DIY AR 15 build action
Anyone build a receiver for a AR 15?
Is it difficult...
Is it difficult...
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I don't know what "build a receiver" means. Lower receiver or upper? If you mean assembling parts onto/into a receiver, apparently there are several videos on Uboob.
If you know nothing about an AR, I wouldn't suggest you begin learning by forcing a collection of parts together.0 -
At one time, a number of years ago, guy out west was selling 80% AR lowers. You had to do the finish machining your self. Feds put him out of business.
As the lower is the required part that is serial numbered, and actually considered to be the AR by the feds. I don't see them letting anybody do business, making unserial numbered home made lowers.
It's much easier to make a sheet metal receiver for a AK, then a cast aluminum or plastic lower for a AR, in your garage.0 -
quote:Originally posted by wpage
Anyone build a receiver for a AR 15?
Is it difficult...
Depends what you mean by "build".
If you mean taking a completed "bare" receiver and installing the necessary pins and parts for it to be functional, plenty of people do this all the time (I've done it myself) and if you have any mechanical aptitude at all and a few basic tools, its not difficult at all.
Hardest part of the the whole thing now is going to be actually locating a lower receiver kit. . .with the Obama gun panic 2013, these are probably sold out everywhere.
If by "build" you mean fabricating a receiver from SCRATCH (ie milling one out of a block of aluminum, for example), yes this "can" be done by someone who is very skilled, but this is a job for a sophisticated machinist, not for some total rank amateur. If you have access to a CNC milling machine, that could make this sort of thing a lot easier. No. . .I've never done this.
As mentioned, if you're really interested in fabricating a gun receiver from scratch, there are easier guns to do it with than an AR.
For example, Kalashnikov receivers are basically just flat sheets of metal that have holes cut into them in particular places, bent into shape over a jig, then heat-treated to harden them.
Some of the submachine guns (eg Stens, etc) also have receivers that are made from simple sheet metal or metal tubes, too.0 -
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
At one time, a number of years ago, guy out west was selling 80% AR lowers. You had to do the finish machining your self. Feds put him out of business.
As the lower is the required part that is serial numbered, and actually considered to be the AR by the feds. I don't see them letting anybody do business, making unserial numbered home made lowers.
It's much easier to make a sheet metal receiver for a AK, then a cast aluminum or plastic lower for a AR, in your garage.
Well, its legal under Federal law to manufacture your own gun and receiver; just that such a home-made gun is not legally transferable. You can never sell or transfer it to anyone else. So you can't legally "do business" selling these.
By law an 80% (or less) finished receiver is just a piece of metal, so you can legally buy them, sell them, transfer, them, etc, with no gun laws applying. You can also buy one, have it mailed directly to your home (with no paperwork) and then legally start your build with one, if you like. Or you "could" do that if you could actually locate one. . .like everything else AR-related, these are probably sold out everywhere and hard to find.
Note that actually turning an 80% receiver into a 100% functional one is NOT trivial since it requires precise machining of the holes, though its not nearly so hard as creating a functional receiver from total scratch.
My understanding is that the Feds shut down the guy who was selling 80% finished 1911 receivers not because he was selling them per se, but because he set up a little "business" with jigs and a drill where basically anyone could show up with cash, buy one of his unfinished receivers, and then quite literally with the push of a few buttons, transform it instantly into a fully functional 100% receiver right there. Even that was probably still legal, but for obvious reasons the Feds though this was over the top and shut him down.
Edit: There are still several outfits that will sell you 80% AR-15 receivers right now. . or they would if they had any. . .apparently they're all sold out right now.
This is one, and I'm linking to it because the FAQ is quite educational:
http://aresarmor.com/store/index.php?app=cms&ns=display&ref=80percentFAQ&sid=vm14uy4687357slz93tis49xy06558t10 -
quote:Originally posted by beantownshootah
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
At one time, a number of years ago, guy out west was selling 80% AR lowers. You had to do the finish machining your self. Feds put him out of business.
As the lower is the required part that is serial numbered, and actually considered to be the AR by the feds. I don't see them letting anybody do business, making unserial numbered home made lowers.
It's much easier to make a sheet metal receiver for a AK, then a cast aluminum or plastic lower for a AR, in your garage.
Well, its legal under Federal law to manufacture your own gun and receiver; just that such a home-made gun is not legally transferable. You can never sell or transfer it to anyone else. So you can't legally "do business" selling these.
By law an 80% (or less) finished receiver is just a piece of metal, so you can legally buy them, sell them, transfer, them, etc, with no gun laws applying. You can also buy one, have it mailed directly to your home (with no paperwork) and then legally start your build with one, if you like. Or you "could" do that if you could actually locate one. . .like everything else AR-related, these are probably sold out everywhere and hard to find.
Note that actually turning an 80% receiver into a 100% functional one is NOT trivial since it requires precise machining of the holes, though its not nearly so hard as creating a functional receiver from total scratch.
My understanding is that the Feds shut down the guy who was selling 80% finished 1911 receivers not because he was selling them per se, but because he set up a little "business" with jigs and a drill where basically anyone could show up with cash, buy one of his unfinished receivers, and then quite literally with the push of a few buttons, transform it instantly into a fully functional 100% receiver right there. Even that was probably still legal, but for obvious reasons the Feds though this was over the top and shut him down.
Edit: There are still several outfits that will sell you 80% AR-15 receivers right now. . or they would if they had any. . .apparently they're all sold out right now.
This is one, and I'm linking to it because the FAQ is quite educational:
http://aresarmor.com/store/index.php?app=cms&ns=display&ref=80percentFAQ&sid=vm14uy4687357slz93tis49xy06558t1
Thanks for the heads-up on this Shooter. Can't believe this guy is in business, in calli and stays out of jail. Years ago I use to live in LA and LA county. The cops in LA use to pull some really ugly entrapment scenes, trying to put folks in jail that had anything remotely to do with firearms. I guess in San Diego county where this guy is located their not so hard nosed.0 -
As always a wealth of information here...
Thanks for the AR info. My friend implied that the AR 15 platform was one of the simple ones to build on. His position was the options of top frames and barrels etc to add on.
I had no idea there was so much to go on. Just beginning to understand the ways and means of this frame.0 -
wpage,
"Anyone build a receiver for a AR 15?"
"My friend implied that the AR 15 platform was one of the simple ones to build on."
These are two completely different questions with regard to actually 'building' an AR15.
There are a multitude of ways to phrase questions and the more complex a subject gets, the more critical it is to ask the question within the context of the information needed. Never be afraid to expound on the question with the most information possible in order to get the best answers.
The question about building an AR15 receiver from raw material has been answered for the most part.
My friend implied that the AR 15 platform was one of the simple ones to build on.
In the simplest of terms, AR15s can be like tinker toy kits. You purchase some finished sub-assemblies and then put those together with few tools and go shoot your 'build'.
On the other hand though, you can also buy each individual part then fit them together, including locating and drilling the gas port with the proper size drill. This is the other extreme because it takes knowledge and skill plus specialized tools to get the same end result.
The average Joe American can't get this accomplished on the kitchen table by himself.
The options are too numerous to even try to list. There are hundreds of variations, enough to satisfy even the most finicky shooters. You can achieve a different look by simply switching uppers or get a little more tricky by adding some of the more intricate forearms with a multitude of rails and attachments. There are dozens of butt stocks; fixed, multi-position collapsible or folding.
With all the variations in parts and assemblies, I think preparation and planning will make all the difference in the end result. I suggest that you do a quick search on the internet to find a couple of books about the AR15 and the process of creating the assembly. There are dozens of these on the market so finding one in the library or used book store might be alternatives.
I know of at least one website that has step-by-step assembly instructions complete with photographs for each step. It's not difficult but as I wrote above, it does take knowledge and a certain amount of skill to get a fully functional, reliable AR15. Then there is the tooling factor to consider. Buying all the tolls necessary for a complete build will be expensive. You'll be better off starting slow and working your way up if you intend to build more than just a couple of these. Otherwise it's less expensive to let someone else with the training and tools to do it for you.
Best.0 -
AR parts are mostly built to standard specifications.
You buy a box full of bits and pieces and ASSEMBLE an AR.
That gives people the idea they can buy a box of other bits and pieces and assemble a 1911. But that old design must be fitted and built, not a Lego set.0 -
Goodies always good to learn.
As for building a AR lower, it's very easy. Just get the parts and put it together. There's a lot of videos telling you how to do it.. As well as lots of tutorials.0 -
Thanks for clearing that up...
Its a wild world of options. Simple no.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Hawk Carse
AR parts are mostly built to standard specifications.That's accurate, but therein lies the rub.
There is cause for great concern when looking at any 'custom built' AR. It may very well turn out to be one of the best shooting, most reliable AR's you'll see, but the opposite is just as likely.
With such guns it's a crap shoot that you'll be getting something Bubba slapped together on his kitchen table using questionable quality parts and skills. After all, he heard it was simple.
The AR is a modular design, but it's like any other gun in that the devil lies in the details.0
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