AR Build questions

B

BoogieMan

New member
Im not a fan of ARs but I cant deny the utility side of the platform. So I am putting one together and self teaching a little gunsmithing along the way. Im a schooled and experienced machinist. Until now I have only changed out some parts and smoothed the trigger on a 1911, 22/45, 10/22 and a Marlin bolt 22. I have little doubt that I have the skills and machinery to do the job. I am a bit up in the air as to defining the tasks to be done.

1. Is there a recommended book that will help me through the build of an upper and give me some terminology so I can ask questions with the correct nomenclature?
2. I know its much easier to buy a complete upper but I want to put one together. Will this require reaming the chamber and fitting headspace etc...?

Outside of the upper is it pretty much assembling and fitting parts?
 
1) I can't point you to any particular book, but ar15.com has more than enough info on how to put it all together. They've moved some threads around, but that's where I got the info to do mine. Really, it's pretty simple.

2) NO. You'll buy a barrel with the chamber already cut and the barrel extension attached/pinned (and therefore, headspace is already set). Barrel extension work is not something that is readily done by a homebuilder... basically, the extension is threaded on to the barrel and headspace set, then the extension is pinned into place and the gas port is then drilled in the barrel. Fiddling with the extension means your gas port will no longer be at 12 o' clock. At most you might want to check your bolt with the barrel assembly to make sure there isn't excessive headspace (sometimes tolerances can stack the wrong way), but that's very rare and it's never once been an issue for me.

Assembling the upper is a little more complex than the lower, but not by much. Where you don't necessarily need special tools to do the lower, you will want some for the upper. I generally recommend upper and lower receiver vise blocks, a barrel wrench, and a torque wrench (in addition to the usual punches and small hammer). Honestly, though, with the work you've done on other guns the AR-15 might as well be Lego for all the difficulty you'll have with it.

Just be advised, once you build one, you'll get some spare parts, then you'll decide to build those into more guns, etc. It gets out of hand quickly. May as well buy your lowers several at a time. :D
 
I second the AR15.com site as well as You Tube.
Between the two you will be overwhelmed with info.

I also bet after building one and some trigger time you will find you need a second upper - LOL!!!
 
Thanks for the info guys. I will check out the AR15 pages and see what I can find. The youtube stuff I have seen so far looked a bit "shade tree" style. Not that its bad its just not how I work. I wouldnt mind getting into this a little deeper and see about an FFL.
 
Hey Boogie the AR platform is way simple but with all the options and all it seems complicated.
The you Tube stuff does look jinky but truthfully that's because the rifle is so easy to build.
All one really needs is a good Armorers wrench and a padded vise, some basic instruction and a rifle is born.
 
The upper really isn't hard to assemble. I just got done with my second one last week, and it took maybe 15-20 minutes from start to finish. However, it doesn't have a forward assist and the ejection port cover was preassembled. I honestly feel, given the correct tools for the job, that assembling the upper is way easier than the lower.

MidwayUSA's website has a tutorial on how to build an AR15. You may be building a slightly different configuration (i.e. gas block instead of front site post), but they all fit together very similarly.
 
AR stuff...

Im not very fond of Eugene Stoner's design either overall but like the Swiss Army Knife, the AR/M4 series has become a staple of the US shooting sports/gun industry :rolleyes:.
Brownells; www.Brownells.com is a great resource for any serious gun owner or armed professional. They also put out a printed catalog just for the AR15/M4 weapons. You should be able to find most parts, magazines, sights, scopes, slings, etc.
Other resources may include; www.magpul.com www.deltapress.com www.gunvideo.com www.paladin-press.com www.midwayusa.com www.natchezss.com www.cheaperthandirt.com www.policehq.com www.uscav.com www.blackhawk.com www.grafs.com www.nra.org .

Post a few pics of your progress if you can & have fun. ;)

Clyde
 
Glenn Zedicker's book is great... my then 17 year old son used it conjunction with Brownell's online videos to build his first AR (6.5 Grendel, all "scratch" components) in one night. And he had practically no experience with so much as a screwdriver..

It'll be a cakewalk for ya.

Main thing is to cross-reference parts used in sub-assemblies for compatibility, and make sure you've covered all of them. Brownell's has a checklist that helps. But, things like free-float handguards change up required parts as well as necessary tools.

Mostly, you need punches, barrel nut wrench, and upper and lower receiver holders for your vise.
Most other stuff is for convenience, but not really necessary.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top