Tips for assembling my OLL

[Fiveohmike]

Hey Guys,

Picking up another lower today, but this is the first one I am assembling myself. I have the following toold

Small hammer
Punch Set (the lower's builder kit from rifle gear)
Stock wrench
Lots of tools around the house.

I have all the videos from AR15.com lined up and ready to go.

Any other advice?

Mike

[Chuntsman949]

buy a few extra detents for the buffer and various places... verrrry easy to lose

[B Strong]

Hey Guys,

Picking up another lower today, but this is the first one I am assembling myself. I have the following toold

Small hammer
Punch Set (the lower's builder kit from rifle gear)
Stock wrench
Lots of tools around the house.

I have all the videos from AR15.com lined up and ready to go.

Any other advice?

Mike

Proceed slowly, and don't perform any step that you don't fully understand.

As above, extra detents and springs are good to have.

Don't worry - assembling an AR lower is the work of a plumber, not an artist.

[sevensix2x51]

Brace the lower on something when you drive the trigger guard pin. Don't snap an ear off. its a pretty simple operation. Don't swap the bolt catch spring with the disconnector spring. The disc. Spring has a wider coil on one end, that goes into the trigger. Don't put it in upside-down-- fat end goes into the trigger first.

[Fiveohmike]

Brace the lower on something when you drive the trigger guard pin. Don't snap an ear off. its a pretty simple operation. Don't swap the bolt catch spring with the disconnector spring. The disc. Spring has a wider coil on one end, that goes into the trigger. Don't put it in upside-down-- fat end goes into the trigger first.

Awesome info. I was told a small stack of buinsess cards is great to support the ear while driving the pin in.....FUD or no?

[Fiveohmike]

Proceed slowly, and don't perform any step that you don't fully understand.

As above, extra detents and springs are good to have.

Don't worry - assembling an AR lower is the work of a plumber, not an artist.

Ya I hear you about the plumber part, all the info/concept shows its super easy and straightforward.

This nervousness is more like when I shot my first hand loaded round hehe...the kaboom is always in the back of your mind until that first round goes off clean

[sevensix2x51]

Awesome info. I was told a small stack of buinsess cards is great to support the ear while driving the pin in.....FUD or no?

Anything, really. I usually just put the back ear on the corner of the table, or a piece of wood, I've even used the steering wheel in my car once.

Just don't let it float in midair, and you should be ok.

[Whiskey84]

Don't assemble over carpet. Real easy to lose small pieces...

[Fiveohmike]

Anything, really. I usually just put the back ear on the corner of the table, or a piece of wood, I've even used the steering wheel in my car once.

Just don't let it float in midair, and you should be ok.

Awesome hopefully ill have pics and a range report later today

[wake5150]

when tapping in the pin for the bolt catch, I usually lay down an old credit card against the lower and cover with masking tape so I don't mar up finish....works for me

[Wicked K5]

Cover that mfer up in electrical or masking tape. Also, it's been mentioned many times but I didn't do it, assemble the lower in a large zip lock bag to prevent springs, detents, & other small parts from flying across the room.

[LloydXmas250]

+1 on electrical tape. Goes on and comes off easily. Nothing worse than feeling the pride of completing the lower then looking at a huge scratch. Be liberal with it.

[Fiveohmike]

Bought a new roll of electrical tape lol. Sitting in front of the gunstore now waiting to pick up the lower

[ChrisTKHarris]

Put a bit of lube on the bolt catch pin to help prevent deformation/mushrooming.

[captbilly]

I have now built 4 lowers with no special tools.

On my last couple of lowers I used nothing but a 1/2" titanium rod, that I happened to have laying around, to do all of the assembly. I did need an Allen wrench for the grip screw. The front takedown pin can be tricky without any special tools but, as long as you don't let it get away from you, you will eventually get it together. A handy way to get the roll pins in, without risking scratching the receiver, is to use a pair of channel lock pliers with the jaws wrapped in tape. You can very carefully push the pins in rather than banging on them with a hammer, which makes it much less likely to bend a pin. The whole process can be done, with great care and consideration, in well under an hour. If you know what you are doing and have the right tools I am sure you could put a lower together in 5 or 10 minutes.