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**CHLChris** · 07-02-2010, 05:45 PM

Over the years of home ownership I have definitely been guilty of buying every little specific tool that I might need...but never did cuz the pliers did a better job.

I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this. The suggestion about covering the pliers teeth with elec tape is golden, Slo!

Gee, I wonder how long it takes a UPS truck to drive from Hodgkins, Illinois. Now that the Supreme Court has decided the Illinois handgun ban is unconstitutional, maybe the truck has been held up by roving bands of handgun-wielding tea partyiers!

**Quentin** · 07-03-2010, 12:30 AM

I was tempted to buy lots of AR tools but it just didn't make sense since I was building only one stripped lower then adding a complete upper. Electrical tape on visegrips/pliers worked great for the roll pins and I oiled the pins before pressing them in. Didn't need punches either since the shank ends of drill bits made excellent guides for installing pins, even the trigger and hammer pins. I hand turned the drill end of the bits in each hole before starting anything - to remove any flash.

If you're careful and follow the tips others have offered in this thread you'll do just fine Chris. We all felt like novices at first but after doing a lower you'll feel real good about your skills.

Back to tools - even now a year later, I've only bought a castle nut wrench and front sight tool.

**pagj17** · 07-04-2010, 07:52 AM

I like that plier Idea!
I just used a tack hammer( this little thing my dad and I used on our model railroad)for the pins, and I THINK I used a razor blade

It's awesome!
can't wait for my upper build parts to get in

**CHLChris** · 07-08-2010, 02:31 AM

Alright, I've got everything but the stock kit. I need that to fire, but not to assemble the rest of the lower. A few questions that perhaps could be answered, if possible:

1) Loctite: should I just go ahead and buy some?
2) After assembly, should I just go ahead and clean it before the first range trip? This would also get some oil in the right places and get off some of the excess oil that some lower parts were shipped with.
3) Is the Mobil 1 just for the exterior surfaces of the carrier group? And then standard gun oil for the internal parts like the bolt and extractor?

Lastly, this is jumping the gun a bit, but I was hoping that my first range trip would be with my father-in-law to his range, which is outdoors and longer distance of up to 300 yards (a little more fun). Do I really need to put it through the paces of 3 rounds and then clean...repeat many times? I'd love to be able to put 3 mags through it and clean it at home, but I don't want to hurt my new friend. I have factory-loaded, high quality ammo in those mags, nothing coated, just brass cases and a box of Hornady TAP, which is nickel-plated cases.

**Quentin** · 07-08-2010, 02:48 AM

I would skip the loctite, there are few applications for it on a standard AR. Normally you stake the gas key and castle nut not loctite.

I would use a lot of oil assembling the lower, get it down all the channels for the pivot pin/break down pin detents and the selector detent. And roll pins go in easier if oiled.

Oil, that's up to you. You can use Mobil 1 anywhere you'd use gun oil. Some people like to use grease on the four contact rails of the exterior of the bolt carrier but oil is ok too. It's good to run the AR wet.

You don't need to break in the barrel but I'd recommend loading only one round in the magazine for the first shot to make sure the disconnector and trigger reset properly. Then try two rounds then maybe five and finally fill the mag. This is just a safety precaution in case the rifle doubles or goes full auto.

On match barrels some guys like to break in the barrel but it's probably not necessary and certainly not with a plus .5 MOA rifle.

Don't forget to run dry patches down the bore before firing to remove any oil or powder residue.

**CHLChris** · 07-08-2010, 04:59 AM

Thanks, Slo! For the record, I got a few suggestions about protocol for that first range trip. It doesn't sound nearly as menacing as the standard advice sounds. "Fire once, clean, fire once, clean, fire once, clean, go to sleep at range while cleaning again, clean, fire once while caressing the bore, peer through the perfect barrel lovingly, clean again, fire one last time...CLEAN!!!"

A couple cleaning supplies before I start and I should be having a range report within a few weeks (I'm pretty busy this summer...).

**CHLChris** · 07-09-2010, 01:09 AM

Lower is almost finished. Through some very well-timed help from slowryde and cane, I have finished everything I can. My stock hasn't arrived, but I was able to build most of the lower in less than 2 hours. So many of the steps are pretty clear once the parts are in your hand and you can see how they fit. It could be done in 15 minutes or less by someone who knew what to do. It is really easy so far!

And no launched detent pin here! The second photo of all the loose parts was because I was led by other posts to be fearful of an unplanned launch and I wanted to know what parts I was supposed to have.

No need!

**pagj17** · 07-10-2010, 12:50 AM

Looks really good *high five*

**Quentin** · 07-10-2010, 02:09 AM

Yep, looking good Chris!

Might be good to summarize the recent PMs since this is a sticky to help others doing their first AR build.

Dillinger · 07-10-2010, 05:57 PM

Well done Chris. I am glad to see you were able to pull it off and can see by your writing that the "big mystery" has been opened for you.

Wasn't that hard once you had it all in front of you, huh? These things aren't open heart surgery, they are pretty easy to work on & maintain.

Good job!!

JD

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