I want to buy a new lower. I thought about buying it complete online but the last time I went through a FFL it was a major hassle. I can get a stripped RRA lower locally and buy a parts kit and put it together. How hard is it to assemble? I am not much in the mechanically inclined department- seriously.
Thanks

Check out the INFORMATION / GUIDES / ASSEMBLY . Full description of how to assemble a lower with pics.

Two years ago my son and I put his lower together using those instructions. Only special tools we bought were the offset punch for the bolt release pin, the front pin detent tool, a small nylon hammer  and a set of pin punches with center nubs, all of which helped very much. Got them from Brownells.

Assembly took about 2 hours and we got it right the first time.

IMHO, if you are able to read and follow pictures, and don't try to rush it, you can do it.

i just did my first ever builds.
i printed the instructions out, and got the enlarged pics of all the pieces. took all the stuff into the garage, and prepped myself for what i figured would take me many hours, and would likely have to stop and come back another day to finish...

well, i got my first one together in about 35 minutes - it just fell together. the second one took a little over an hour (seems i had some coordination issues w/ getting the hammer in, but it went). it is surprisingly easy... the instructions could be a little more clear for a first time builder, but they were sufficient.

Easy as pie except for the front pin detent, takes a little time

Quoted: Easy as pie except for the front pin detent, takes a little time

When I did this, it wasn't hard.  Maybe I just got lucky.  I just put in the spring, then the detent and held it in with the blade of a thin knife.  Then just slit the front pin in.  Just gotta be careful of flying springs and detents.

Quoted: Quoted: Easy as pie except for the front pin detent, takes a little time When I did this, it wasn't hard.  Maybe I just got lucky.  I just put in the spring, then the detent and held it in with the blade of a thin knife.  Then just slit the front pin in.  Just gotta be careful of flying springs and detents.

Thats eventually what I did but I bought lower/parts kits from different supplier and the spring was 2 turns too long. Made it hard

Print and follow; ar15.com/content/guides/assembly/lower/

Quoted: I want to buy a new lower. I thought about buying it complete online but the last time I went through a FFL it was a major hassle. I can get a stripped RRA lower locally and buy a parts kit and put it together. How hard is it to assemble? I am not much in the mechanically inclined department- seriously. Thanks

Regarding the build process, I concur with the simplicity previously mentioned.

HOWEVER, you still have to go through an FFL unless you find a private transfer. I think/hope that this is what you meant by getting "a stripped RRA lower locally".

Happy building,

sgt_seti

I'm still waiting for my lowers to come in so I can start my very first build. I don't think it is quite as simple and easy as everyone else claims. Realize that parts modification may be required in order to achieve proper fit. I will be working with a Bushmaster lower and their parts kit, and a RRA lower with their parts kit. After hearing so many times how tight RRA lowers are, I am not looking forward to working on it. I suspect the BM lower will be much easier to assemble.

You may also want to take cost into consideration. Buying a complete lower without buttstock costs about the same as buying a lower and parts kit separately. There are no real savings to be found by assembling your own lower (maybe $5-$10), plus you may need to acquire many tools. While special tools are not absolutely necessary, they can prevent damage and frustration.

For the front detent,

Before you do anything else, insert a small drill bit in the detent hole and probe around, make sure there is no bead blasting grit, and that the hole is otherwise clear.

From the side opposite the detent, insert the shank end of a 1/4" drill bit.  Push it over to almost over the hole.

Put a drop of Breakfree in the hole, put in the spring, push in the detent.

As you push in the detent, put the drill bit over the detent to hold it in place.

Now lube the pivot pin, and slide it into place, pushing the drill bit back through toward the other side.

It's just that easy.

Building a lower is pitifully simple.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=200688

vinh- it really is simple. i was surprised at how well my first build went. i just printed the instructions that are tacked at the top of the forum, got an enlarged picture of the parts in the kit (linked from that thread), and went at it. i used a stag lower and an armalite lpk, and i had no troubles, and no modifications were necessary.

i didn't have any trouble w/ the flying detent, either. i just laid the lower on the bench, stuffed the spring in the hole, and put the detent on the spring. then, using the pin, i just pushed the detent down, and slid the pin into its hole. just like that, and i was done. one try (on each lower), and it was uneventful.

i've only shot an ar a couple of times, and never had one apart, so i was pretty sure this would be extremely hard to do, but i had no troubles w/ my first or second build. the hardest part for me was getting the hammer lined up to get the pin in...

I have built 5 and it takes no longer than 30 minutes and that is going really slow.  The front pivot pin, said to be the hardest part, is a snap to put in if you use the clevis pin trick (do a search on clevis pin).  Done in 15 seconds with no chance of things going into orbit.  It does help to get the proper roll pin punches and roll pin holders from Brownells or some other source.  They are worth their weight in gold IMO.