In search of...

[Nate223]

I'm in search of a qualified gunsmith in the Hendricks county area to assemble 2-3 AR-15 lowers for me. I understand the process but really don't want to invest in the tools. That being said I have called around to a few local FFL holders who said they could do it and I asked them all a pretty basic question about castle nut installation. Not a single one knew the proper torque spec for a castle nut (38-42 ft/lb) Several also mentioned Loctite when I inquired about staking. Needless to say I believe there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and I want them done the proper way. Can anyone recommend someone that knows what they are doing in regards to a AR Lower? I will also need uppers assembled at some point as well.

 

[Squirt239]

I'm in search of a qualified gunsmith in the Hendricks county area to assemble 2-3 AR-15 lowers for me. I understand the process but really don't want to invest in the tools. That being said I have called around to a few local FFL holders who said they could do it and I asked them all a pretty basic question about castle nut installation. Not a single one knew the proper torque spec for a castle nut (38-42 ft/lb) Several also mentioned Loctite when I inquired about staking. Needless to say I believe there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and I want them done the proper way. Can anyone recommend someone that knows what they are doing in regards to a AR Lower? I will also need uppers assembled at some point as well.

Seems to me you know quite a bit more than the people you talked to...why NOT do it yourself? I mean no disrespect, but it sounds like you're fairly particular. IMO it would behoove you to do it yourself.

A set of punches and a spanner wrench is not terribly expensive, and can be used in the future. Outside that, some basic hand tools more than likely can be found around any house.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Nate223]

Seems to me you know quite a bit more than the people you talked to...why NOT do it yourself? I mean no disrespect, but it sounds like you're fairly particular. IMO it would behoove you to do it yourself.

A set of punches and a spanner wrench is not terribly expensive, and can be used in the future. Outside that, some basic hand tools more than likely can be found around any house.

Just my 2 cents.

You have that right. I am very particular.

 

[ACC]

Do it yourself. Only really need a punch and an AR wrench. You can spend as little as $20 on these from Amazon. It will be a great skill to learn. Go slow. Watch videos. Use masking tape liberally to avoid scratching the lower.

 

[Bigtanker]

For the price a gunsmith with charge you for both lowers, you could easily buy a few quality tools and do it yourself. A mag block, armorers wrench and a decent set of punches is all you need.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I second what others have said. I'm not overly mechanically inclined but I put together several lowers with minimal investment in tools, just watching a youtube video. Personally I like drop-in triggers so that makes it even easier.

 

[bwframe]

Shooter521 helped me build my first AR many moons ago. Can't remember the name of the shop where he works up there. I'm sure he will help or know who can.

 

[Squirt239]

For the price a gunsmith with charge you for both lowers, you could easily buy a few quality tools and do it yourself. A mag block, armorers wrench and a decent set of punches is all you need.

For 3 lowers I'd charge $50 each...$150 total.

Heck of a lot more than the tools to do it yourself....and I'm in the business!

 

[tcecil88]

Build it yourself.

 

[ditcherman]

Can anyone recommend someone that knows what they are doing in regards to a AR Lower?

Yes, certainly, but also certainly not to you. No offense.

It’s kinda line the sign at the mechanic shop, $50 and hour, $75 an hour if you’ve already messed with it, $100 an hour if you want to help, $200 an hour if you just want to tell me how to do it.

I’ve put some together and ran them through their paces, and never staked a castle nut, never knew the proper torque and definitely never loctited anything except optic hardware. I’m sure I did it “all wrong”, but they work well.

You should definitely do it yourself, and prove to yourself that you do know what you think you know, and it will be very fulfilling for you in the end.

Don’t get caught up in the idea that you have to have more than just a few basic tools, if that’s possible for you to accept.

The secret to inner peace and happiness is to lower your standards.
Apply purple, but just ever so lightly.

 

[Squirt239]

Yes, certainly, but also certainly not to you. No offense.

It’s kinda line the sign at the mechanic shop, $50 and hour, $75 an hour if you’ve already messed with it, $100 an hour if you want to help, $200 an hour if you just want to tell me how to do it.

I’ve put some together and ran them through their paces, and never staked a castle nut, never knew the proper torque and definitely never loctited anything except optic hardware. I’m sure I did it “all wrong”, but they work well.

You should definitely do it yourself, and prove to yourself that you do know what you think you know, and it will be very fulfilling for you in the end.

Don’t get caught up in the idea that you have to have more than just a few basic tools, if that’s possible for you to accept.

The secret to inner peace and happiness is to lower your standards.
Apply purple, but just ever so lightly.

This got a slow clap from me....

 

[Cameramonkey]

Another vote for DIY. Its incredibly easy. Its like legos for adults. LOL

I put mine together with a couple screwdrivers, a cheap spanner wrench, and a cheap punch set from lowes.
Also invest in a 2 gallon ziplock bag. for a couple of the spring and detent pin installs it can be a lifesaver. You assemble the pin and spring into the lower inside the bag. That way if you slip the pin and spring stay in the bag, not launched into the room where you will never find it.

Amazon product ASIN B097GQH159

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-4-5-in-Pin-Punch-Set/1003172404

That is all you NEED besides basic screwdrivers and maybe a socket wrench if your pistol grip uses a bolt instead of a screw. Oh, and a roll of masking tape. (for masking areas so you dont mar, and also for installing pins. Youtube will likely show you that)

Good luck!

Now its the upper that requires all the expensive tools to install. Just buy one complete.

 

[ditcherman]

Also invest in a 2 gallon ziplock bag. for a couple of the spring and detent pin installs it can be a lifesaver. You assemble the pin and spring into the lower inside the bag. That way if you slip the pin and spring stay in the bag, not launched into the room where you will never find it.

Ok, mind blown.

Amazon product ASIN B097GQH159

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-4-5-in-Pin-Punch-Set/1003172404

That is all you NEED besides basic screwdrivers and maybe a socket wrench if your pistol grip uses a bolt instead of a screw. Oh, and a roll of masking tape. (for masking areas so you dont mar, and also for installing pins. Youtube will likely show you that)

Good luck!

Now its the upper that requires all the expensive tools to install. Just buy one complete.

Trying to think of what I’ve used that’s specialized on an upper, but I’ve bought BCM and it came with a barrel wrench that you put your torque wrench (ok read breaker bar for me) into.
What’s specialized?

 

[Nate223]

Glad to see during these troubled political times where there is a constant assault on our gun rights every minute of the day that fellow gun owners stick together and pass on their sage wisdom to others looking for help (Sarcasm) I just asked for a gunsmith who knows how to do things properly. I have over 1500 dollars in parts and Geissele triggers aren’t cheap. I’m sorry I don’t want to give them to someone who may screw the install up. I just asked for some help in seeking out a gunsmith I don’t feel I should have to give every reason why I want to go this route. ADCO firearms is a great shop for gunsmithing in Ohio but I’m trying to throw some money to someone locally. Looks like I’ll be using them after all.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Ok, mind blown.


Trying to think of what I’ve used that’s specialized on an upper, but I’ve bought BCM and it came with a barrel wrench that you put your torque wrench (ok read breaker bar for me) into.
What’s specialized?

I was thinking it took a weird wrench that was like $60 to install the barrel nut?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Oh, and pay no mind to Larry Potterfield's "how to assemble an AR" youtube video. Dude claims you need like 20 specialized tools. Which of course he sells...

 

[tcecil88]

This got a slow clap from me....

Right?!
I had a big long post written up saying pretty much the same thing that @ditcherman said, but then I thought I would be nice and erased it. It really is easy to assemble an AR that will shoot. It is a little more involved to build a super accurate one, but that's more about component selection that anything. If your gonna knit pick how it's built, build it yourself and learn what works and what doesn't. You'll learn the ins and outs of the platform that way and have a great knowledge of how it works after a couple of builds.

 

[tcecil88]

I was thinking it took a weird wrench that was like $60 to install the barrel nut?

They can cost $60, but some are cheaper. The Mapul Armorers wrench is my next tool purchase to upgrade from my cheapy armorers wrench I started out on. It is around $80, but I will never have to buy another.
Most free float handguards come with the barrel nut tool for their specific barrel nut. I bought a Harbor Freight torque wrench for torqueing them. If you try to take the barrel nut off a store bought rifle, that kind of gets complicated, but alot of barrel nuts have some sort of flats for a wrench.
For the barrel nut on the non free float type handguards like the standard round ones and Magpul ones all you need is an armorers wrench like a Tapco or Magpul. Those have the spanner built in as well as a slot for a 1/2"drive torque wrench.

 

[tcecil88]

Glad to see during these troubled political times where there is a constant assault on our gun rights every minute of the day that fellow gun owners stick together and pass on their sage wisdom to others looking for help (Sarcasm) I just asked for a gunsmith who knows how to do things properly. I have over 1500 dollars in parts and Geissele triggers aren’t cheap. I’m sorry I don’t want to give them to someone who may screw the install up. I just asked for some help in seeking out a gunsmith I don’t feel I should have to give every reason why I want to go this route. ADCO firearms is a great shop for gunsmithing in Ohio but I’m trying to throw some money to someone locally. Looks like I’ll be using them after all.

Ok. you do you.
But for the over $1500 in parts plus the money you are gonna pay ADCO to build your rifle you could have bought a really nice factory rifle like a BCM

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/105513/bravo+bcm+recce-16+5.56+nato+x+45+mm+nato+16

or a Daniel Defense

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/3437/ddf+0212802081047+ddm4v7+5.56+nato+16

or a Patriot Ordnance Factory

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/5169/pof-usa+renegade+plus+5.56+nato+16.5+barrel+30+1rd

or a Colt Defense

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/132994/colt+mfg+cr6920-epr+enhanced+patrol+5.56x45mm+nato+16+30+1

AND probably still have money left over for mags and ammo.
INGO is a wealth of knowledge that can and will be passed on but you have to be willing to accept it. Make a snarky post, get a snarky reply.

 

[Nate223]

Ok. you do you.
But for the over $1500 in parts plus the money you are gonna pay ADCO to build your rifle you could have bought a really nice factory rifle like a BCM

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/105513/bravo+bcm+recce-16+5.56+nato+x+45+mm+nato+16

or a Daniel Defense

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/3437/ddf+0212802081047+ddm4v7+5.56+nato+16

or a Patriot Ordnance Factory

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/5169/pof-usa+renegade+plus+5.56+nato+16.5+barrel+30+1rd

or a Colt Defense

https://www.budsgunshop.com/product_info.php/products_id/132994/colt+mfg+cr6920-epr+enhanced+patrol+5.56x45mm+nato+16+30+1

AND probably still have money left over for mags and ammo.
INGO is a wealth of knowledge that can and will be passed on but you have to be willing to accept it. Make a snarky post, get a snarky reply.

Already a Colt and BCM owner. It just amazes me that a simple question can’t be answered politely. Some of the posts in response to my initial question were frankly quite rude. I figured before I even made my account this is how posting this question would go but I thought I would give it a shot anyway. If anyone can actually recommend a good local smith it would still be appreciated.