New Project

[blume357]

Finally broke down and stood in line to get into Palmetto State Armory's store here in Greenville yesterday and picked up my "Angry Joe AR-14" lower I had ordered a few months ago. They decided to make these right after Joe went postal at the car plant in Detroit....

I think I have all the innards to go in the lower and I have an upper but am not quite sure... have never built an AR before and so have a bit of a challenge on my hands.. (If people will stop calling me for work it would be easier)

The other slow part of picking up the lower besides having to wait to be served and standing in line to pay for one box ammo and a red dot sight was Palmetto had decided to put the 4473 form you fill out now on computer with a touch screen... took me about 4 times as long to fill the dern thing out...

 

[Mobuck]

Assembling an "AR xx" isn't at all difficult. It is easier with the right tools and/or a fair amount of mechanical knowledge. Two places to be careful: The bolt lock pivot pin and the trigger guard pin (assuming your lower isn't a solid trigger guard variant).
For the bolt lock roll pin, I use electricians tape along the side of the lower to prevent hammer marks and have not found it necessary to buy/use one of the offset punches specifically designed for this task.
The big worry with the trigger guard roll pin is insufficient support and over application of the hammer and punch. This can and has caused lots of anguish due to breaking off the ear(s) that the pin is driven through. I use a block of lead solder I found somewhere to support the lower while gingerly whacking the pin in place.
I've assembled dozens of AR xx uppers and lowers and have this advice: there's a big difference between "spring pins" and "spiral rolled pins " when it comes to installation and/or removal. I buy spiral rolled pin sets or bulk pin kits to use for assembling AR's= less problems with installation--buggering the end, bending the tiny punches required, general aggravation, and a nicer looking finished product.

 

[contender]

Boy, it's funny you post this.
Just last night,, I took a bare lower receiver,, and added all the parts to it to make my PCC gun in 9mm. Never done one before. With only a few manuals,, a fair knowledge about AR's in general, and by cheating a little, (my trigger is a Timney drop in,) I did mine in a reasonable timeframe.

The pins mentioned above,, my lower was solid,, so I didn't have to worry about the trigger guard piece. And the bolt lock pivot pin,, I had a proper pin punch to use,, and knew by looking at it,, to be VERY careful. It was a place that 3 hands would have helped. (One to hold the pin, one to hold the punch, & one to use the hammer.)

My purpose in building this one was 2 fold. One, we have a surplus of lowers in my FoNRA chapter,, and since we can't have events,, I purchased one to help reduce our inventory, and add to our fund. Two, I shoot USPSA,, and figured that a less expensive build to shoot the PCC division might be fun. So, I gathered the parts necessary,, and last night in less than 2 hours,, (I worked slow & studied my manuals carefully,) I took a stripped lower, added all the parts to make it a complete lower, (including the 9mm magwell adapter) added my upper in 9mm, added the red dot & offset sights.

If time allows today,, I'll test run mine!

 

[Montelores]

Assembling an "AR xx" isn't at all difficult. It is easier with the right tools and/or a fair amount of mechanical knowledge. Two places to be careful: The bolt lock pivot pin and the trigger guard pin (assuming your lower isn't a solid trigger guard variant).
For the bolt lock roll pin, I use electricians tape along the side of the lower to prevent hammer marks and have not found it necessary to buy/use one of the offset punches specifically designed for this task.
The big worry with the trigger guard roll pin is insufficient support and over application of the hammer and punch. This can and has caused lots of anguish due to breaking off the ear(s) that the pin is driven through. I use a block of lead solder I found somewhere to support the lower while gingerly whacking the pin in place.
I've assembled dozens of AR xx uppers and lowers and have this advice: there's a big difference between "spring pins" and "spiral rolled pins " when it comes to installation and/or removal. I buy spiral rolled pin sets or bulk pin kits to use for assembling AR's= less problems with installation--buggering the end, bending the tiny punches required, general aggravation, and a nicer looking finished product.

Thanks for the guidance and advice -

Do you have any idea how the manufacturers install these 2 pins?

You mentioned the offset punch? And proper support for the trigger guard?

Is it safe to assume that the factories have a dedicated bench and vise for this, rather than a kitchen table?

Monty

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

I built my first AR in 1982... Back then everything looked exactly like mil-spec military... No flat tops, no floating hand guards.... My AR looked exactly like a service rifle... It later morphed a bit.
I built about a half dozen since then.. Not difficult really... the proper barrel wench really helps...
I spent 3 years gathering parts for a .308..... it still isn't quite right, due to non mil-spec parts..... That's when it gets challenging....
My gunshop buddy back in Mn, just offered me a great deal on a lower..... Now I am trying to figure out if I can find enough work to buy it.... GAWD I hate him sometimes!!!!
I gotta stay focused on paying off my new chainsaws and getting new winter boots...... focus.... focus!!!!.. :lol:
(don't let me be weak!!!)......

 

[Kevin]

I've been slowly putting together an AR15 as well. I bought the Aero Precision lower with the built in trigger guard. Not sure why all lower receivers don't have a build in trigger guard. Is there a reason to not have one?

I also bought the install punches to install the pivot pin. They are less than $10 bucks on Amazon. Made putting it together a whole lot easier.

Building an AR allows you to spread the cost out over time. I splurged and bought a G10 grip from VZ grips. It fits very nicely and is a bit fatter around than a standard grip.

Contender? So you just had a Timney trigger sitting around? If you had a garage sale, I bet people would come a long ways...

I'm saving up my pennies for a trigger. Timney makes an adjustable trigger that looks pretty sweet.

 

[loaded round]

Mobuck:
We think alike, that's exactly the way I install my AR-15 parts and I've built about a dozen so far.

Finally broke down and stood in line to get into Palmetto State Armory's store here in Greenville yesterday and picked up my "Angry Joe AR-14" lower I had ordered a few months ago. They decided to make these right after Joe went postal at the car plant in Detroit....

I think I have all the innards to go in the lower and I have an upper but am not quite sure... have never built an AR before and so have a bit of a challenge on my hands.. (If people will stop calling me for work it would be easier)

The other slow part of picking up the lower besides having to wait to be served and standing in line to pay for one box ammo and a red dot sight was Palmetto had decided to put the 4473 form you fill out now on computer with a touch screen... took me about 4 times as long to fill the dern thing out...

 

[contender]

"Contender? So you just had a Timney trigger sitting around? If you had a garage sale, I bet people would come a long ways..."

Oh,, I have all kinds of "goodies" stashed away to occupy my idle time with. See,, I often buy stuff "just in case" and then,, later on,,, amazingly,, "just in case" happens!

 

[RoninPA]

I've been slowly putting together an AR15 as well. I bought the Aero Precision lower with the built in trigger guard. Not sure why all lower receivers don't have a build in trigger guard. Is there a reason to not have one?

I also bought the install punches to install the pivot pin. They are less than $10 bucks on Amazon. Made putting it together a whole lot easier.

Building an AR allows you to spread the cost out over time. I splurged and bought a G10 grip from VZ grips. It fits very nicely and is a bit fatter around than a standard grip.

Contender? So you just had a Timney trigger sitting around? If you had a garage sale, I bet people would come a long ways...

I'm saving up my pennies for a trigger. Timney makes an adjustable trigger that looks pretty sweet.

Kevin,
In the beginning, and still is, the bottom of the trigger guard was flat and had a roll pin at the rear and a spring loaded detent pin in the front so that the trigger guard could be opened up to be able to fit a gloved finger to be able to get to the trigger easier. The point of the 5.56 round would be used to depress the detent pin and the bottom part would then pivot away giving access to the trigger.

And, like Tyrone, a LOT of us "collect" items that we may, at the present time, have no need for. But, if you know (or think) that you MAY need it for some future project, and it's a good price, you buy it and put it away for that rainy day project.

Right now I probably have enough parts to build 2 or 3 10/22's (including barrels) and probably 4 AR's (other than barrels) on hand and lots of .45 cal 1911 parts, including barrels and LOTS of parts for the Six series revolvers (and just bought all the parts for a 4" Six series, minus the frame).

If I get bored, I always have something I can do. During this "pandemic", I built two 10/22's and three AR pistols (5.56mm, 9mm, 300 Blackout) and am in the process of having them engraved to make them into SBR's for business uses.

 

[tunnug]

One thing I've learned to do while assembling something that will have a spring under tension is put the item inside of a large clear plastic bag, especially if the spring is tiny, that way when it slips and the spring sproings all the flying parts get captured by the bag, before I started doing this I'd be on my hands and knees looking for the parts, not much fun when you need to find replacements.

 

[Aqualung]

Thanks for the guidance and advice -

Do you have any idea how the manufacturers install these 2 pins?

You mentioned the offset punch? And proper support for the trigger guard?

Is it safe to assume that the factories have a dedicated bench and vise for this, rather than a kitchen table?

Monty

Monty,

As for the offset punch for the bolt latch, it's not really needed if you're careful and tape up the side of the receiver. I have a special set of 2 punches for this. Both are flat on one side and rubberized...one is hollow at the point so it holds the pin until it's tapped in enough to stay in place and the second one is to tap it all the way in.

As for the trigger guard, it's just key to support the lower "ear" of the receiver while installing the pin or it may snap off. I have an AR Block that has cutouts to hold the receiver in place for separate installation operations.

I'm sure the manufacturers have even more specialized tools and jigs.

I got the special tools because I figured I'd be building more than one...as it is, I built 2 so far (a rifle and a pistol) and have my AR556.

Aqualung

 

[DeletedMember275]

YouTube is your friend when you need to assemble or disassemble an unfamiliar firearm. You just need to devote enough time to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, on YouTube. Some of the folks posting videos there really have very little clue about what they're trying to do. Others range from merely competent to 'why didn't I think of that?' Remember though, that the military has been teaching teenagers how to repair M16s and M4s with nothing but hand tools since the 1960s!