AR Lower Assembly Questions

[dross]

1. What is the minimum tool list I can reasonably get away with?

2. Must I buy a castle nut wrench for the buttstock, and if so, are their different sizes for commercial vs mil spec buffer tubes?

3. Del Ton says to have a gunsmith check the headspace, is this necessary, or is this lawyer stuff?

4. Anything else I need to know for my first build?

 

[dom1104]

Yep just lawyer stuff, I never pay any attention to any of that.. BOOOOOM.

 

[malern28us]

For my first one I didnt buy a castle nut wrench. I took a pair of slip jaw offset pliers and plastidipped the jaws. A perfect non marring way to tighten and loosen a castle nut in a pinch. I also plastidipped a punch and tapped the notch in the castle nut to make sure it was snug.

 

[dross]

Yep just lawyer stuff, I never pay any attention to any of that.. BOOOOOM.

Make fun of my ignorance if you like, but the reason I asked is that it comes assembled and I've read several other places that it isn't necessary to check it with a kit rifle. Since there are some very knowlegeable folks here, I thought I'd ask the question.

Thanks for your "help."

 

[malern28us]

I would personally check headspace. Go and no go gauges are worth it if you plan on building a few.

 

[SteelersFan]

You check the headspace on the upper not the lower.

 

[dross]

You check the headspace on the upper not the lower.

I'm fully aware of that. The kit comes with an upper already assembled.

 

[usmcdjb]

I won't take credit for this - found it posted at snipers hide. It makes sense. I've never checked headspace in any ARs I've built (all but one from an upper kit).

"Your headspace on the AR is not effected by swapping out a barrel nut and rail. The barrel nut just holds the barrel onto the upper. The barrel extension, attached to the barrel (part that slips into the upper) is what will maintain your headspace and they are pined on and you wont be changing it, so you are good. Just torque down and go.."

 

[racr28]

If your upper comes assembled, you should not need to headspace it. All uppers should have .620 tenon length with .130 headspace. Unless your bolt or extension are not in spec, they will headspace within tolerance.

I would get a set of roll pin punches and holders to build the lower.

 

[BIGE7.62]

IMHO check head space .
You can find the gages at fosters,midway,brownells ,ect ,and you can get the armores tool for the castel nut,barrel nut it's a combo tool.
Buy the right tools to do the build with or find someone around you that has the right tools
Try this link http://artactical.net/ar15_headspace.htm
Some good info on there .Good luck,Be safe,post pics .

 

[mike8170]

My tool list for assembling a lower:

multi-tip screwdriver
3/32 brass punch
plastic headed hammer
small needle nose pliers
adjustable wrench
a rose wrench or shotgun choke wrench for the buttstock nut


Plus, if it is a Del-ton kit, the upper will come with a fired round when it was assembled and headspaced.

Have fun with your build!

 

[aclark]

I'm pretty sure I got away with only a screwdriver, a small set of punches (5pk from walmart), and a pair of needle-nose pliers. And I got a castle nut span wrench just because I didn't have anything else to tighten it down with.

 

[dross]

I have my trusty P38 (you youngsters wouldn't know nothin' 'bout that) but it sounds like that alone may not get the job done.

 

[acarnahan]

1. Check out the brownells AR build toolset, it's $100 but you can find some of them cheaper elsewhere. I'd say you can get that toolset down to $60-$70 and it will have universal AR wrenches.

3. Just buy a headspace guage.

4. Brownells, UltimateReloader, and youtube have many build from scratch AR vids. I'd recommend watching a couple of them for tips & tricks.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Roll punches, screw driver / allen wrench for grip, and vice grips with the jaws taped up for the roll pin and castle nut. The punches are good for all of the roll pins except the pin that holds in the bolt release. That is a PITA to do with a punch. But a vice grips will do the trick if you start wind and slowly adjust the jaw width to squeeze it farther and farter in. You can then "set" the roll pin just below flush with the punch.

I did get a low cost castle nut tool and was glad I did.

I'm sure you've already found some good directions for the lower build, but if not, I used these on both my builds.

:: Guides


ETA- My first build was a Del-Ton kit. Comes headspaced and fired from the factory if you buy the complete upper with BCG or the full kit (minus lower). No need to get a head space gage.

 

[loony1]

I found this very useful:
Assemble your own LOWER, UPPER, FREE FLOAT, TRIGGER, GAS BLOCK - Step by step instructions! - AR15.COM

 

[Bonez87]

Things you need to make it a lot easier - AR 15 multi tool, set of punches, small needle nose pliers, roll pin starter, small hammer, rubber mallot, vise and lower receiver vise block.

 

[mschlatter]

Bought my Stag as a parts kit. Had never touched one before. As long as you have a brass punch for pins, screwdriver, small hammer and possibly a small socket set you should do fine. Looked up the spring setup online other than that pretty simple.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Don't know what a P38's going to do for you until it's time to break out the ammo. Question: has any of you had one fail the headspace? If so, what can you do about it? If it's off at all, the bolt won't twist into the lugs. The headspace is built into the barrel. Not adjustable. I've never worried about it, and never had a problem. Have I just been lucky?

 

[dross]

Don't know what a P38's going to do for you until it's time to break out the ammo. Question: has any of you had one fail the headspace? If so, what can you do about it? If it's off at all, the bolt won't twist into the lugs. The headspace is built into the barrel. Not adjustable. I've never worried about it, and never had a problem. Have I just been lucky?

Don't you know that a P38 can do pretty much anything - from slitting a guard's throat in a POW camp to overhauling a jeep engine? Clearly sir, you know very little about the mighty P38.