Attempting my first AR build...Am I off to a good start?

DaemonAssassin · Jun 9, 2021

GBear said:
Holy ! Think I might be in over my head. This list let’s me know just how much I don’t know and need to learn...*.

Bear in mind that list is just to start.

I have a rolling tool chest that is 26" wide for the drawers, filled with tools to build them.

I forgot to add the reaction rods to the list.

babalou · Jun 9, 2021

carbine versus pistol

mvee said:
I think most 5.56 11.5 barrels are carbine and not pistol length gas systems. I’m not sure what a 556 bolt kit is. You also have a bolt carrier group listed This should have the bolt.
Take down pins should be included in the lower parts kit, I guess you must want to use some special ones.
I also assume you have an upper receiver.

You’ll need to figure out how to align the gas block and torque the barrel nut and receiver extension and assemble everything.

How mechanically inclined are you? There are easier options.

11.5 is supposedly the best pistol length for a 5.56. 300 is shorter. I know people with 5.56 11.5 pistols. Now, I also know people who do pistol until their stamp comes back to SBR..

babalou · Jun 9, 2021

Exactly

teratos said:
Everyone builds multiple AR's. Everyone.

They are like Tribbles

DaemonAssassin · Jun 9, 2021

babalou said:
They are like Tribbles

That's a bad comparison! Tribbles are useless creatures, whereas the AR is a American icon and a useful tool!

babalou · Jun 9, 2021

hahahaha

DaemonAssassin said:
That's a bad comparison! Tribbles are useless creatures, whereas the AR is a American icon and a useful tool!

hahahaha. Cyrano Jones would disagree. Much like how our "friends" on the left think ARs are useless and/or dangerous.

DaemonAssassin · Jun 9, 2021

babalou said:
hahahaha. Cyrano Jones would disagree. Much like how our "friends" on the left think ARs are useless and/or dangerous.

I see what you did there.

babalou · Jun 9, 2021

haha

DaemonAssassin said:
I see what you did there.

All good, brother.

SkiPatrolDude · Jun 9, 2021

Welcome to the rabbit hole. It's tough to say if you got a good value at north of $1300 without the branding of each part, but the list looks pretty good to me.

I've been successful at assembling reasonably good quality rifles during the plandemic (mostly Aero and Ballistic Advantage parts) for roughly $850 not included tax. Expensive billet receiver sets and gimmicky small parts are truly not worth it.

As far as assembly, the devil is in the details. Anyone with fairly basic tools can assemble a functioning rifle, but more often than not something small but critical is missed, or you end up dinging your parts up bad in an effort to force things together (ie; roll pins and detents).

Also, I think the OP was saying he's building a pistol but with an 11.5 inch barrel... if it's 5.56 it absolutely will be a carbine length gas system. There are some issues with basic semantics here but it's prob due to lack of OP's experience VS not having the right parts.

Also, you absolutely MUST have a GOOD and solidly mounted vice to do this assembly properly.

DZ · Jun 9, 2021

GBear- easy to get overwhelmed at first. Overall, it is a relatively simple firearm to assemble. Spend some time watch youtube videos on the following channels. They all have really good information and break the assembly process down pretty simply. The tools DaemonAssassin listed is a pretty good list. You can probably get by without the bore scope if you are careful about aligning your gas block. Quite a few a general hand tools on the list that everyone should have, and will be useful to not just assembling an AR-15. Also consider if you buy an AR-15, complete, you may eventually need to repair it or mostly like modify or upgrade it to suit your needs.

Recommended YT channels:
School of the American Rifle
Brownells
nsz85

A little research and preparation will get you there. Watch some videos and if it helps, write down the process and make sure you understand each step and have the parts and tools you need. If you get stuck, you can post here and we'll get you sorted out quickly.

babalou · Jun 9, 2021

well

SkiPatrolDude said:
Welcome to the rabbit hole. It's tough to say if you got a good value at north of $1300 without the branding of each part, but the list looks pretty good to me.

I've been successful at assembling reasonably good quality rifles during the plandemic (mostly Aero and Ballistic Advantage parts) for roughly $850 not included tax. Expensive billet receiver sets and gimmicky small parts are truly not worth it.

As far as assembly, the devil is in the details. Anyone with fairly basic tools can assemble a functioning rifle, but more often than not something small but critical is missed, or you end up dinging your parts up bad in an effort to force things together (ie; roll pins and detents).

Also, I think the OP was saying he's building a pistol but with an 11.5 inch barrel... if it's 5.56 it absolutely will be a carbine length gas system. There are some issues with basic semantics here but it's prob due to lack of OP's experience VS not having the right parts.

Also, you absolutely MUST have a GOOD and solidly mounted vice to do this assembly properly.

no vice for having a great vise...

GBear · Jun 9, 2021

DZ said:
GBear- easy to get overwhelmed at first. Overall, it is a relatively simple firearm to assemble. Spend some time watch youtube videos on the following channels. They all have really good information and break the assembly process down pretty simply. The tools DaemonAssassin listed is a pretty good list. You can probably get by without the bore scope if you are careful about aligning your gas block. Quite a few a general hand tools on the list that everyone should have, and will be useful to not just assembling an AR-15. Also consider if you buy an AR-15, complete, you may eventually need to repair it or mostly like modify or upgrade it to suit your needs.

Recommended YT channels:
School of the American Rifle
Brownells
nsz85

A little research and preparation will get you there. Watch some videos and if it helps, write down the process and make sure you understand each step and have the parts and tools you need. If you get stuck, you can post here and we'll get you sorted out quickly.

The laundry list of parts and tools gets intimidating. I watched a walk thru video on YouTube by Radian Weapons where they made it look simple, even though the guy worked for the company. Since I can find the MCX Virtus, I figured it would be cool to custom pick all the parts, but I’m not sure what parts but on a budget and what parts to splurge on for quality purposes. I do want to learn the ins and outs of the AR platform, just don’t want to get in over my head with a box full of parts and regret. I do appreciate all of the feedback and support offered by everyone.

DaemonAssassin · Jun 9, 2021

GBear said:
The laundry list of parts and tools gets intimidating. I watched a walk thru video on YouTube by Radian Weapons where they made it look simple, even though the guy worked for the company. Since I can find the MCX Virtus, I figured it would be cool to custom pick all the parts, but I’m not sure what parts but on a budget and what parts to splurge on for quality purposes. I do want to learn the ins and outs of the AR platform, just don’t want to get in over my head with a box full of parts and regret. I do appreciate all of the feedback and support offered by everyone.

You could always ask for one of us to assist you in the assembly. Have, you'd have to travel to do it, but that's a small price to pay to have it done right. Also you'll want to ask for a SOTAR build class alumni.

GBear · Jun 9, 2021

I’ve been looking at complete lowers/uppers all morning. Seems like the safe middle of the road way to go. Question...if I order a complete lower, the receiver extension still has to be a brace and not a stock, correct? I’m also stuck between getting the less expensive parts vs geissele triggers and high end complete uppers with a quality bcg. I already have a DDM4 PDW and waiting on my Nomad-30 to be set free, but being such a beginner to firearms I truly would have purchased something chambered in 5.56 instead of 300 blackout. Ammo prices make shooting very limited. I am on the wait list for a Walther PDP, which should be available in August. I said all of that to say this...this will probably be last firearm purchase for a while. The next step is training, training, and more training. But what would you guys do...spend the extra cash on all of the “custom” parts you want or go for a budget build? Or...wait until what I really want because available, which doesn’t have a time frame? Sorry for the long post, but I’m self-diagnosed OCD and this will consume my mind and time until I solve it.

teratos · Jun 9, 2021

DaemonAssassin said:
You could always ask for one of us to assist you in the assembly. Have, you'd have to travel to do it, but that's a small price to pay to have it done right. Also you'll want to ask for a SOTAR build class alumni.

This is a good suggestion. Lots of people are willing to help. Step in to my shipping container, and we can have your gun together in no time.

GBear · Jun 9, 2021

Another question...what about custom builds ordered out of state. How would that work with MD handgun roster?

mvee · Jun 9, 2021

GBear said:
Another question...what about custom builds ordered out of state. How would that work with MD handgun roster?

Well it has to be on the roster, if it was built after sometime in 1985.

outrider58 · Jun 9, 2021

teratos said:
This is a good suggestion. Lots of people are willing to help. Step in to my shipping container, and we can have your gun together in no time.

You...you mean...in the biblical sense? :outta her

Bountied · Jun 9, 2021

GBear said:
The laundry list of parts and tools gets intimidating. I watched a walk thru video on YouTube by Radian Weapons where they made it look simple, even though the guy worked for the company. Since I can find the MCX Virtus, I figured it would be cool to custom pick all the parts, but I’m not sure what parts but on a budget and what parts to splurge on for quality purposes. I do want to learn the ins and outs of the AR platform, just don’t want to get in over my head with a box full of parts and regret. I do appreciate all of the feedback and support offered by everyone.

I have boxes of parts and no regerts! Always good to have spares. Like detents and detent springs for when you're almost done your build and they go flying into another dimension. Ask me how I know. Tools are cheapish and last a long time. I bought my first rifle then modded the crap out of it until the only original part is the receiver. It's a fun hobby and a good skill to have.

You can do it!

gwchem · Jun 9, 2021

I recommend if you're interested in building, to start by building the lower and buying a complete upper.

No special tools required except punches and a castle nut wrench.

It's not rocket surgery. Watch a bunch of videos, and have an oops kit on hand to replace lost springs.

smokey · Jun 9, 2021

DZ said:
GBear- easy to get overwhelmed at first. Overall, it is a relatively simple firearm to assemble. Spend some time watch youtube videos on the following channels. They all have really good information and break the assembly process down pretty simply. The tools DaemonAssassin listed is a pretty good list. You can probably get by without the bore scope if you are careful about aligning your gas block. Quite a few a general hand tools on the list that everyone should have, and will be useful to not just assembling an AR-15. Also consider if you buy an AR-15, complete, you may eventually need to repair it or mostly like modify or upgrade it to suit your needs.

Recommended YT channels:
School of the American Rifle
Brownells
nsz85

A little research and preparation will get you there. Watch some videos and if it helps, write down the process and make sure you understand each step and have the parts and tools you need. If you get stuck, you can post here and we'll get you sorted out quickly.

Gas block spaghetti trick... find spaghetti that's big enough to fill most of the gas port hole in the barrel, but that's not too tight. With gas port up, break off spaghetti flush with the barrel. Measure its length so you know you got all of it out later(two lines on paper will do) .

With gas port up, drop in spaghetti and then slide gas block over it, roughly where you think it's lined up. Now turn the barrel 90 degrees so the gas block is down and look up the bore as you move the gas block around. When it's lined up, the spaghetti will fall down into the gas block. You should be able to figure out where center is by wiggling the block left/right and front/back so that the spaghetti freely moves in and out of the block as you rotate the gas port to face up and down.

Tighten up the gas block(assuming clamp on). Next turn gas port up again and use a cleaning rod to push from chamber to muzzle to snap the spaghetti out the front. Keep the piece that comes out, pull back the cleaning rod and push forward again. Repeat until there's no spaghetti coming out the front. Gather up the spaghetti pieces and verify that they fit together to make up the initial length so that you know there's not loose sketty up in the gun somewhere.

It's basically what these do...
https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...-tools/ar-15-gas-block-aligner-prod68371.aspx
...but without needing to buy plastic sketty.

Attempting my first AR build...Am I off to a good start?

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