Hello, new to the forum and haven’t purchased an AR yet. I am looking at purchasing an AR for the first time and have noticed the huge difference in price when you assemble your own. Just how hard is it to put one of these things together? I am very mechanically inclined (sewing machine mechanic)and have put springs, triggers and other parts on my Ak’s with great success. Just how dissassembled should I buy mine? What tools will I need? I am looking at LMT, Noveske and an Alexander arms upper. I would like a really top of the line lower with a .223 and a 6.5 grendel upper.
Thanks in advance and please correct any of my mistakes.
Scroll down and click on a thread called “Build Tools”.
I just built my first lower today in under an hour. It was pretty easy even without a lower receiver vice block. Just take your time and don’t rush with the roll pins. I’m going to get a vice block for my next lowers.
Whoa, that’s alot of tools. So now if I buy all of these tools, will I actually save any money? The odds of me owning more than 2 of these things is pretty likely, but that’s about my limit. About how much does a set of tools cost? Is there a good all in one kit out there?
I would recommend that you buy a complete upper. If you want to try to save a few $$, then assemble a stripped lower DIY. There are a lot less things to dick-up on a lower, and the assmebly is relatively straight-forward, requiring a minimum of specialized tools and knowledge.
FWIW- quality parts and tools will negate much of the savings seen when comparing lower quality builds to higher quality builds. I hope you look around at different threads, seeing where others have come from to get to where they are.
If I was an experienced builder with all the tools to correctly assemble an entire rifle, I would probably go that route. But I am not. There are a lot less than most would have you think. It is more difficult to do it right than most would have you believe as well.
Take a look at this thread if you want some more info- “I can build a better rifle for less money”.
-F2S
I put together my lower using very simple “tools”. The hardest part for me was putting in the hammer/spring assembly. If I were to do it again, I would buy a complete lower as it is cheaper than if you were to buy the same quality parts and put it together yourself (LMT with two stage trigger and SOPMOD stock).
Meat cleaver for hitting in the pins (opposite side of the blade)
Tongue and Groove plier for pushing the pins in after theyre in the hole
Steak knife for installing the detent and springs (i couldnt find a razer blade)
Old leather glove to make sure I didnt damage the receiver
This video will walk you through everything.
http://www.lifelibertyetc.com/RangeBag/Video/LLE_AR15StrippedLower.wmv
haha! That’s great, I used an old leather glove in my vice to avoid scratching. The only time I managed to ding the lower was taking it out of the vice! I built mine with just a box knife, vice, 2x4, electricians tape, needle nose pliers, brass hammer, 3/32" and 1/4" punches. I also picked up a set of Spring Tools to stake things without having to swing a hammer. Fun stuff. Oh yeah, the hammer and hammer pin were a little tricky as the hammer was a little tough to keep aligned and plumb.
It’s about 10-20min of work for me if there’s not a store full of customers or the phone ringing off the hook.
I’ve been looking fo rthe last six months, and I really don’t think you save money, especially since you have to buy the parts retail. Maybe with some work you can find some deals on parts.
Lowers are easy to put together, and you’ll have a much better feel for diagnosing problems if you have built it. Plus the lower has all the customizable goodies, stock, trigger, safety, grip, trigger guard, bolt release and mag release.
I would buy a lower that someone built, but an upper is another story. A lot closer to the bang and determinate of safety and accuracy.
That’s all about options. For lowest cost, I still think you are better off with a mass produced rifle and live with what they give you.
It seems like you could make out on saving the FET, but I think that gets eaten up buy having to buy the parts retail, versus builders getting lower prices.
The trigger pin goes in fairly easy when you figure out which way to do it. You have to look at the pin and how the grooves are. People usually have a hard time because the force both of the grooved parts through the hole. It is also good to have a decent punch that you can isnert from the other side and use as a guide.
The hammer pin seems to go in easier when the hammer is place inside and then cocked. Insert a punch through one end and then insert the hammer pin. Again, watch whcih way you put it through the hole. I recommend not hitting the pins with anything other than a nylon or brass hammer head. If yoiu beat those pins with a steel hammer you can damage them.
If you buy the magazine block insert it will help tremendously when putting the AR together.
My feelings exactly. I’ve been able to assemble a handful of lowers with the tools I already had.
If I was an experienced builder with all the tools to correctly assemble an entire rifle, I would probably go that route. But I am not. There are a lot less than most would have you think. It is more difficult to do it right than most would have you believe as well.
I couldn’t agree more. I, to this day, don’t build my own upper halves. It would be a waste for me to buy the necessary tools and master this skill only to build an upper every 2-3 years.
I’ve been looking on all the usual sites and, for instance, you can buy a complete LMT m4 from G&R for $1250. Or you can buy the upper and lower seperately, get the 2stage trigger and sopmod stock, and be in around $1000. Plus I wouldn’t have to have the upper sent to my ffl and be charged sales tax on the upper. Can I really screw up a whole lot, or is it really a lot to just put the upper and lower together? I can buy some accessories with the $250 or be that much closer to buying an Alexander Arms 6.5 grendel upper. I’m not looking to completely customize an AR, I am nowhere near that stage. I would much prefer to open up a box and shoot and if this was a $50-100 savings this would not be a question. On the other hand if I can do a little work and save a couple hundred bucks then well… I really appreciate all of the responses and again correct me if my research is wrong or I am mistaken about something, I am a newbie. GotM4 gotta websight?
i am basically in the same boat as you, or was before i purchased my rifle, i jumped at a colt cuz i was affraid i wouldnt be able to get one. if i had to do it again i may have done it differently, but i wont sell my colt. anyways i would suggest even if you buy a complete rifle, get the upper and lower vise blocks in case you do ANYTHING outside of cleaning it. i wished i had instead of wrestling mine without them. i will be getting one of each very soon. also dont forget the tool that adjusts the front pin on your fsb its hard to do without and this is like 2 bucks at a gun show if you can find a good army navy surplus table with lots of tools.
also what is that thing in your sig? looks like a beat up driver.
All the tools you need to assemble an AR are a punch set, hammer, CAR wrench and possibly a DPMS AR tool…lookin at maybe $100 at most…
Maryland Blue Crabs(the best in the world)
I put my lower together with tools I had laying around the house. Sounds like you have access to things that’d work just fine. As already stated, the upper is the part that requires the special tools that are going to add up and probably exceed the cost of buying a prebuilt upper unless you are going bargin basement.
that said, I am thinking of trying my own hand at building an upper just so I can say I did it. Putting the lower together myself gave me a lot of satisfaction and made it “mine”. Putting together a complete gun would make that gun “special” because I did it myself. Sometimes, that is worth more than the extra money.
no no the picture in your signature, looks kinda like a mouse with a wierd cord. also so i’m still on topic, the vise mounts i think will help you in the long run, its very hard to work on a gun in your lap
I’ve got a 3’ vice with adjustable rubber coated inserts already and a crapload of hammers,punches and such. Now if I can just figure out which .223 upper and lower I’m going to get. That was not a question. I’m not opening that can of worms.
Oh and it’s a Miele vacuum cleaner, IMHO also the best in the world. Although not as tasty as the crabs.
I’m actually considering making my own, we have a lot of scrap delrin sitting around our machine shop that won’t be missed. I’m going to use the dimensions off a pmag for the model. There’s no way I’m payin’ 50 bones for something I’m pretty damned sure even I could make. I’ve got CAD drawings to reference just in case 
Thanks for the tip.
By all means go for it. If I had some laying around I’d do it to. As a matter of fact I need one for an AK47 so if you get crafty let me know.