A buddy and I were talking about how long it takes to put a complete AR together. I've never been able to build one inside of three weeks because I'm always waiting for parts. But say you had everything you needed laid out on the bench, how long would it take to completely put one together?

From the ground up depending on your skills and having all the tools handy is probably under 3 hours. If you have done a few you could get it down to an hour and a half. If you have done many maybe 30 minutes.

I'm in the 2 hour range. I just bought lower #10. But, half the fun is the build so I like to take my time and enjoy the accomplishment.

kwg

From the ground up depending on your skills and having all the tools handy is probably under 3 hours. If you have done a few you could get it down to an hour and a half. If you have done many maybe 30 minutes.

I'm in the 2 hour range. I just bought lower #10. But, half the fun is the build so I like to take my time and enjoy the accomplishment.

kwg

2 hours tops depending on the exact configuration.

MM

Building (assembling) an AR is you have 100% of the parts sitting next to you and have a work bench and a vice is very fast. WAY under an hour. Funny this should be asked here and now because 2 days ago my friend from Lander came over and asked the same exact question.

He dropped off a full set of parts here and drove to Shoshoni to hook up to a boat and drive back. The town of Shoshoni is 10 miles from me and he took about 3 minutes to hook up to the boat trailer and drive back. 3 miles are dirt road so he'd drive at about 20 MPH on the dirt and the rest is highway on which he can go 70 MPH. He dropped off the parts, went to get the boat and I had the gun done and was zeroing it when he got back.
I should have looked at the time when he left and at when I was done building, but I did not.
However I can say it's less then the time it takes to drive 17 miles at 70 MPH and 3 at 20 MPH + the time it took to drop a trailer ball onto a hitch and chain it up, put in a plug and leave again.

I'm in the same boat as szihn - if I'm not modifying anything and just bolting parts together, about 30 minutes for both upper and lower. I might spend another 30 on scope mounting just because I'm picky about getting everything true.

However, I almost never just assemble parts as they are delivered. There are a number of little tweaks I prefer to do when assembling an AR:
- true the upper
- tap for 4-40 screw in rear takedown pin detent hole
- adjust trigger
- make a BAD-lever style bolt release

maybe a couple other things I'm forgetting. It's all easy stuff, but I'll usually spend an afternoon or a couple short evenings getting everything done.

If all parts are in one place it should not take more than 30-45 min.to assemble one.

Same goes for changing out the barrel on one,15 min tops.

So, are you building the upper yourself, or using an assembled upper? I'm at three hours building a stripped lower, as half that time is getting the front take down pin in place. After that, it's easy for me. but that front take down pin (spring and detent) for me is a beotch.

The easy way................I made a tool out of a piece or CR stock.

Front Takedown Pin Install

Or Strike Industries makes a removable / easy install version pin assembly as well.

MM

Yes, a tool really helps with front takedown pin assembly and especially disassembly. I use this set (although got mine from Amazon a number of years ago, don't know anything about this seller):
http://ar15xtreme.com/product/ar-15...-pins-springs-and-assembly-tool-set-223/

That'll do..................

Here's the easy to remove Strike pin set that I mentioned above. I tried a set just for the hellavit on a recent build & they do go in & out very easily with no tools.

MM

Strike easy in & out shift pins

Thanks Montana Marine and Yondering for the tips. I've got a third build I will be doing soon, I think the Clevis pin idea will work fine. I actually thought of something similar after my second build last week, but didn't act on it.

Very nice concise assembly video with no specialized tools.

Front pivot pin starts at 2:00.

Easy AR assembly

With all the parts, the right tools and his dad coaching him, my 11 yo grandson built one recently in two days after school and two evenings.

Good for him! Very cool.