Gonna' build my first AR kinda'.

[bbbass]

The polymer lowers are also easier to mill i think.

Yes I know, I was just saying that they might be easier to mill without having to invest in $500 worth of tools and jigs.

Yes/no.... having done 3 Polymer 80 lowers, I can say reliably that one should never drill out a polymer kit with hand tools... I've seen it done on youtube, but it is way too easy to have an oops that destroys the blank. I did mine with a 10" bench drill press and I soon bought a cross-slide vise.

BTW, I ruined a polymer lower by having a bit of slop in the trigger pin holes, then using Loctite to hold the heads of the anti-walk pins. Uh, that's a nono... melted and cracked the lower.

I've not had any issues with longevity with those lowers, but then I don't shoot 2000 rds/day.

 

[DirectDrive]

@GOG I'd just skip the blade altogether and go straight to the SBA, trust me, the boss will be glad you did... SBA's are great and the AFT has directed they can be shouldered without NFA violations or a tax stamp...

This ^^^
SB Tactical owns the AR pistol brace market, currently.
The knock-offs will be next.

 

[GOG]

It's on the way.

 

[GOG]

Got some more goodies from the big brown truck this morning.
Now I'm pretty much waiting on the lower and I can get started.

 

[Knebel]

Looks like I will be doing almost the same build except in 22lr for my wife I'm not gonna do the polymer build when a stripped lower can be picked up for $50 from cabelas lol

Already got a good deal on the conversion kit and trying to decide on barrel length. I am eyeballing the same upper and also the sba brace. Looking to be lightweight for her. I'm still torn if it should be a pistol or a rifle but I do believe that the pistol would give a greater versatility.

PS: The shockwave blade protector is a no-go. ATF stated that its a redesign and will turn it into an sbr!!!

 

[DirectDrive]

Looks like I will be doing almost the same build except in 22lr for my wife I'm not gonna do the polymer build when a stripped lower can be picked up for $50 from cabelas lol

Here's a nice one with no goofy roll mark...

PSA M4A1 Stripped Lower Receiver

These limited-edition lowers are made using the most advanced aerospace manufacturing technology to produce the industries finest, forged Mil-Spec lowers. Our receivers are machined on a multimillion

palmettostatearmory.com

Already got a good deal on the conversion kit and trying to decide on barrel length. I am eyeballing the same upper and also the sba brace. Looking to be lightweight for her. I'm still torn if it should be a pistol or a rifle but I do believe that the pistol would give a greater versatility.

PS: The shockwave blade protector is a no-go. ATF stated that its a redesign and will turn it into an sbr!!!

The Shockwave is funky anyway....no loss there.
SB Tactical owns the brace market, but don't volunteer for it unless you want to go below 16" on the barrel.

 

[EPS]

You haven't lived til you've crawled on your hands and knees looking for a spring or detent at 11 o'clock at night with a shoot planned for your new build at 8 the next morning.

Buy a large heavy duty Magnet.
I did and I found all the stuff I lost over the years .LOL

 

[GOG]

I'll pick up the lower tomorrow.

 

[Knebel]

Have you picked it up yet? My wife just got an anderson am15 lower for a whooping 34$ from cabelas. I am curious now and have read different things on this... I have no idea as what they have classified it as!? It will definitely start out as a pistol does it matter then? Is there a way to find out? I was there when she bought it and we have said a thousand times that its gonna be a pistol build for her but....i dont know lol we have already ordered the brace and the 10.5" uppertoo..

 

[GOG]

I picked it up Saturday but haven't been able to get to it. I want to have it done before next Wednesday. I'm having surgery to fix trigger finger in two fingers on my right hand and I'm right handed.

It will be a pistol no doubt.

 

[Knebel]

I have already installed the partskit in mine. Its really easy actually. I watched a video from Mr Potterfield on youtube about it. I'm definitely following your thread here, i can show you what I'm putting together too!

 

[GOG]

Sounds good to me. I'll look at Mr. Potterfield's video, I want to watch a couple more before I start.

Here's the last piece of the puzzle.

 

[Knebel]

Sounds good to me. I'll look at Mr. Potterfield's video, I want to watch a couple more before I start.

Here's the last piece of the puzzle.

View attachment 604412

Thats funny. I used the exact same receiver!? I had none of the tools and only used a punch and a small hammer for the small rollpins. everything else just went in to problem. Just make sure you really hold onto the small springloaded detents and the rollpin for the triggerguard that was in my partskit was way too big, make sure you don't force anything together

 

[GOG]

I've got a fair number of smithing tools, but for AR's only a combination wrench because I had no particular interest in them.

Another case of never say never.

 

[nwslopoke]

Thats funny. I used the exact same receiver!? I had none of the tools and only used a punch and a small hammer for the small rollpins. everything else just went in to problem. Just make sure you really hold onto the small springloaded detents and the rollpin for the triggerguard that was in my partskit was way too big, make sure you don't force anything together

I am also doing a lower. The hardest part for me is always the trigger gaurd. I use a little lube or grease. I waiting on a few things before I'm done.

I am using the PSA EPT trigger with JP springs. Should be around 4lbs. I installed both a PSA 2 stage trigger and also their new drop in trigger and tested those two today. Pretty nice. The drop in was $120 about the same as the $80-120 3lb triggers out there. Looks nicer. The 2 stage is now $60. Of the two I like the drop in.

Will be a few weeks before I get to the EPT with JP springs.

 

[Knebel]

Nice! I just got a simple cmmg lower parts kit that came with everything... I wasnt planning on anything real fancy since its "just" gonna be a 22lr for my wife and she'll probably not even gonna shoot it much anyway haha

 

[EPS]

Have you picked it up yet? My wife just got an anderson am15 lower for a whooping 34$ from cabelas. I am curious now and have read different things on this... I have no idea as what they have classified it as!? It will definitely start out as a pistol does it matter then? Is there a way to find out? I was there when she bought it and we have said a thousand times that its gonna be a pistol build for her but....i dont know lol we have already ordered the brace and the 10.5" uppertoo..

They sell lowers as other.
So you can make it a pistol build .
And then if you want to later you can make it a Rifle.
But if you make it a Rifle first you can not make it to a pistol later.

 

[GOG]

I didn't know that.

 

[Knebel]

Here is what is put together so far.


And I have another pic of what I previously build. Just installed the forward grip, I would have probably prefered some covers for the rails. Its purely to fight the heat of the handguard!?

 

[GOG]

I need some help please.

The hammer pin was already in the hammer with the spring attached and I can't figure out how to remove it and I'm coming up empty on youtube etc.

How do you remove it?