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Posted: 1/24/2004 6:17:27 AM EDT
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Hey All, I just built my first AR! Thank you to all of you who have helped with my questions over the past several months. I am taking it out to the range today for its "maiden voyage!" This is an RRA A4 upper, Eagle Arms Lower, RRA A2 Buttstock and lower parts kit. All total, I have $555 in parts in this rifle (not counting magazines and shipping charges). I assembled my lower last night and had it together after about 1 1/2 hours. Yes, that's longer than it takes most of you, but this was my first build and I wanted to take my time and make sure I did everything right. Plus, I ended up on my hands and knees looking for my takedown pin detent spring for a few minutes (my wife, God bless her, found it behind the trash can). Anyway, based on my experience, I have the following recommendations from one first time builder to any others: - Buy quality parts: my RRA parts fit like a dream into my Eagle Arms lower, but I have heard horror stories from others who haven't had such good experiences. - Use masking tape on the lower when installing the bolt release: I would have ended up with multiple dings on my lower had I not had 3 - 4 layers of masking tape protecting it. Man, would I have been pissed! - Assemble the pivot pin detent inside a clear plastic bag: no, I'm not saying to become the "boy in the bubble," but I am saying to put the lower and your hands inside a plastic bag while doing this. I would have launched my detent into outer space MULTIPLE times had I not done this. I used a Reynolds baking bag (the kind you cook turkeys in) that my wife had, but any clear plastic bag will work. By the way, this thing is a BITCH to install. I cursed my adult-sized hands more than once during this process (I probably fumbled around with this for a good 15 minutes). - Buy a small punch set: I assembled my entire lower with just a ball peen hammer and a $3.00 punch set my wife bought me for Christmas from CheaperthanDirt.com. Anyway, here are my photos. I also have a case of M193 coming from Wholesale Hunter, so I'm sure that will come in handy. :-)  
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Nice job! I am really starting to like the looks of green furniture. Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy one of these: [img]http://home.mebtel.net/~hicksfam/pivot-assm-tool.jpg[/img] You slip this pin into the pivot hole from the left side of the receiver. Align one of the little holes with the hole that the detent and spring go into. Slide the spring and detent into the little hole in the tool and the hole in the receiver. Take a toothpick and depress the detent down into the receiver, then twist the pin to keep it in place. Now take the pivot pin, line it up with the other pin, and slide the pins to the left, so that the pivot pin moves into the receiver while the detent is held in place. You couldn't make it any easier. Now you'll just have to call Quantico and get another receiver so you can give it a try. [;D] |
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Very nice. Plastic baggie is the way to go!!!! I keep one around just for assembling the lower for my friends these days. On the Bolt Catch roll pin, it is easy to just lay a rag over the lower right past the pin area, and use a needle nose pliers to hold the pin and a small hammer to tap it in. If you CLP the roll pin, it should go right on in. |
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Thanks for the compliments, all! I really have to say that I wouldn't have been able to build this without the knowledge of all the folks on this board. Candt, here are the prices and sources of my equipment: Eagle Arms Lower: $85 (Quantico Arms) RRA A2 Buttstock:$53 (RB Precision) RRA Lower Parts Kit: $55 (RB Precision) RRA Complete Upper w/ Detachable Handle and Bolt Carrier Group: $355 (E-bay... man, I love E-bay) Charging Handle Latch, Spring, and Roll Pin: $3.50 (the guy on E-bay sent my charging handle w/o these parts. He volunteered to send me a new charging handle, but I told him not to worry about it) Total Investment: $551.50 (a little less, actually, than my original quote above). Of course, I had to pay $20 transfer fee for the lower and then another $20 or so in shipping charges for all the parts from RB, Quantico, and E-bay... but still a great deal in my mind! By the way, I just got back from the range. Went to Wally World and picked up 80 rounds of UMC 55 gr. The AR worked GREAT! I couldn't be happier! To be honest, I never really realized what a piece of crap my SAR-1 is until now. There is no comparison (I still like the SAR, but it will get considerably less range time now). There was a pack of about six teenagers who were all asking if they could hold my AR for just a couple of seconds. What impressed me most about this rifle is the accuracy. I shot from a bench, but didn't have any support besides my own two arms. One of my targets is below. Not great shooting (50 yards, open sights, no sandbags), but I'm pretty happy with it (the AR shoots much better than I can with open sights). I plan on taking it out soon with my Leupold Vari-X II to see what it can really do. Up to this point, I have always been a fan of the "idea" of the AR-15. However, I have to say that I am now a true believer in the genius of this rifle. After putting the lower together last night and now having this out at the range, I have to say that this is one well-engineered piece of equipment. I am a happy camper! [bounce] By the way, I used 1 GI 20 round mag, 1 GI 30 round mag, and 2 of the English steel 30 round mags. All functioned well. [img]http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid101/pef7835b89c52f070a43f019089cd2bae/f9d71992.jpg[/img] |
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I just finished my AR today! and I have to agree, A great big thanks to all the Gentleman on this board! Patient with the new guys stumbling along asking the same questions over and over... I have several rifles as I collect C&R, but this rifle sure does give one a feeling of accomplishment, even though it's actually pretty easy;) RRA Lower, Model 1 Upper, standard 20" A2 configuration. Oh Lord, I feel like another addiction starting! |
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Carbine Man: what is that pin? I have heard of tools to help install the pivot pin detent, but that looks like an easily found part from a hardware store. However, I have no idea what it is! Candt: I was originally going to get a midlength kit from J&T in A2 configuration (the midlength kits aren't on their website, but they have them special order) with a post-ban tactical brake, but the $355 for the complete A4 configuration was too good to pass up. |
| For the front pivot pin, I use a thin (Starett) 6" machinist's scale. Put the spring in, then the detent, push it into the hole with the flat side of the machinist's scale and slide the pivot pin over the scale into it's hole. When I remove the scale, the detent rises into place. |
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Thank you, holidaypf. I usually like to be a little "different" with everything I do, so I thought I'd go with the green. Cavalry Arms makes a lot of really different colors and, while I don't think I'll ever want a hot pink AR, maybe a "coyote tan" color might not be bad at some point. |
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Quoted: Carbine Man: what is that pin? I have heard of tools to help install the pivot pin detent, but that looks like an easily found part from a hardware store. However, I have no idea what it is! C_M |
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