Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire What tools do I need to build my first AR?

Castle nut wrench and barrel wrench are the only specialty tools you need for an AR.

Use vise grips with taped jaws for the bolt lock pin to keep from marring the surface.

The assembly of the rifle is very straightforward.

I’ve built several using finished uppers and stripped lowers like you are doing and I never bought or found that I needed any special tools. I put painters tape on the lower when hammering in pins to keep from marring the finish and used punches or Allen wrenches to help hold things in place. Best advice I can give you is to use a cardboard box or trash can to encapsulate the lower while installing detents and springs. Otherwise you will spend a long time hunting them when they go flying. And they will go flying at some point. It’s like a rite of passage. Use a box.

If you understand what spring tension does and know where the part under spring pressure is.........you don't have to lose them to the air. Pay attention to what you're doing. I've never put anything together inside a bag or a box.

And Beer. If you drink too much beer, you can revert to a you tube vid to help get you back on track.

If you do scratch it... who cares. It's an AR. You will put more scratches on it.

If you scratch it and it bothers you, spray paint the fugger.

I'm a BIG fan of quality triggers.