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How do you build an AR 15

DeBoer
I hear about people building their AR 15, bushmaster, DPMS etc. What does that all contain of? What do i buy first and what pieces does it take. How many pieces are there?!? I have never thought about it but now i want to build a .223 but i have no idea... ANY HELP??? THANKS
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • dogtown tom
    Go to the Build It Yourself section of AR15.com:
    http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=3&f=4
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  • Nwcid
    Well it depends on what you define as building. I would say there are 4 different levels and only 2 are practical for most people

    1. This would be starting with metal and machining all pieces.

    2. This would be for someone that has a home machine shop they can start with unfinished casts or forging of the receivers and doing the machine work on them.

    3. This is very common and require a few tools. You buy all the parts for the gun finished and put them together yourself. To do this you will need things like a vice, receiver block, barrel wrench, punches, hammer, ect. If you are doing more then one build then the tools will pay for themselves if not it will usually not save you money.

    4. Most common. Buying a stripped lower and putting the the FCG, about 10 min. Buying a complete upper and "dropping" it on. Not really what I would call a build but many do.

    Building your own does not usually save you money, but you get exactly what you want for less money then it would to buy a custom gun. If you want a base model gun it is usually cheeper to find one on sale or one a dealer has sitting on his shelf. If you plan on pulling parts off a stock gun and adding things you want it will be cheeper then ordering one built to your spec.

    Do a web search for building and AR-15 and you will pull up many links with step by step pic instructions for doing it.
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  • Maalox
    I am going down the No 3 road described above, not to save money but to better understand how the AR rifle works. If you can assemble one from the basic pieces, you will be able to fix it when it breaks.
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  • nmyers
    The most difficult part of building an AR is the CHOICES. You can spend months doing research, on manufacturers, receivers, barrels, sights, stocks, etc. You even need to decide what type of ammo you will be shooting, & at what distance.

    A Brownell's catalog will be helpful. Even more so if you have a C&R on file with them, as that will get you the dealer price on parts.

    On the negative side, you will have no warranty on your Mixed Parts Mongrel, & resale value will be low.

    Neal
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  • k_townman
    I have heard that it takes a few months to collect up enough beer cans. [:D][;)][:)][:o)]
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  • Mobuck
    If you are moderately knowledgeable of mechanics and hand tools, assembling the lower is not difficult. If the only tools you have in your house are 2 screwdrivers and a claw hammer, you're in for a lot of frustration. You can easily mar or damage the lower while driving the pins home. My blind son put a lower together with a minimum of help and a couple of dinged fingers from hitting them with the hammer. Most any of the namebrand lowers are within "specs" and the parts fit pretty well w/o any hand fitting.
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  • 5mmgunguy
    I put my lower receiver together in about 30 minutes, helps to have a no-mar vise to hold it in though.
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  • dfletcher
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    The most difficult part of building an AR is the CHOICES. You can spend months doing research, on manufacturers, receivers, barrels, sights, stocks, etc. You even need to decide what type of ammo you will be shooting, & at what distance.

    A Brownell's catalog will be helpful. Even more so if you have a C&R on file with them, as that will get you the dealer price on parts.

    On the negative side, you will have no warranty on your Mixed Parts Mongrel, & resale value will be low.

    Neal


    I couldn't agree more. The mechanics of putting the thing together, especially if you buy the upper with barrel attached, is pretty straightforward. But the choices - I think there's a dozen or so triggers to choose from and something very simple such as the gas block has just as many choices - can be confusing as heck. I think alot of reading and trying out what others have can save time and money.
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  • DracoOccisor
    Building is a good way to learn how they work =]
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  • v35
    I also prefer the term assemble on ARs rather than build unless you machine castings and forgings and set the headspace.
    With a few tools and little or no skill,it's a small job.
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