Build Thread First AR build-would like some tips

[HB of CJ]

Respectfully ...

Usually, (not always) it is better to gently tap in roll pins using the proper size roll pin punch. Building AR15 A1 rear iron sights was the most difficult. The dinky smallest roll pin punches will bend with use. Several are necessary. Cheap.

A medium ball peen hammer gently taps in the supported roll pins. Locking medical forceps. Cold blue fixes any roll pin bright peen marks. The springs and detents can be supported using fingers. A learned skill. The work is locked down.

Just me, (maybe only me) but I would not trust anybody else doing a barrel torque up job. I would remove the barrel and re do it my way. Consider all the bad things that can and do happen to uppers and barrel nuts with over torquing.

I suppose new type gas blocks are OK if they are made of steel and use the old type AR15/M16 barrel notches to install the gas block using the old type taper pins. Sometimes the OEM type stuff is the best for a reason. Military specification.

I am surprised the aluminum gas blocks installed with through bolts or sometimes just pinch bolts are even sold. How long will they last? Consider the gas temperature at that point of the barrel. Consider aluminum melting temperature.

We had lots of factory and shop made gages, fixtures and tools to do the builds. Having the proper tools and the knowledge to use them speeds up the build considerably. Indexing AR15 or M16 OEM barrel iron sights took the most time.

That pesky horribly designed M16/AR15 rear iron sight aperture had to be dead centered on the upper carrying handle trough with the build shooting dead center down the pipe right to left. Not hard to do but time consuming to say the least.

I am now old and cooted. Just passing stuff forward. Hope you do not take this wrong. Nobody uses iron sights today. Mostly optics.

 

[powermad]

I completely agree, the proper tooling makes any job easier and faster.
I have zero issues buying the required tooling for anything I am working on.
I spent quite a lot of money to buy FAL tools, though I did build around ten so it was worth it.
After over 30 years as a diesel tech I'm pretty set hammer and punch wise.
Just finished a tool inventory for my new job, I have more in tools than my house is worth.

Tiny pins are easy to goof up, pressing them in with pliers is a sure fire way of needing another one.
I don't class lower pins as tiny though.
As with anything common scence must be used when pushing in pins.
If you have to gorrila grip it with both hands then something is wrong.
They should push in pretty easy.
I actually have a small pin press at work, but pliers will do the job just as well for that application.
I based my pistol sight pusher off the pin press. Could use a little refinement but it works.

This was my first AR and pretty much just something to get a baseline on what I'd like to do.
With a ground up build I can start from scratch and apply what I've learned to that.
Starting with an 80% lower.

Woohoo..more tools!

 

[Diamondback]

Nobody uses iron sights today. Mostly optics.

Not entirely accurate... with the price of Elcan C79's, if the build for the girlfriend goes forward she's gonna learn the RIGHT way, on irons, and if she wants bells and whistles she can drop the two grand for those herself.

Not to mention that Mod Briefcase carries three different sight systems... RDS, iron and laser. Laser is obviously CQB, but I'm thinking to set each sight up for a different slice of the Short/Medium/Long range envelopes--how would you do this on a Briefcase Carry pistol with a maximum effective range of about 400yds?

 

[Member 34319]

Most of my guns are iron sighted. Love irons. You learn how to shoot well with iron sights, you can shoot anything.

I like to think of it like learning how to drive a manual before an automatic.

 

[powermad]

No one uses those style of rear sights as most uppers are flat top now, is what he was saying.
Now days those style rear sights are called retro.

Fold down sights are pretty much the norm now. A lot less involved to install an MBUS than setting up the other style of rear sight.

I belive most have some sort of iron sights on thier rifles. At least for me the rifle is incomplete without them, optics or not.

 

[titsonritz]

Helpful Hints: This is stuff learned the hard way.

1) Use a very thin kitchen steak knife blade to hold in the pesky front take down pin spring and detent. Then slide in the front take down pin. Also use a large very thin transparent dry cleaning clothes bag as a large containment bag. Amazing hang times with the various tiny small parts ... if they fly out. They will.

All you need to hold down the lower is that big 5-6 inch bench vise and a chunk or hunk or indoor outdoor carpet or whatever for padding.

I haven't used it yet, but it has been suggested by "pros" that a clevis pin (The one with all the holes) in 1/4" to use on the takedown pin detention and spring.Put it in from the back side,insert spring then detention,depress rotate,insert takedown pin,,,,pushing out the clevis pin(replacing it).
Sounded easy. Finding that pin and spring on the floor is not.Assemble in a bag is another good tip. Good luck

I suppose one can go all bubba style with steak knives, plastic bags, clevis pins, ducked taped channel locks and all manner stuff or one can get the proper tools to the job in the correct manner. https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...t-pin-detent-installation-tool-prod26488.aspx

I could care less how many builds you've done or how many years you've been doing it, based on what I've read in this thread I would not let anyone of you touch my builds. There is a lot of crap info here on this subject, sorry but there it is.

 

[DirectDrive]

Get off my lawn !
And while yer at it, put that barrel nut on with no torque lube !
And forget those fancy-dancy tools, all the tools you need are in the dang kitchen !

Someday, if I get to like you (which I doubt), we'll let you join the Kitchen Table Gun Plumbers Union.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

I like this tool. Best $8 you will spend if you build an ar. Wheeler® Delta Series AR Pivot and Roll-Pin Install Tool : Cabela's

I also found the magpul armorers wrench to be worth it. YMMV, but I also have a vise and the proper tools to safely put an ar in a vice. It makes an AR cake to build.

Buy the good tools once if you think this is something you want to do. I'd recommend buying exactly what you want. My ideal AR is a flat top with a LH upper receiver, Geiselle SSP, and an ambidextrous safety and charging handle.

 

[powermad]

So I should use a $15 1/4" rod with a hole in one end when I have several clevis pins of the same dimension?
Why would I spend money on something I already own?

No damage to parts using pliers to install pins so it's not an issue.
I would bet more trigger guard lugs have been broken off due not properly supporting them than breaking one pressing it in.

 

[titsonritz]

I also found the magpul armorers wrench to be worth it. YMMV, but I also have a vise and the proper tools to safely put an ar in a vice. It makes an AR cake to build.

It is the best wrench on the market, but sometimes a spanner style is needed so in addition to the Magpul I have a BCM barrel nut wrench which will work on a standard castle nut too.

 

[DirectDrive]

So I should use a $15 1/4" rod with a hole in one end when I have several clevis pins of the same dimension?
Why would I spend money on something I already own?

Agree, that would be bogus.

No damage to parts using pliers to install pins so it's not an issue.

If the Plier Method works for you, go for it. You still have to finish with a hammer and punch.
I'm a paid "striker" so I'm comfortable with a hammer and punch.

I would bet more trigger guard lugs have been broken off due not properly supporting them than breaking one pressing it in.

Breaking ears is n00b stuff.
But hey, there's always The Grip of Shame to cover up the damage.
Gawd, that's fugly.

 

[titsonritz]

So I should use a $15 1/4" rod with a hole in one end when I have several clevis pins of the same dimension?
Why would I spend money on something I already own?

No damage to parts using pliers to install pins so it's not an issue.
I would bet more trigger guard lugs have been broken off due not properly supporting them than breaking one pressing it in.

The "L" shape of the tool is not by accident, it uses gravity to rotate the tool and retain the detent pin. I assure you the method is superior to the clevis pin method.

All one needs to do to prevent from breaking off the tabs is install the grip to prevent roll over.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

This thread is inexplicably making me want to build another. Dang it!

 

[powermad]

Speaking of lube for torquing stuff, always follow the recomended torquing procedure for that application.

If it says dry, it's dry.

I have thread paste that will will snap bolts before they torque to spec if used in the wrong application.

 

[Member 34319]

This thread is inexplicably making me want to build another. Dang it!

Seriously. I hate an extra part that keeps screaming, we'll build me into something.

 

[HB of CJ]

It is everybody else's fault! Now I wanna build another one!

 

[IOM]

Seriously. I hate an extra part that keeps screaming, we'll build me into something.
View attachment 485798

Yep, and that's how it starts.....

 

[EPS]

Yep, and that's how it starts.....

Lol tell me about it .8 AR later and I still have enough stuff to build another .
COME ON MAN IT NEVER ENDS.
lol I give away parts and stuff and it never ends

 

[Member 34319]

Lol tell me about it .8 AR later and I still have enough stuff to build another .
COME ON MAN IT NEVER ENDS.
lol I give away parts and stuff and it never ends

It's weird. I haven't put one together in a long time, however, I keep finding parts here and there.

Just tonight I was going through a box of misc and found a tapco AK trigger. For the life of me I can not remember where it came from. Time to put an AK together apparently.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Seriously. I hate an extra part that keeps screaming, we'll build me into something.
View attachment 485798

Dang it, if that's all it takes is 1 extra part to need to build something I need to start building another 50 or so... I better get on that one..