First AR build

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  • Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,500
    AA Co
    You need to get a roll pin starter punch to make that job effortless.. :)

    Nice build! Looks great!! :beer:
     

    jrumann59

    DILLIGAF
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 17, 2011
    14,024
    Lower is done :)

    Came out decent. couple scratches putting the mag catch on...damn that side rollpin. I just hit the scratches with a sharpie. That front takedown pin SUCKS to assemble LOL.

    Try aluminum black comes in a blue bottle wonderful small scratches and touching up finished on the of pins.
     

    ObsceneJesster

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2011
    2,958
    Lower is done :)

    Came out decent. couple scratches putting the mag catch on...damn that side rollpin. I just hit the scratches with a sharpie. That front takedown pin SUCKS to assemble LOL.

    I don't know why manufacturers just don't tap that hole. I just got done putting a custom billet lower together about a month ago and the bolt catch pin was a Allen head screw instead of a roll pin. It made things much easier and I didn't need to mess up the finish.

    Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,500
    AA Co
    I don't know why manufacturers just don't tap that hole. I just got done putting a custom billet lower together about a month ago and the bolt catch pin was a Allen head screw instead of a roll pin. It made things much easier and I didn't need to mess up the finish.

    Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
    Don't a lot of the 308 lowers do it this way (edit... many use a set screw)? I may have to consider that in future designs. It wouldn't be hard to to back and tap it with an extended tap. That hole would easily tap to a 4-40 or 4-48, depending on what size it was actually drilled to for the pin...
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,500
    AA Co
    Two small tools make that pin easy, I have done it many times. A roll pin starter punch and an actual roll pin punch (with the ball tip). Start it and set it in as far as you can with the starter punch and finish it off with the roll pin punch. Clean, easy and much less chance of slippin off that stinkin pin or smashin yer fingers trying to start it... LMAO
     

    Fireball

    Active Member
    Mar 5, 2013
    114
    Rising Sun, md
    Two small tools make that pin easy, I have done it many times. A roll pin starter punch and an actual roll pin punch (with the ball tip). Start it and set it in as far as you can with the starter punch and finish it off with the roll pin punch. Clean, easy and much less chance of slippin off that stinkin pin or smashin yer fingers trying to start it... LMAO

    Two tools I didn't have. I'm all for buying tools...I have more than I can ever use...but I don't plan on assembling too many recievers

    I did buy an armorers wrench and upper/lower vise blocks since those will come in handy over time.
     

    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,500
    AA Co
    Two tools I didn't have. I'm all for buying tools...I have more than I can ever use...but I don't plan on assembling too many recievers

    I did buy an armorers wrench and upper/lower vise blocks since those will come in handy over time.
    I hear ya.. lol You can get away with cheapies from Amazon or somebody like that. You don't have to spend big $$ on em.

    Vise blocks, armorers wrench, wrench for free float handguards and I got a front sight block/barrel block to help with removing and reinstalling pinned gas blocks.. all essential tools for buildin the AR. :thumbsup:

    I use an allen wrench (3/16 I think) or a slightly undersized punch to help with that stinking detent and spring for the front pivot pin. Slide that through from the back side and get the detent under it. Use the punch or wrench to hold it down, then slide your pin up against it and use the pin to push the punch out.. just like installing the trigger or especially the hammer pin. I made a punch to help with that, works like a champ!
     

    Unodeuce

    Member
    Feb 22, 2013
    64
    Rising Sun, MD
    Looks real good. Went with the same set up from PSA. After countless hours searching for matching furniture for my upper, I found that this was a lot better deal than buying it piece meal, and matching color was not that big a deal. Upper came in yesterday and the rest of the parts are in transit.
     

    Fireball

    Active Member
    Mar 5, 2013
    114
    Rising Sun, md
    Installed the KNS anti-rotation pins. Nice little pieces.

    Upper shipped yesterday...won't arrive until Tuesday though :(

    Need to find a suitable pin to use for the muzzle brake. Pinning it and TIG welding over the pin will be the first thing I do Tuesday ;)

    Cant wait to put some rounds through it :)
     

    spfrazierjr

    Active Member
    Mar 1, 2013
    203
    Installed the KNS anti-rotation pins. Nice little pieces.

    Upper shipped yesterday...won't arrive until Tuesday though :(

    Need to find a suitable pin to use for the muzzle brake. Pinning it and TIG welding over the pin will be the first thing I do Tuesday ;)

    Cant wait to put some rounds through it :)

    Pictures when it comes in. My lower is supposed to show up today.
     

    Pmbspyder

    Platinum Member
    Apr 12, 2012
    962
    Installed the KNS anti-rotation pins. Nice little pieces.

    Upper shipped yesterday...won't arrive until Tuesday though :(

    Need to find a suitable pin to use for the muzzle brake. Pinning it and TIG welding over the pin will be the first thing I do Tuesday ;)

    Cant wait to put some rounds through it :)

    Small piece of wire coat hanger seems to be the method of choice on arfcom
     

    pwoolford

    AR15's make me :-)
    Jan 3, 2012
    4,186
    White Marsh
    Lower is done :)

    Came out decent. couple scratches putting the mag catch on...damn that side rollpin. I just hit the scratches with a sharpie. That front takedown pin SUCKS to assemble LOL.

    Not sure how everyone else does it but I use small needle nose pliers to put the front spring/detent in then hold it with a screwdriver like the pic below. I push the take down pin down over the screwdriver then slide the screwdriver out while pushing the take down pin in. Never had one fly doing it this way.

     

    bmodzelewski

    Active Member
    Oct 11, 2012
    407
    Middle River
    finished "machining" the 80% lower today.

    Used only a drill press. FCG pocket has some wave in the walls, but the FCG assembled fine and functions appropriately.

    Going to do the "homebrew" type II anodizing on it. I don't want to serialize it that is required by FFLs who do type III.


    lower looks good! how hard was it to "machine"?
     

    sailskidrive

    Legalize the Constitution
    Oct 16, 2011
    5,547
    Route 27
    Nice job!

    That front takedown pin SUCKS to assemble LOL.

    I usually use a razor blade to hold the detent down while I push in the take down pin. The screwdriver someone mentioned earlier is a good idea.
     

    ObsceneJesster

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2011
    2,958
    To install the front takedown pin detent, just set the detent in there and hold the lower upside down so the detent is just sitting there. Then take the pin and push down on the detent and then slide the pin in. It takes seconds. No tools are needed. I believe Brownells even sells a special tool for this which I don't understand why anyone would need it.

    Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
     

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