What's harder to build upper or lower?

[v4kerker]

Just built my first lower from a Del-ton complete rifle kit, used a BCI lower. Both items bought from LGS.
All I can say is those tiny springs and indent/roll pins are a pita to install. Took awhile but got it done, just glad I started out cheap. Tough with 52 year old eyes.

Now I have too feed it some 5.56

 

['04 Cummins]

^^^ Congrats on the first build, your rear sight is backwards.

An upper is even easier than the lower, unless you have to pin a gas block. But you will need a few different tools...

 

[BradMacc82]

Upper can be a little more involved, depending on your desired result.

Slapping together a basic upper to blast at the range with - easy.

Blue-printing an upper for precision shooting - still somewhat easy, just more steps involved. And a higher budget.

 

[mopar92]

Upper is much more difficult, that fvcking e clip on the ejection port door.

 

[BradMacc82]

Upper is much more difficult, that fvcking e clip on the ejection port door.

Used to hate them damn things. But a dab of grease, and a flat tip 1/16" punch makes life a lot easier.

Just got done doing those e-clips earlier on a few uppers waiting to be built out.

 

[ohen cepel]

I buy the uppers assembled usually so they are easy :-)

 

[Wayne1one]

Lower is much easier.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[alucard0822]

There really isn't much to a lower, just slap parts in, and a hammer a few pins, not much to fit unless something is wrong, good punches, an old mag or block to clamp in a vise and a detent pin tool are all you really need. For the upper you have to bed the barrel extension, grease, seat, torque and line the nut up with the gas tube, still have parts to stick in and clip/pin them in. Then you have to mess with pinning a gas block or muzzle device, dimpling a barrel, and the tools to put it all together, check headspace, angles and alignments. Thing is building an upper is really the only way to get exactly what you want, and doing a good job is vital to the accuracy and reliability of the finished rifle.

 

[clandestine]

As Brad said, the Upper is more involved if you want it build right.

Here are things a properly build upper should have checked:

Headspace
Feed Ramp Geometry
Check Upper for Warping
True Upper Receiver Face
Apply proper Barrel Nut Assembly Lube
Bed Barrel to Upper
Gas Port (Gas Block/FSB Alignment)
Barrel Nut Alignment
Gas Tube Alignment
Gas Tube/Gas Key Interface
Barrel Straightness
Gas Port Size (and Erosion if used)
Concentric Threads
Proper Throat if used with 5.56
Muzzle Erosion (if used)
Throat Erosion (if used)
Smooth Chamber
Proper Gas Key Bore
Proper Gas Key Bolt Torque and Staking
Proper Extractor Claw and Extractor Spring
Firing Pin Bore and Protrusion
De-Burred Carrier
Proper Bevel on the Ejector
Properly Machined Carrier Bore
Proper Crown
Concentric Threads and proper shims (if a Suppressor is used)
Muzzle Device not torqued past 20FT#
Gas Block Pinned (Unless its a bench/precision rig)
Rail is true to the Upper (if applies)

 

[v4kerker]

^^^ Congrats on the first build, your rear sight is backwards.

An upper is even easier than the lower, unless you have to pin a gas block. But you will need a few different tools...

Thanks Cummins, I want the tradishional carry handle with sights, but the LGS didn't have any in stock, a future purchase when in stock.

 

[v4kerker]

I do have to say thank you Load for YouTube.
This AR15 will be my test mule for my AR gunsmithing skills. It's hard to do the job right/proper when you don't have all those nice AR tools

I can see the upper build be more critical as this is where all the energy is, sure wouldn't like the upper to blowup in my face.

 

[outrider58]

I'd much rather build the upper than the lower (though doing it right is more complicated as others have said). My 2 cents

 

[dist1646]

Upper is much more difficult, that fvcking e clip on the ejection port door.

I always thought they were really easy to install.

IMHO, uppers and lowers are about the same level of difficulty to build. Though, I really wouldn't call building an AR difficult. Getting a match trigger absolutely perfect will eat up much more time than building an upper. Buying and using quality parts for either eliminate a lot of unnecessary work!

 

[friendlyhippo]

Upper is much more difficult, that fvcking e clip on the ejection port door.

problem solved.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-mini-pliers-set-94931.html

first time every time.

 

[Blacksmith101]

problem solved.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-mini-pliers-set-94931.html

first time every time.

Or get an eclip tool:
https://www.amazon.com/Duratrax-Ultimate-E-Clip-Tool-1-5mm-5mm/dp/B001TAJP9W

 

[friendlyhippo]

Or get an eclip tool:
https://www.amazon.com/Duratrax-Ultimate-E-Clip-Tool-1-5mm-5mm/dp/B001TAJP9W

3x as much, less versatility.

 

[THier]

^^^ Congrats on the first build, your rear sight is backwards.

How many empties are NOT shown in the picture! Lol

 

[friendlyhippo]

OP it also looks like you need to buy some actual american beer to drink, instead of that belgian crapswill.

 

[Alphabrew]

If you want to test the waters on an upper build, try a .22lr or a 9mm upper. There is no gas system to worry about. Those uppers are really easy.

 

[v4kerker]

How many empties are NOT shown in the picture! Lol

There's no other empty mags only have the one