Stripped lower

I can knock one out in 15 minutes.
First one took me maybe 30 minutes after looking through a how-to thread over on ARF.com.

10-15 minutes if the front pivot detent plunger doesn't go flying across the room.

Took me about an hour. 30 minutes of that was trying to find the detent pin for the front receiver pin.

I have never heard of the I kick hippies single sling. Are they made by SOE?

I just searched "I kick hippies single sling" and apparently I kick hippies is the company name.

www.ikickhippies.com

Not long at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1omm6jY7Gg

Took me and extra 1 1/2 hours after losing that detent spring into a corner full of boxes and cobwebs. I had to go another. While I was buying the guy behind the counter slipped in in my receiver without tools while we were talking like it was nothing.

chaddy said:

Striped lower
I've got all tools and parts. How hard and how long will it take me to put it together?

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Barring mishaps, it should take you about 30 minutes ... which is the same amount of time that it would take you to assemble one that did not have stripes.

I saw what you did there. Striped. Stripped.

Agree with the others. Under an hour. Possibly as little as 15 to 20 minutes depending on your mechanical aptitude and a little luck. If it's your first time, it may be a good idea to select your work area carefully. As few nooks, crannies and obstructions as possible. Helps to find the flying detents and detent springs if you happen to launch one. Some have even recommended working with your hands and the lower inside a clear plastic bag to catch launched parts.

If you are really worried about a spring or detent flying off and don't have any spares just drape a sheet over you/your head/the lower when you do that part, so that it's contained if it flies off. I haven't done that but several people have recommended it. I've only put two stripped lower together but I didn't lose anything.

I did lose a detent when I was disassembling a lower though (to ship it off for work). Found it weeks/months later.

It's not really difficult or time consuming, even for the first time. Like everyone says, that front pivot detent can be a real pain. If it slips, it tends to go flying across the room. They make a tool to install it that makes it a little easier, but I just made my own at work one night.

I just used a flathead screwdriver on the front pivot spring/detent both times. Worked like a charm.

I built my first Friday night and it took about 45 minutes. Like the others here I had a mishap with the spring detent on the front pin. It shot out and directly into my left eye. It hurt like none other but I didn't loose the spring, it landed softly on the kitchen table after ricocheting off my eyeball.

I'm looking into uppers now and they seem to be a lot more work. This is my first AR so I'm in no hurry but I'll probably go with a DPMS Oracle upper. I don't like all the random rails and crap. Maybe I'll float the barrel with a $75 dollar tube eventually. The cost of buying everything separately (plus tools) doesn't seem to be worth it unless you have a very specific build in mind.


HB

I have all the tools and have built many uppers for myself and friends. However, HB is right. Unless there is a specific build in mind, it's usually cheaper to buy a complete upper or entire rifle.

I'd say an hour. it usually takes me awhile to drive in the stupid bolt release pin. Maybe it would be easier if I used a toll pin punch instead of a regular punch one.

For the front detent pin, I took a tip off the ar15.com site and use a cheap break off blade box cutter with the blade extended to hold the detent in while insert the pivot pin.

Oh yeah...wear glasses.

Always protect your eyes when working with anything under spring tension.

If you plan on using a single point sling, then a IKickHippies Sling Loop Ambidextrous Plate (SLAP) plate is ideal. Every adjustable buttstock lower I've assembled (at least 6) has a SLAP plate.



They are solid and will NOT bend. (Unless you go out of your way...)

I'd say an hour. it usually takes me awhile to drive in the stupid bolt release pin. Maybe it would be easier if I used a toll pin punch instead of a regular punch one.*

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I like a smallish pair of channellocks for the bolt release pivot pin.

jakk280rem said:

I like a smallish pair of channellocks for the bolt release pivot pin.

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Needlenose vice grips wrapped in tape here. Way easier than a punch.

maxxhavoc said:

Needlenose vice grips wrapped in tape here. Way easier than a punch.

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+1. That is exactly how I do it as well. Works like a charm.

Do yourself a favor and get the proper roll pin punch, it will make for a easier pin install and you won't take a chance on deforming the end of the pin. For that matter get a set of them along with a set of long shank flat tip punches, you will be surprised at how handy they become when they are available anytime you need them.

One trick I use is to wrap a piece of tape around the end of the punch and the pin. It will hold the pin in place and make the job easier. Also, put tape on the exterior of the receiver so that if you slip you won't mar the finish.

When I install the detent pin, I use a razor blade to hold it in place. Since I started using the blade, I have not lost a single pin.

I have built about two dozen AR's and have it down to the point where it takes me about 45 minutes to assemble the lower, install a barrel and gas tube into the upper, assemble the bolt/carrier and go shooting.

Why stop with a striped lower? Stripe the whole gun.



Really though, figure with everything going right - 20 minutes or so.

But -

On the first one, things seldom go completely correctly - not to mention the 40th one so budget time accordingly.


20 minutes to assemble

+

18 minutes to find assorted detents and springs shot about the room.

5 days for the ordering of parts after giving up the search - prepare to rebate this time to yourself as you'll find them after the order has shipped.

10 minutes to determine you are attempting to incorrectly position the hammer spring.

2 minutes to correct the failure to install the disconnector and/or its spring with the trigger.

6 minutes to touch-up the marks you made with your punches.

25 seconds to 3 minutes before you recognize that the hammer and trigger pins are the same and may be inserted in either direction.


There're are some other first - and 40th - time missteps but say, 20 minutes as a target time.

Funny, the first three lowers I built, the detents went in fine. I had no idea what people were talking about.

On the fourth lower, I shot the detent across the room, never found it. So I pulled the one out of the polymer "why did I buy that" lower, and shot it into never-never land too. I felt pretty stupid that time. I bought 2 spares, and used a gallon ziplock to assemble it that time. I guess my luck just sorted out.

I'll be building my first this weekend.

Check out the MidwayUSA how to video on YouTube. Seems to be the most professional, straight forward step by step build video I've seen. I've watched it a couple of times, without even having my LPK in hand, just to get a good idea on the process.

I suspect with the correct tools, it should take you less than an hour for your first build. once you get it down, subsequent builds should come easy.

gojuice101 said:

It's not really difficult or time consuming, even for the first time. Like everyone says, that front pivot detent can be a real pain. If it slips, it tends to go flying across the room. They make a tool to install it that makes it a little easier, but I just made my own at work one night.

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Another option is to get a clevis pin from Tractor Supply or other tractor parts emporium. If I remember, the one needed is 1/4" in diameter with a bunch of cross holes drilled in them.

Helps makes installing the front detent spring less stressful.

It takes me less than an hour t a leisurely pace to assemble my lowers.