I assembled my first AR15 today!!! If there is anyone thinking about doing this.... JUST DO IT! Piece of Cake!!!!  I have been an active lurker on this site for about 6 monthes. This assembly was accomplished from the knowledge  gained from this GREAT SITE! I used a RRA  lower and a J&T A2 20" upper kit... I followed the lower receiver assembly instructions step by step from old.AR15.com.... First thing I did was to print the page of the instructions that   shows all the lower parts with there names. I laid each part on this piece of paper. This way I inventoried the parts and I knew I was using the correct springs, pins, etc as the instructions called for it......  I used no special tools, just common stuff from the workshop.  Hammer, brass rod, nail set, 1/4 inch dowel rod, 2 by 4 with a piece of felt as a hammering block, pliers, duck tape, etc.... I made two pivot pin installation tools by grinding the points off a 8 and 16 penny nails....  I covered  the reciever with duct tape so I would not slip and scratch it... Both Roll pins had to be tapped in with a hammer and brass rod harder that I thought they would to get them started...  I needed the assistance of my son, third hand was required in a few spots..... Lanched one pivot pin detent and spring. WEAR SAFETY GLASSES! It shot across the basement at the velocity of a .223!!!!

Overall I am very happy with the outcome.... I can't wait to shoot it!!   RRA lower and the J&T upper look and fit great together!!!!  Knowing what I now know. It sure seems foolish to me to pay top dollar for a store bought AR...

JMS92:

I need to replace the Fire Control Group in a pre-ban lower.  I have never worked on a lower before and am so cheap that I don't want to have to spend $15-20 dollars on pin punches I will probably never use again.  Can I e-mail you with some questions on how you made and used your punches?

Thanks

jms92,
 Sounds great, Let us know how it shoots. I've never assembled a lower, but it really doesn't seem to tough (other than making sure that the springs don't get lost) [;)] If my CavArms lower (Green) ever gets here, I'll be doing the same thing. I can't wait [bounce]

Pretty sure this is going to get a RRA 9mm mounted to it. Or maybe the Yellow Cav will get the 9mm [;)]

Jamie

Warning jms, once you`ve assembled one, you will be planning your next, and so on and so forth. You only launched one pivot pin detent??!![;)]

You did check the head spacing right?

No need for punches to install a new fcg, just use a bullet nose, or any other thing handy for pushing the pins out, sometimes the need a lil smack, but mostly just slide right out with pressure.

[beer]!! BIY!!
I sit on a white bedsheet, and pull the end over my head to contain the flying detent for the front pivot pin. The rest is cake work.
good idea on the safety glasses. [B)]

no punches needed here,everything should slide right out. 5 min. job. Remember the pistol grip contains the spring and detent for the fire selector.[;)]

The JT kits are already headspaced.

Good advice.  Once you start building them, it is a sickness...Someone please make me stop. [devil]

Go to your local pawn shop and look around. I have found lots of tools there, and even if you can't find a specific tool you can buy one and modify it.

I bought a handfull of allen wrenches. I cut them off below the 90 dergree bend and they work great as pin punches. I also bought a few 1/4 extentions (ones that are trashed) and I use them as drift pins / punches.
I'll also go to pawn shops and buy trashed Craftsman tools and get the free replacements at Sears or wait till Lowes or Home Depot have a tool exchange.

[x]

What's the price difference? I haven't checked on this option...

Here's how the numbers work out, although I think that I am missing a couple of small parts:

Green lower from Cav Arms (on sale)      $75
Shipping                                  10
Transfer at gun shop                      30
Upper from Model 1(?) or M&A (?) in SGN  290
Shipping on upper - estimate              20
Charging handle from DPMS                 20
Bolt Ass'y from DPMS                      49
Lower parts kit from DPMS                 59
Buttstock Buffer Spring (Car)              5
Buffer Body Assembly (Car)                15
Sales Tax on DPMS stuff                   10

Total                                   $583


(Sorry if the spacing is funky.  It looked OK when I wrote it up.)

Congratulations on your first build.  The info on old ar15.com is really helpful.  Makes that first build real easy.

Where's the pictures. Show us your new baby.....

OH the addiction begins!!!!

I have built two lowers into complete rifles in the last 6 months. I really enjoy building the lower. I am now in the process of building a spare bolt carrier and bolt.

This stuff is fun.