kits. That is the important part of these kits.
Now I didn't put together an upper from parts. That would be something perhaps I will try in the future, but I would need a few more tools for that one.
Buy yourself a complete upper, a stripped lower, a lower parts kit, and a stock and you are good to go.
There really shouldn't be that much stress. Once you put it together, you will want to put another together.
Posted on 6/10/12 at 7:54 am to thetempleowl
Everyone's talking about completely assembling the lowers but buying complete uppers. Why is no one doing that? I'm green as they come but it doesn't look that hard. I put my first lower parts kit in yesterday by watching a video on youtube then jumped straight to assembling uppers and it looked pretty straight forward. Is the reason people shy away because if the vast array of choices for the different parts or safety or something I'm not seeing?
Either way I'm hooked. I installed a bushmaster LPK into my EA stripped lower and just stared/clicked the safety on/off/stared some more at it for a while... Then i went and picked out the rest of my parts. I'm not dropping all the coin on it at once so it's going to take me a loooonngg time to purchase everything but my current estimate is over $1200!!!
Either way I'm hooked. I installed a bushmaster LPK into my EA stripped lower and just stared/clicked the safety on/off/stared some more at it for a while... Then i went and picked out the rest of my parts. I'm not dropping all the coin on it at once so it's going to take me a loooonngg time to purchase everything but my current estimate is over $1200!!!
Posted on 6/10/12 at 8:25 am to thetempleowl
I built mine.
Posted on 6/10/12 at 8:35 am to Coon
There are a few special tools required to build the upper. You also have to be able to check your head space, etc
Posted on 6/10/12 at 8:44 am to gmrkr5
what are the special tools? The video i watched the guy did have a special wrench but he said he couldn't use his standard AR wrench because of the brand barrel he bought. Other than that he had the rubber vice block.
fwiw, my "parts list" for the upper includes: barrel, stripped upper receiver, BCG, upper parts kit (includes gas tube and build out parts for the stripped upper receiver), gas block, hand guard, and flash suppressor. Those items appear to be what would come with a complete upper.
fwiw, my "parts list" for the upper includes: barrel, stripped upper receiver, BCG, upper parts kit (includes gas tube and build out parts for the stripped upper receiver), gas block, hand guard, and flash suppressor. Those items appear to be what would come with a complete upper.
Posted on 6/10/12 at 5:24 pm to Coon
PSA STRIPPED LOWERS FOR $80.00
LINK
Go to the hardware store and get a 1/4" clevis pin with multiple holes. put it in from the opposite side of the front hinge pin. use something to push the detent and spring in and push the hinge pin in. you can use this to get the front spring and detent in and keep it from shooting them accross the room.
LINK
Go to the hardware store and get a 1/4" clevis pin with multiple holes. put it in from the opposite side of the front hinge pin. use something to push the detent and spring in and push the hinge pin in. you can use this to get the front spring and detent in and keep it from shooting them accross the room.
This post was edited on 6/10/12 at 6:11 pm
Posted on 6/10/12 at 8:01 pm to gmshooter
That was the hardest part so far. I finally got the spring and pin in after 20 tries and held it in with the tip of a thin knife and slid the big pin in behind it.
Posted on 6/10/12 at 8:10 pm to Coon
yeah sometimes it will go the first time and others it will be a pain in the azz. you can also put the lower in a walmart bag to capture the spring and detent if it flies out.
Posted on 6/10/12 at 10:42 pm to thetempleowl
I put tens of thousands of rounds through them in the MC but never knew the inner workings of them as well as when I built my own after being out for many years.
You will like it and treasure it much more if you build yourself.
You will like it and treasure it much more if you build yourself.
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