Ar build tools

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JohnnyK

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I'M thinking about putting together a stripped AR lower for a gun for my son... I just converted a Saiga .308 and have some limited skills with rifles... but during my Saiga conversion I ran into needing all sorts of tools some of which I didn't have and needed to improvise... I don't want a repeat occurance of lacking tools...
which tools should I expect to need to build up a stripped lower? thanks, Johnny
 
The only tools I needed that weren't already in my garage were a handguard removal tool (to help pull the springloaded ring back to get one on/off) and a wrench for the nut on the buffer tube. Those, and a good vise are the ones I couldn't live without.
 
No spec tools needed except a castle nut wrench which can be bought for under $15.
The last lower I built, all I used was a pair of needle nose pliers, a punch, a dental pick (to depress the front detent), a tack hammer and a piece of dowl rod. (To start the bolt release roll pin w/o scratching the lower)

Use lots of oil when driving in the pins.
 
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a bench vise or vise grips? there is a handguard on a lower? I plan on getting a prebuilt upper... but a custom lower with my son's name and birthdate for the serial #.
 
I used neither a vise, or vise grips.
No handguards on a lower.
Just buy or borrow a castle nut wrench and ur G2G.
 
FYI: Front takedown detent pin is a pain in the butt (for me anyway). You'll need a very clean / orderly work area with no carpet, cause that pin is likely going flying at least once. There is a special tool for this; probably handy, but not required. A set of punches are very handy. In a pinch, you can tighten up the castle nut on a collapsible stock w/ a punch and hammer. If using a standard a1 or a2, no castle nut, just a screwdriver.

but a custom lower with my son's name and birthdate for the serial #
Click to expand...
Bet he'll love that!
 
Brass punches are nice but you can it with out it if you're careful. You don't really need any special tools except the castle nut on the buffer tube. You can buy a wrench for that.
Click to expand...

But you can get away without the castle nut wrench if you have a set of brass punches. Just tap the nut with the 1/8" punch and a small hammer and you can get it fully tightened without marring the finish. The punches come in real handy for other parts of the AR assembly as well as working on revolvers, 1911s, or anything with pins that need to be driven out.
 
Dental pick on the front detent? What a great idea! I used the flat side of a razor blade.

To build my lowers, no vise, and I used the roll punch method on the castle nut. I did eventually tighten it with my combo tool which I got when I began assembling my upper.
 
Instead of a brass punch I used one of those free Allen wrenches that's included with literally everything to drift in the roll pins on my lower. But, yes, a Castle Nut wrench is very good thing to have, if you are buying a pre-built upper receiver.
 
I just recently built my first PSA lower with just a 1/8, 3/16 punches and lite hammer and 4 pages of directions. My special tool for the front pin cost me .37 cents. A 1/4 clevis pin from the local farm supply. just happened to have a 3/16 hole in the end for the clip. install pin the opposite way of the front pin,install spring and detent thru hole,depress into lower with 3/16 punch turn clevis pin in
 
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