How to assemble your AR-15 Lower

[KillJoy]

I did not know where this should go, so.....

 

from AR15.com. The only thing that was not really clear, is that the Disconnector Spring is the one with the Taper. The Taper end goes in first. It is snug, but it will go in w/ a wee bit of effort.

 

:thumbup:

 

ENJOY!

 

KillJoy

 

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Building a complete lower receiver from a stripped receiver, step by step:

 

(or..... "assemble your own lower for dummies") This web page will demonstrate just how easy it is to build a lower receiver from a stripped receiver. This whole process, start to finish, takes 30 minutes to an hour.... depending on your skill level. If you can poke small objects into small holes, then you can build your own receiver.

 

There is a good reference for this whole procedure posted here: www.ar15.com/content/guides/assembly/lower/ however the guide below is a simplified version with real pictures to show you how easy this is to do.... if you are on the fence.

 

SUPER video of the entire process by DVDTracker here:

www.lifelibertyetc.com/RangeBag/Video/LLE_AR15StrippedLower.wmv

 

Ok, lets cover the necessary tools. What you need:

 

Honestly... there are NO special tools necessary. Some will argue its good to have roll pin holder tools, roll pin punches, etc..etc... the only tools I feel are really necessary are a small brass punch.... and light hammer. Everything else can be improvised.

 

That’s it for tools! Now here are the step-by-step instructions:

 

There is not really a special order you have to go in... common sense will tell you some things have to be put in first, before others... but for the most part its not really important. The order shown here is just the way I happened to go... I started with a stripped lower receiver:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/stripped.jpg

 

Here is the parts list that comes with a lower parts kit....

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/partssmall.jpg

 

Click HERE for a bigger and detailed parts kit photo.

 

Here are some helpful pictures on the trigger and lower parts kits, common areas of confusion:

 

http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/assembly/lower/lowerKit.gif

 

http://www.ar15.com/content/guides/assembly/lower/trigger.gif

 

 

 

1. Insert the mag catch on the left side of the receiver (side with all the words on it) and then install the mag catch spring from the right side.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/magspring.jpg

 

Then, grab the mag catch button and push it towards the mag catch. Then, spin the mag catch to tighten it. Stop when the mag catch threaded post is flush or nearly flush with the button:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/magbutton.jpg

 

 

2. On to the bolt catch. Get some masking tape and cover the lower receiver here: This is to keep accidental scratching from occurring as we tap in the bolt catch roll pin in place.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/boltpin.jpg

 

Insert the roll pin, and tap lightly to get it started... but do NOT tap it all the way in yet. Insert the bolt catch spring and buffer, with the spring in first and the buffer facing out:

[KillJoy]

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/boltplunger.jpg

 

Then, install the bolt catch, holding spring tension on the plunger, while aligning the hole in the bolt release with the roll pin hole in the lower.... and using a punch, tap the roll pin all the way in. If you want to avoid marring the finish, place more tape over the roll pin area as it gets close to flush to drive it all the way home.

 

 

3. On to the front pivot pin. Some people have trouble with this one, with the detent being lauched across the room. Just be careful, and its really no big deal. insert the spring into the detent hole:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/pivot.jpg

 

Then insert the detent. It will barely even start in the hole before you really have to push for all the spring pressure. Then, using the pivot pin, push the detent back while you insert the pivot pin into it's hole in the receiver. Snap... bamn.... it just falls into place. :-)

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/pivotcomplete.jpg

 

 

4. Trigger guard. This is pretty straightforward... insert in the trigger guard with single hole side in the receiver. Then align the roll pin hole up with the hole in the "ears" of the receiver. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. You must support the "ears" on the bottom side if you tap the roll pin in place. If you dont support the bottom ear, you could break it off when tapping the pin in place. Also, some roll pins or trigger guards are out of spec. If it takes what you think is too much force, or starts to deform your roll pin, STOP. Also - see below for an alternative method of installing this pin by squeezing the pin in place.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/trigguard.jpg

 

 

5. Drop the trigger and trigger spring assembly into the receiver.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/trigger.jpg

 

Then push the disconnector on the top of the trigger, with the notch in the disconnector over the coil spring in the top of the trigger. Then using a trigger pin, insert it through the lower receiver... into the trigger, through the disconnector, and back into the other end of the receiver. This takes a lot of wiggling to get it though... but you can do it!

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/disconnector.jpg

 

 

6. Next, grab the hammer/hammer spring assembly, and insert it in the lower. The two long legs of the hammer spring should rest on the top of the trigger ping installed in step 5. There is quite a bit of hammer spring tension... but squeeze the hammer into the receiver so that the hammer pin hole lines up with the holes in the lower receiver, and install the hammer pin. You might have to tap lightly to get the pin through the hammer, but just LIGHTLY. Cock the hammer.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/hammer.jpg

 

 

7. Next, install the safety selector into the left side of the reciever. Install the selector detent, and spring into the detent hole:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/selector.jpg

 

Install the pistol grip and grip screw, taking care to ensure the selector spring goes into the hole in the grip.

[KillJoy]

8. Rear takedown pin: Install the detent and then the spring... and the takedown pin into the rear of the receiver. The stock will hold tension on this spring/detent, when it is installed, next:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/takedown.jpg

 

 

9. Thread the rifle/carbine buffer tube slowly into the receiver... taking care with the takedown pin spring. The tube should be threaded in just up to the buffer hole.... and then insert the buffer stop pin and spring:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/bufferpin1.jpg

 

Then thread the tube a little more, so that it holds the pin in place, but does not touch the center part of the pin and bind its movement:

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/bufferpin2.jpg

 

 

Then tighten the stock in place... this is a carbine stock. You can use the CAR wrench for the castle nut (shown) or the CAR nut.... and some people like to add a little blue loctite to this nut so it wont back off in the field: NOTE - you may not wish to use Loctite. It is not required. Especially if you think you might be taking it apart again soon. Loctite just helps assue it wont get loose on you while shooting, and some people never have a problem with this. Just use a DROP or two and it will break loose pretty easily though.

 

The CAR wrench for the newer castle nuts is a good tool to have:

www.bushmaster.com/catalog_parts_gunsmithing_p2.asp#223TELEWRENCH2

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/stock.jpg

 

Now, just insert the carbine/rifle buffer and spring. Cock the hammer back to make this easy. The spring goes in first, with the buffer in next... and push the buffer in past the buffer pin sticking up.

 

http://www.kevinholman.com/byor/lower/done.jpg

 

You are all done! Perform a trigger mechanism safety check, install your upper, and go shooting!

 

Safety function check is described HERE and HERE

 

 

 

DO NOT DRY FIRE A LOWER. Dry firing of the assembled weapon is fine. However, if you allow the hammer to drop on a lower that does not have an upper installed, it will potentially damage the lower receiver. The hammer will strike the bolt catch, which will damage the bolt catch receiver area and pin. If you do it a couple times it will be fine... but continued dropping of the hammer will likely result in damagin the bolt catch, receiver, or both.

[copperhead]

Umm. This is a for sale section. I don't know what else to do with this, so I'm kicking it to night crew.

[Putty]

Good article. My evening is planned.

[KillJoy]

Umm. This is a for sale section. I don't know what else to do with this, so I'm kicking it to night crew.

 

Yeah... I know. I did not know of anywhere else to put something so gun specific.

 

 

KillJoy

[thorne]

Nice good post! I want to build that next.

[Putty]

I used this vid....Followed it and build was flawless.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_Vkb2UB1w

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq4KfUaVp8M&feature=related

[cinergi]

Not bad to sticky it or something like that... I field these questions all day at work. It gets annoying after the 25th time, but at least people are doing what they should have been doing all along...

[thorne]

I will try and find a good ak one and post it up

[KillJoy]

Can this be moved to the new Gun Crew Forum?

 

KillJoy