I want to build an AR help me get started

[TXAoudadKlr]

I sent a buttload of money to GA Precision and they sent me my favorite rifle I own Gap-10.

Now I know Areo makes good uppers and lowers to build off of. I'd go with an MLOK rail! Just seems more stuff is available for MLOK than Keymod but I like keymod better but whatever (eyeroll)

I dig the magpul PRS stock!

I'd select one of the bastard Brakes by APA not that it will kick hard at all.

BCM BCG and gunfights charging handle I got the medium one. I Have an SSA-E curved I'm going to swap to a flat SSA-E here shortly

 

[5.56×250]

I think he is referring to this tool: https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...-alignment-tool-sku080000368-22389-48393.aspx

Its actually a heavy steel rod that fits with minimal clearance into the end of the upper and extends the full length of the bcg hole. On the end of the rod is an oversized section that is machined flat and square with the main section. You put a couple daps of cutting compound paste on the machined face of the rod that lays against the face of the upper receiver extension. It has a threaded hole in the end that uses an attachment that fits a standard drill chuck. You slowly spin the rod , checking regularly to see when its cut enough off the face of the upper to get a square surface for the barrel extension band to fit against. I think mine is made by wheeler, if i remember right. Works great !

 

[5.56×250]

To the op, i use a company called AR15discounts for my upper receivers and hand guards. They make a billet upper/handguard combo that doesnt have a forward assist . Its reasonably priced and looks like a single piece when its assembled. The 4 combos ive used to build guns have been very well built , straight and square, and makes for a nice , slim, custom AR. They have several colors and 3 different length handguards to match your build plans too.

 

[SteelBanger]

Its actually a heavy steel rod that fits with minimal clearance into the end of the upper and extends the full length of the bcg hole. On the end of the rod is an oversized section that is machined flat and square with the main section. You put a couple daps of cutting compound paste on the machined face of the rod that lays against the face of the upper receiver extension. It has a threaded hole in the end that uses an attachment that fits a standard drill chuck. You slowly spin the rod , checking regularly to see when its cut enough off the face of the upper to get a square surface for the barrel extension band to fit against. I think mine is made by wheeler, if i remember right. Works great !

This is pretty interesting, my varmint rig has never shot as well as I think it should (White Oak Armory SS barrel) and now you got me wondering if this could be a good thing to check ...

Is this the tool you're referring to? For only $26 it might be worth trying out.

https://www.amazon.com/Wheeler-Rifle-Receiver-Lapping-Tool/dp/B00AUEHRBQ?th=1&psc=1

 

[5.56×250]

Yep, thats the one. Just make sure you get the rignt one. It looks like they mignt have different sizes. If you have an AR15, the AR15 tool should fit all AR15s universally. Well worth the few bucks youll spend , especially if you enjoy putting ARs together like i do.

 

[5.56×250]

If you take you varmint rig down to square the receiver, i recommend you get a bottle of green loctite to bed the barrel in the receiver too. The green is designed to fill voids in pipe fitment. It works great for bedding ARs. Its kinda a booger to get a barrel out once its bedded, but its doable. I use a wooden dowel thats sized to fit the receiver bore and knock it out with a plastic faced mallet . Heat helps too, but i dont know enough about metallugy to go heating metal thats designed to hold that much pressure !

 

[SteelBanger]

If you take you varmint rig down to square the receiver, i recommend you get a bottle of green loctite to bed the barrel in the receiver too. The green is designed to fill voids in pipe fitment. It works great for bedding ARs. Its kinda a booger to get a barrel out once its bedded, but its doable. I use a wooden dowel thats sized to fit the receiver bore and knock it out with a plastic faced mallet . Heat helps too, but i dont know enough about metallugy to go heating metal thats designed to hold that much pressure !

I've built quite a few AR's over the years so buying a $26 tool to do all my uppers is a solid investment. The reviews on that tool (on amazon at least) aren't all that great regarding the precision and quality of the tool, makes me kind of want to have a custom tool made to exacting specs. I've always used a copper anti-seize on the barrel nut threads and usually spread a little on the barrel tenon as well which usually makes removing the barrel pretty easy but the green loctite sounds like something I should try so thanks for the heads up!

 

[5.56×250]

I've built quite a few AR's over the years so buying a $26 tool to do all my uppers is a solid investment. The reviews on that tool (on amazon at least) aren't all that great regarding the precision and quality of the tool, makes me kind of want to have a custom tool made to exacting specs. I've always used a copper anti-seize on the barrel nut threads and usually spread a little on the barrel tenon as well which usually makes removing the barrel pretty easy but the green loctite sounds like something I should try so thanks for the heads up!

I read the same reviews but for the price it was worth a try. Mine is very square with no runout that i can detect . Ive learned over the years to take negative reviews with a grain of salt. Some people are too nitpicky , while others have no business using a tool like that. As simple as it is, some folks just miss handle the tool and blame the results on the hammer , not the nut attached to it ! Mine has a lot of runout in parallel to the shaft , but i think its designed like that to give more movement to the cutting surface as well as keeping the compound from just piling up to the side. Just something to think about.

 

[George Dean]

Its actually a heavy steel rod that fits with minimal clearance into the end of the upper and extends the full length of the bcg hole. On the end of the rod is an oversized section that is machined flat and square with the main section. You put a couple daps of cutting compound paste on the machined face of the rod that lays against the face of the upper receiver extension. It has a threaded hole in the end that uses an attachment that fits a standard drill chuck. You slowly spin the rod , checking regularly to see when its cut enough off the face of the upper to get a square surface for the barrel extension band to fit against. I think mine is made by wheeler, if i remember right. Works great !

Thank you.

There are many reviews of this tool. Some positive, some very negative about the quality of the tool itself. Other folks have negative outcomes using it.

I suggest that anyone considering it, research it first and watch all the YouTube videos on using it + reading all the reviews you can find. Some question whether that tool is appropriate for use on AR 10 uppers, stating that the surface that does the honing of the receiver face is not wide enough to service the width of the AR10 receivers face.

A gentleman in one of the videos, after oiling the tool surface which extends into the receiver, turned his tool by hand, rather than in a low speed hand drill; this is probably the smartest way to ensure you get an excellent result without overdoing it.

 

[5.56×250]

Thank you.

There are many reviews of this tool. Some positive, some very negative about the quality of the tool itself. Other folks have negative outcomes using it.

I suggest that anyone considering it, research it first and watch all the YouTube videos on using it + reading all the reviews you can find. Some question whether that tool is appropriate for use on AR 10 uppers, stating that the surface that does the honing of the receiver face is not wide enough to service the width of the AR10 receivers face.

A gentleman in one of the videos, after oiling the tool surface which extends into the receiver, turned his tool by hand, rather than in a low speed hand drill; this is probably the smartest way to ensure you get an excellent result without overdoing it.

Having used the tool myself several times, i recommend oiling the tool to help avoid wear inside the bcg bore. You also need to have plenty of rags to wipe the tool down if you pull it out and plan to continue cutting, so you dont transfer cutting paste to the interior of the bcg bore. Other than those things, the tool does a great job. As far as going too far, my uppers must be made out of some hard aluminum, because it cuts VERY SLOW . Ive cut by hand and with a drill. I prefer cutting by hand because none of my drills have a slow speed and you definitely dont want to run thr drill at high speed since the tool is not balanced and will get pretty rough on your upper if it goes too fast.