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Posted: 1/15/2015 1:51:21 AM EDT
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Hey guys, I'm new booty to the forums here but I've been reading for a good while. Great forum and you all have already helped me a ton.
I'm assembling my first AR-15 and I'm really enjoying the process. So far, I have a lower receiver fully assembled and I'm waiting for my upper receiver, BCG, and charging handle to arrive in the next couple of days. My question for you is; is it safe to put together the parts I currently have and test the functionality of the BCG and trigger group? Can I charge the bolt and pull the trigger? Thanks for the help! I just don't want to damage anything. |
| You can test the functionality of your safety and trigger while you wait on the upper. When testing the trigger don't let the hammer fall on the lower receiver; I just use the meaty part of my hand to stop it. Once the upper is on you can charge it and dry fire. |
| I'm not sure what you mean since you said you're waiting on your BCG, then hinted towards already having it. But you can function test your lower without any upper parts at all. Just grab the lower, cock the hammer, test the safety, put back on semi and pull the trigger (letting the hammer hit your hand, not the lower. Next keep the trigger pulled back THEN cock the hammer again, and let go of the trigger, you should hear a click which is your disconnector, hammer should not fall until you pull the trigger again. If it passes all of the above tests, it's good to go. |
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To be performed on a lower receiver only. Not a complete firearm. No upper attached. (for obvious reasons)
Fire Control Group checking. Start with the selector lever on safe and all FCG components installed. Don't let the hammer strike the receiver. The first check is to visually confirm the presence and correct installation of the hammer, trigger and disconnector springs. The little disconnector spring is the most important spring on the firearm IMO. Without it, you run the risk of full-auto slam fires. Be sure it's there and installed correctly. The wider end goes all the way down inside the trigger. 1. With the hammer cocked and the selector on safe can the trigger be pulled? Should be no. 2. Hammer cocked and selector on fire can the trigger be pulled and release the hammer? Should be yes. 3. With the hammer (fallen) forward can the selector be turned to safe? Should be no. 4. Hammer forward and the selector on fire manually cock the hammer all the way back, does the hammer catch on the trigger sear? Should be yes. 5. Selector on fire, hammer forward, pull and hold trigger. Cock hammer back as far as it will go. Does the hammer catch on the disconnector? Should be yes. 6. Release trigger from step 5. Does the disconnector release the hammer when the trigger is released? Should be yes. 7. When the hammer is released in step 6 by the disconnector, does it get caught by the trigger sear? Should be yes. After step 7 the FCG sits in the step 2 position and that's about full circle. The FCG should not bind, catch, grind at all. It shouldn't be loose in the FC pocket. Please feel free to add anything I may have missed. -W ETA: Some hammer and trigger pins have specific grooves cut into them. Some have both grooves on each pin. On pins that have one groove on each pin. the one with the center groove is for the hammer, and the one with the groove closer to the end is the trigger pin. These grooves are for the hammer j spring and the hammer spring legs to sit in. -W |
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Do not charge an AR without a barrel installed. Other newcomers not aware of this have mashed up the hook portion of charging handles doing so, due to the carrier slamming into the hook portion of the charging handle. This is because the lack of a barrel extension to stop the forward movement of the carrier.
Another risk is locking up the bolt carrier group due to the lack of a barrel extension. This is because the barrel extension is what holds the bolt, allowing the cam pin to actuate, as the carrier is pulled away with the charging handle when manually cycling; or, as the carrier slams forward, if the bolt slightly rotates in the process, clockwise, the cam pin has a high chance of binding up within the half-moon cutout area of the upper receiver. |
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