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starting my build

Apcsox

Apcsox

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Feb 26, 2012
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so, i joined the darkside and picked myself up an anderson stripped lower and an LPK from Mark over at Holliston firearms tonight....... going to slowly begin my first ever AR build (yay, go me).... so I'm sure I will be perusing and asking for advice around this part of the forum in the months to come..... just looking to build myself a very basic 5.56 here, nothing fancy, just to get my feet wet and say "look what I can do".... so if anybody has any advice from their builds, typical noob mistakes, preferences for my other pieces needed.... I'm not sure if I am missing anything here for the basic pieces needed to build one

lower and parts kit
stock
upper and parts kits
barrel (unless I get a complete upper?)
bolt carrier group

anything I am missing for a basic understanding (please don't flame my noobishness)
 
Months? Hahahahaha! I said that too. Once a few parts came in, that was it. Three weeks start to finish. And it was that long because I couldn't find the barrel I wanted.

Good luck though. You will enjoy it. And may even plan another build before that one is finished, lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Rotaryrocket said:
I got the barrel nut tool and castle nut. Welcome to the dark side
Click to expand...

so when I finally get the rest of the pieces we'll have to have an AR build day. How's your 22 build coming?

actually, now it's painfully obvious I need a punch set and one of those non marking hammer thingies
 
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I have the punch set as well. And headspace gauges. .22 is on hold. Gotta finish my second 5.56 build. Gotta be ready for go time
 
Figure out what you want to do for a handguard, gas block, front sight, etc... before you start buying parts. It's easy to just start accumulating parts without a plan, and then you end up with things that don't match and have to be replaced. Also, if you have to ship multiple small parts at different times, the shipping can really add up.

So decide things like: free float tube vs. standard handguard, standard front sight gas block vs. railed gas block vs. low profile gas block, etc... A standard handguard will need a standard barrel nut, delta ring, and end cap, while a free float will come with a special nut and will require a low profile gas block.

I have built, taken apart, and rebuilt at least three rifles because I just bought parts without a firm plan. It's easier and cheaper if you start out with a plan.

Good luck. It's a fun process, and even if you end up with extra parts, it's a good excuse to build another one.
 
Glad to see two different people said headspace gauges. Don't listen to the people that say you don't need them. Cheap insurance, and you will most likely use them again, hahaha.


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So what are the differences between a free float tube and standard hand guard? Standard sight gas block, failed or low profile. Pros and cons of each set up. Pricing differences.


Sent from my Obamaphone (lol j/k I have a job)
 
I will let someone else field this one. Whole books have been written, and I prob couldn't give you a condensed answer. I tend to go overboard with too much info.

Is there a shop near you with a decent selection? It is nice to go in and see what a handguard actually feels like before spending the money on one. The handguard and the barrel are the two most expensive parts on a build generally, though there are exceptions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Standard handguards/drop in rails -- spring in the delta pack provides tension to pinch the handguards around the barrel nut and against the end cap. Problem is, the end cap is connected to the barrel/FSB (front sight base.. aka standard sight gas block), so adding a bipod/grip on the rail can affect barrel harmonics. The end cap squeezes up against the gas block, so you need a FSB or a railed gas block --not low-profile.

Freefloat tube -- tube/rail is clamped to the barrel nut only, "free floating" it off of the barrel. Grips/bipods/slings will not affect barrel harmonics. Can use a low profile gas block, which allows you to use a longer rail system (ie, a 12" rail on a carbine length gas system).

Regular handguards are cheaper. If you go this route, buy a barrel with the FSB already installed -- that isn't something you can do easily by yourself. If you don't want a fixed front sight, go freefloat with a low-profile gas block that bolts on. Freefloat setups will run you at least $150. There are many different mounting methods. I prefer the MI/Seekins style, where it slips over the barrel nut and clamps perpendicular to the barrel axis. I don't like the ones that bolt parallel to the bore axis, like older DD or the UTG-Pro -- too hard to get the rail level with the receiver if the machining is a bit off.
 
The only advice I can give is have a solid idea of what style of shooting and or what do you expect out of the rifle or carbine.
I just started building..... grabing stuff on sale or group buys. In the end I own only 3 ARs out of the 8 I assembled. Lucky for me I had no issues selling mine and broke even on all of them.
Guns I built and then had little use for
24" bull barrel upper in ruger 204. Never shot it sold it to a ground hog hunter.
carbine with full rails and a acog purchased on a whim.....ahhh yeah at that point the gun and optic was worth more than my truck..... thank christ I was offered what i paid for that thing. Nice but useless for me!
I built a clone of S&W M&P Tactical model from the PC shop... ahh another 24" heavy ass gun that I didnt want to spend money on a decent optic?
I then built a upper as cheap as possible A2 style used parts ect ect.....ran and shot great. Abused that poor thing with a diet of steel and did not clean it for a long time. A Friend ened up with that rifle and it is still being abused!
In the end I have a standard no frills A2, NM A2, my last build "varmint" style with 20" barrel, and a 22lr upper which i purchased.

good luck go slow and have fun
 
Okay. I just picked myself up a milspec buffer kit and a nice magpul stock, new comfort grip and an evil preban magazine. Now. Whence I get me the tools I can finish my lower : )


Sent from my Obamaphone (lol j/k I have a job)
 
amugy2a7.jpg


Progress. Lower complete. Got a magpul CTR stock, a nice rubber magpul grip, magpul trigger guard and one nice preban in there. Thanks to Percision Armament Werks for the hardware and for taking literally 45 minutes out of their day to walk me through and answer every question I had!


Sent from my Obamaphone (lol j/k I have a job)
 
Apcsox said:
amugy2a7.jpg


Progress. Lower complete. Got a magpul CTR stock, a nice rubber magpul grip, magpul trigger guard and one nice preban in there. Thanks to Percision Armament Werks for the hardware and for taking literally 45 minutes out of their day to walk me through and answer every question I had!


Sent from my Obamaphone (lol j/k I have a job)
Click to expand...

congrats… Now pin it..

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...MAGPUL-STR-NON-DESTRUCTIVE-REVERSIBLE-PINNING

- - - Updated - - -

dgrafton said:
Months? Hahahahaha! I said that too. Once a few parts came in, that was it. Three weeks start to finish. And it was that long because I couldn't find the barrel I wanted.

Good luck though. You will enjoy it. And may even plan another build before that one is finished, lol.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Psych dgrafton.. you might be taking Jacks fortune telling job..
 
yes, I will pin it so it's not one of those super-killy rifles that collapse 3 inches and can suddenly fit in your pocket, you know, like the plastic bags for your shampoo when you fly : /
 
Apcsox said:
so, i joined the darkside and picked myself up an anderson stripped lower and an LPK from Mark over at Holliston firearms tonight....... going to slowly begin my first ever AR build (yay, go me).... so I'm sure I will be perusing and asking for advice around this part of the forum in the months to come..... just looking to build myself a very basic 5.56 here, nothing fancy, just to get my feet wet and say "look what I can do".... so if anybody has any advice from their builds, typical noob mistakes, preferences for my other pieces needed.... I'm not sure if I am missing anything here for the basic pieces needed to build one

lower and parts kit
stock
upper and parts kits
barrel (unless I get a complete upper?)
bolt carrier group

anything I am missing for a basic understanding (please don't flame my noobishness)
Click to expand...

How much was the Anderson Lower?
 
what is the key difference between the different barrel twists I keep seeing? What are advantages and disadvantages of say a 1 in 7 or 1 in 9?
 
2umusudu.jpg

Here's my two random pieces of machined metals that I have. Neither piece can propel a bullet right now so the state can wait until I pin the muzzle break and stock before I connect them with two little pins


Sent from my Obamaphone (lol j/k I have a job)
 
Apcsox said:
I'm not sure if I am missing anything here for the basic pieces needed to build one

lower and parts kit
stock
upper and parts kits
barrel (unless I get a complete upper?)
bolt carrier group

anything I am missing for a basic understanding (please don't flame my noobishness)
Click to expand...

You've got the broad strokes but annoyingly there's more. I'm in the middle of my first build. I did about 50 hours of research prior to starting and made a parts list. I'll list it off in simple form. Bear in mind my setup is for a free-float rail so you might vary in that department. Looks like you already bought an upper but here's the list anyway.

Lower:
Stripped lower
LPK (may want to buy upgraded Trigger, Grip, and Trigger Guard depending on preferences)
Buffer tube
Receiver end plate (with or without sling loop, depending on what you want)
Buffer Spring
Buffer
Stock

Upper:
Stripped upper
Forward Assist/Dust Cover Assembly (Upper parts kit?)
Charging Handle
BCG
Gas block (or front sight post which is your gas block built in)
Gas tube
Gas tube roll pin
Barrel
Muzzle Device (flash hider or muzzle brake)
Hand Guard
Iron Sights (in my case flip ups since I'm not going with a sight post)

Tools You'll Need:
AR Armorors Tool (Tapco makes a great all in one tool for $33 on Amazon)
Vise (I got a light duty model that can clamp to the kitchen counter)
Upper and Lower vise blocks (for holding the upper and lower during building)
Torque Wrench and Breaker Bar
Roll pin punch set (specifically for roll pins... I recommend the Grace USA set on Amazon)
Nylon/Brass Hammer and a Ball Pein Hammer

What's funny is how the little things add up. For my upper there is $475 in parts AFTER buying the receiver, barrel, and BCG.

Did my first lower build last night and it went off great. This video is a great guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1omm6jY7Gg.
 
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