Off to an okay start?

[iego]

Hi all,

I am new here and to AR15s but excited to get started with this hobby/sport. Maybe a little too excited as I have placed a number of orders, not totally sure if I am getting the right stuff, but I will consider it a learning experience if I do poorly and that has value to me in and of itself. I am a hobbyist (obviously) and just look at this for fun and sport, so this first rifle is just to get my feet wet, and from there I hopefully will have a better idea of what I want/need in the future.

With that said, here is my shopping list, and I hope all of it at least goes together, even if I have to hire someone to help me do it. :)

Lower Receiver
Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 Stripped Lower Receiver AR-15-A3
http://www.primaryarms.com/anderson-manufacturing-ar-15-stripped-lower-receiver-ar-15-a3

Rifle Kit
PSA 16" Midlength 5.56 NATO 1/7 Nitride MOE EPT Rifle Kit & Rear MBUS - 516444983
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-midlength-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-moe-ept-rifle-kit-rear-mbus-516444983.html

Range Ammo
Federal 5.56 NATO 55gr FMJ 420rds in Ammo Can - XM193LC1 AC1
http://palmettostatearmory.com/federal-american-eagle-5-56x45mm-nato-55gr-fmj-500rds-xm193lc1-ac1.html

Live Ammo
American Eagle 5.56mm 62gr FMJ Steel Core Ammunition, 1000 Rounds - XM855CSF
http://palmettostatearmory.com/american-eagle-5-56mm-62gr-fmj-steel-core-ammunition-1000-rounds-xm855csf.html

Hexmag 15 Round Magazines
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/143165-HexMag-Magazines-review?highlight=hexmag

Magpul PMAG 10 AR/M4 GEN M3 5.56 NATO - Black MAG559-BLK
http://www.primaryarms.com/magpul-gen-m3-magazine-ar-15-223-10-round-black-mag559-blk

Tools
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/36219-Buying-AR-tools-for-building-and-Disassembly!?highlight=tools+punches

Am I on the right track? Anything obvious I have forgotten or done wrong?

Thank you in advance...

-John

[ray1970]

You shouldn’t need many tools to put that one together. Since the upper is already assembled you really only need a small hammer, a couple of roll pin punches, and maybe something to tighten the castle nut for the buffer tube.

Honestly, if we weren’t so far apart I would give you my old castle but wrench. I upgraded years ago so I never use it.

Good luck and enjoy.

[00tec]

As ray said, all you should need is a set of (preferably brass) punches from harbor freight. A small (preferably plastic) hammer from harbor freight, and an AR armorer's wrench (damage factory carries them)

[iego]

Thank you! That's good to hear... maybe I have a chance to get this done myself. :)

I did order a punch set and a few other tools I didn't have that were recommended in the thread I listed above. They were inexpensive and I have some additional uses for many of them around the house.

73056

-John

[iego]

As ray said, all you should need is a set of (preferably brass) punches from harbor freight. A small (preferably plastic) hammer from harbor freight, and an AR armorer's wrench (damage factory carries them)
Oh, thank you for clarifying on the tools. I don't think I got brass on the punch set, and I will need to get a plastic hammer and AR Armorer's wrench per your advice.

-John

[Great-Kazoo]

Why the need for steel core and why label it Live Ammo?

[iego]

It's like my, if I was suddenly in a war ammo? Self-Defense Ammo? That causes the most damage? It's what I plan to have loaded most of the time. Does that make sense? Or do I not understand, which is completely possible.

For my handgun I have Full Metal Jacket for practice at the range, and then I have Jacketed Hollow Point for everyday load. That's what I was trying to achieve with my AR15 ammo.

-John

[KS63]

If you need some help/guidance, send me a PM.

[iego]

Thank you all. I did go by Damage Factory yesterday afternoon and picked up the AR15 Armorers Wrench. Nice to have a resource like that so close! I haven't received anything yet, but I did get a notification that the Lower Receiver was on the way to my FFL. I appreciate all the help and knowledge!

-John

[iego]

Due to feedback here (thank you all) I have canceled the steel core ammo and will order a more suitable ammo for my needs later.

Thank you all for the continued advice and help!

-John

[Shooter45]

Welome to the site and your new addiction. It will grow fast am sure as most of us on here own numerous AR's among other things.

[iego]

Now we're talking!

73206

And so it begins... :)

[Great-Kazoo]

Now we're talking!

73206

And so it begins... :)

Go to any hardware store and buy 1 of these. They are the (IMO) only way to install the front detent pin with minimal if any hassle. When you install the take down detent pin do it in a large plastic bag. It's easier to locate one of them in there, than crawling around the floor with a magnet & flashlight for an hour

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-2-in-Clevis-Pin/3012907

[iego]

Very cool, thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJNaTjvQaVQ

[iego]

I'll also pick up some grease...

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/165950-What-grease-oil-do-you-use-for-AR-barrel-installation-builds?highlight=grease

[iego]

I do believe I have a functioning rifle! :)

73225

It all went together quite well. Probably started about 10AM after a trip to Ace Hardware where I picked up the Clevis Pin and some grease and finished up after lunch around 2PM.

I used this guys video, and think he does a pretty darn good job at showing the processes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8sY5CQmlHI

With ya'lls help I feel like I had all the tools and resources I needed for the build and some of the hardest things like the front detent and take down detents went in really smoothly! The hardest things for me were the trigger guard and the trigger itself. For some reason the trigger guard pin was really tough to get in, but I just hammered harder. lol. The trigger, is pretty complex, well everything is pretty complex, but I just took it slow and easy and it all came together really well, and I think I have a safe and ready to use gun. :)

I lubed it all up pretty well, even doing the already assembled upper (Bolt Carrier Group area) again, just so I have a baseline I can refer to if it ends up that I lubed it too much, or too little. I'm hoping I struck a pretty good balance on the lube but I have seen some videos of guys being really aggressive and I may not have used enough. Time will tell.

Got a bunch of mags loaded, but nothing live in the unit for now. I need to learn how to use it safely and get some practice time on the range, zero my sights, etc. You know, more fun stuff :)

Thanks again everyone and I'm sure I will have more questions later!

-John

[kidicarus13]

Enjoy your self built AR. And you know... if you have any parts left over you'll need to start a new built otherwise the remaining pays are consideted wasted.

[ray1970]

Enjoy.

If you thought assembling a lower and slapping an upper on it was fun you should try putting your own upper together next time.

[Beer]

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

[Beer] Nice. I've done a couple Palmetto assemblies like that.

[Circuits]

Just make sure you paid close attention to the orientation of the hammer spring, or your trigger pin can start walking out. Have fun with your new rifle.

[iego]

Thanks, all!

Circuits, you reminded me I did have questions about the hammer and trigger pins, because they are unbalanced with grooves in the center and to one side (but not the other.) The video I watched didn't mention if the long, ungrooved section should go in first, or last, so I just guessed at it (er, ahem.) Googling it now, it seems that the grooves are where the ends of the springs should ride and it seems like something I better double check, so thank you!

(I'm actually still unsure how if the ends of the springs are supposed to reside in the grooves, why the grooves would be in the middle, and to one edge and not to both edges? Maybe just one end of the spring needs to be in a groove to keep the pins from walking out? Anyway, yes, something I better check.)

73230

-John

[00tec]

Doesnt matter which end goes in first. One leg of the spring should rest in that groove near the edge (whichever side it's on)

[Circuits]

Thanks, all!
(I'm actually still unsure how if the ends of the springs are supposed to reside in the grooves, why the grooves would be in the middle, and to one edge and not to both edges? Maybe just one end of the spring needs to be in a groove to keep the pins from walking out? Anyway, yes, something I better check.)


The middle groove is for retaining the hammer, which has a tension pin running down its middle. Always install the hammer pin starting with the side that doesn't have a groove on the outside, or you'll have to push through the outside groove first to get it centered before the hammer can grab the middle groove. The outside groove is for one leg of the hammer spring to rest on, retaining the trigger pin, and it doesn't matter which end goes first for the trigger pin, usually.

[iego]

Enjoy your self built AR. And you know... if you have any parts left over you'll need to start a new built otherwise the remaining pays are consideted wasted.

I had exactly one spring and one detent left over from the build, lol. (Spares, I believe.) I did buy two stripped lowers however, because like you say, there ain't no way I'm going to stop with just one of these, lol! My FFL was impressed as the lowers had consecutive serial numbers and he said he'd never seen that before.

I've decided that since this build weighs 6 lbs 9 ounces, I'm going to call her Elly, as in Elly May Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies. My next build will be Jethro. :D

-John

[iego]

Thanks Circuits and 00tec! Great explanation, and I will check this in the morning. I do think I inserted the hammer pin incorrectly (grooved side first), but at the end of the day, if I understand correctly, I can check and see where my springs are riding, and as long as they are riding in the right places I'm good to go, even if I technically did it wrong/the hard way.

-John

[00tec]

Thanks Circuits and 00tec! Great explanation, and I will check this in the morning. I do think I inserted the hammer pin incorrectly (grooved side first), but at the end of the day, if I understand correctly, I can check and see where my springs are riding, and as long as they are riding in the right places I'm good to go, even if I technically did it wrong/the hard way.

-John

I have only had a pin walk on me once. I leave one leg of the hammer string below the pin to reduce pull. I left the side down that had the required notch to retain it. Pulled pin, corrected the spring. Good to go.

[Circuits]

as long as they are riding in the right places I'm good to go, even if I technically did it wrong/the hard way.

Correct - on the hammer pin it's not the "wrong" way, just harder to install. I always put the hammer pin in a particular way, so I don't go the harder way when disassembling.

[Joe_K]

Nice work! Definitely recommend getting it looked over by a smith just to make sure everything is good to go. Nothing like taking your home built AR to the range only to find out there is an issue. Been there, done that. With a lot of the PSA stuff you will find everything from chambers cut too tightly, gas ports to large, canted front sight bases,bad extractors/ejectors in the Bolt, unstated gas key bolts. Also if you didn’t torque and stake the castle nut correctly you can end up with issues. Not to say that any of this WILL happen, just that it can and does. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[iego]

Thank you, yes, a double check by a gun smith may be in order. :)

-John

[BPTactical]

I have only had a pin walk on me once. I leave one leg of the hammer string below the pin to reduce pull. I left the side down that had the required notch to retain it. Pulled pin, corrected the spring. Good to go.

If leaving one leg of the hammer spring below the pin reduces the pull you have excessive positive sear angle. With a correct neutral sear angle you could have a 300# hammer spring and it would have negligible effect on trigger pull.
Fix the real problem instead of putting a bandaid on it.
Besides, you are seriously compromising ignition reliability with the reduced tension on one leg.

[00tec]

If leaving one leg of the hammer spring below the pin reduces the pull you have excessive positive sear angle. With a correct neutral sear angle you could have a 300# hammer spring and it would have negligible effect on trigger pull.
Fix the real problem instead of putting a bandaid on it.
Besides, you are seriously compromising ignition reliability with the reduced tension on one leg.

It's a shit trigger group. One day I'll swap it out. Never had a light strike with it.

[iego]

Update: She's not quite so black any more. :)

73608

I did have my FFL give it a once over, and my first opportunity to get out to the range with it was last weekend. I put about 200 rounds through it (was it really that many?!) and narry a hiccup. From my perspective she shot really well. I, on the other hand, need a lot of work learning how to shoot well, and I have my eye on potentially joining the Golden Gun Club (http://www.goldengunclub.com/) which seems to be the closest outdoor shooting range to me that is potentially accepting new members any time soon. If that fails, I will probably look at the Colorado Rifle Club (http://crci.org/), but that is a lot further out of town. I think I also put my name in the hat for the Aurora Gun Club (http://www.auroragunclub.com/), but my understanding is the wait is years on that place.

I did get the thing smoking hot (yes, even with just my finger pulling the trigger consecutively) and gave it a few breaks while I was shooting. The cases seemed to eject okay, I think that is a good test for the "gas pressure" is the angle at which the cases eject? From the above picture some of them were hitting the eject guide mechanism, so I think that means they were approaching 180 degrees, and when I consciously thought about looking at where cartridges were ejecting the looked closer to 90 degrees to me. So I think I can safely say they are ejecting between 90 to 180 degrees, which I think is fine, no?

Anyway, had fun, and I think I have a good rifle. Now to learn it better/practice/play. :-)

-John

[Great-Kazoo]

Update: She's not quite so black any more. :)

73608

I did have my FFL give it a once over, and my first opportunity to get out to the range with it was last weekend. I put about 200 rounds through it (was it really that many?!) and narry a hiccup. From my perspective she shot really well. I, on the other hand, need a lot of work learning how to shoot well, and I have my eye on potentially joining the Golden Gun Club (http://www.goldengunclub.com/) which seems to be the closest outdoor shooting range to me that is potentially accepting new members any time soon. If that fails, I will probably look at the Colorado Rifle Club (http://crci.org/), but that is a lot further out of town. I think I also put my name in the hat for the Aurora Gun Club (http://www.auroragunclub.com/), but my understanding is the wait is years on that place.

I did get the thing smoking hot (yes, even with just my finger pulling the trigger consecutively) and gave it a few breaks while I was shooting. The cases seemed to eject okay, I think that is a good test for the "gas pressure" is the angle at which the cases eject? From the above picture some of them were hitting the eject guide mechanism, so I think that means they were approaching 180 degrees, and when I consciously thought about looking at where cartridges were ejecting the looked closer to 90 degrees to me. So I think I can safely say they are ejecting between 90 to 180 degrees, which I think is fine, no?

Anyway, had fun, and I think I have a good rifle. Now to learn it better/practice/play. :-)

-John


Put aside some $$ till you have enough for a basic carbine class.


Belay that, put aside enough $$ so when you're able to take a basic carbine class. You'll have enough to sign up for the advanced / level II while you're there.

[iego]

Yes, good idea. I have/had reached out to someone for some individualized training (my handgun and the rifle) but haven't been able to connect with them so probably a more organized class (or classes :) ) is a better idea for now. Thanks!

-John