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Posted: 11/28/2013 10:50:11 AM EDT
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I've been reading a bit and it looks like the only tools I'm going to need are: a good punch kit with hammer, a good armorer's wrench, and a vise block for the upper and lower receiver. Can anyone recommend a decent punch kit? Also, the armorer tools seem to very widely in quality. I saw a couple of wrenches that only contacted the barrel nut with 2 prongs. I saw a video of a barrel change and the guy said pay a bit extra for a wrench that had a lip that helped hold the wrench in place when tightening/loosening the barrel nut. Any recommendation on a wrench? The vise blocks seem to be fairly inexpensive. Palmetto State Armory looks like a good place to pick up tools IF you can find them in stock.
Will these tools pretty well cover what I'm going to need? Thanks! Rob |
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A lot of the answer will depend on just how much you plan to assemble.
If you intend to just build the lower, you'll need a couple of punches, a hammer, and a flat head screwdriver. Having said that, special roll pin punches help a lot. They also sell roll pin holder punches to help get the pins started. A couple of dental picks or spatulas are useful for putting the pivot pin in as well. If going with a collapsible stock, you'll need something to tighten the castle nut (yes, a punch can work, but will mar the nut) and the armorer's wrench will usually have what you need. Of course, this is just for a completely normal lower with nothing special. I've had some grips come with a bolt that required a fairly big allen key. I've put together several lowers with just the above and with out any vice blocks. If you want to build uppers, you'll need that armorer's wrench, vice block, and lots of other special tools. To do it totally safe and to check everything, you'll need the punches again, a torque wrench, and go/no-go gauges. If you are going for barrel changes, that's when you'll need the vice block, preferably the clam shell style, and torque wrench, armorer's wrench, and go/no-go gauges. Again, anything special will require a special tool probably. YHM free float tools require a special wrench for their locking nut. Troy Alpha Rails have a notch that won't fit into the clam shell style vice blocks and will necessitate the style that capture the upper at the pivot and take down pin locations. These are just the styles I've had experience with. I'll be the first to admit that you don't need all of the tools I've mentioned, especially if you're only building one lower, but if you plan on doing lots of lowers and or uppers, the above are handy to have. There are arguments about the use of go/no-go gauges when switching one mil-spec barrel for another, but I mention them as a case of better safe than sorry. I would absolutely recommend them if you are building for someone else or think you might sell in the future for purely C.Y.A. reasons. I'm sure there are other things that I've forgotten and I hope someone chimes in. Edit: The link I'm providing below looks to be an OK armorer's wrench and will tighten both style of collapsible stock nuts, castle and spanner types. Palmetto State Armorer's Wrench |
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Quoted:
Edit: The link I'm providing below looks to be an OK armorer's wrench and will tighten both style of collapsible stock nuts, castle and spanner types. Palmetto State Armorer's Wrench That's the wrench I have, it's good. You don't NEED a lower vise block. Pin punches would be nice (especially for the bolt catch), I was wishing I had them. It can be done with taped vise grips though. I did scratch up my receiver a bit, but I wasn't worried about scratching it a little. For the upper, you DO NEED the vice block, a decent vice, armorer's wrench, torque wrench. You also need some grease for the barrel nut, Aeroshell is recommended. Umbrella Corp. sells small containers of it. AeroShell 33MS Be careful not to tighten the vice too much, it can damage your receiver. |
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