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November 15, Share on facebook. Share on twitter. Share on pinterest. Share on email. In This Article:. If you're going to be modifying your AR to any degree you'll need the right set of tools. How many tools do you need? Tool are a key component of basic maintenance. Complete AR Tool Kits. View at Brownells. What we liked:. Very complete kit Priced right for beginners Includes punch set with pin punch for removing roll pins.
What we didn't:. Too bulky to use as a field repair kit No brushes or front sight tool included. View at Wheeler. Very complete kit Includes a vise Full set of brushes and picks included Comes with a maintenance mat. Individual Tools. View at Palmetto State. Super compact and easy to carry Includes all the most commonly-used tools Built-in threaded rod for cleaning kits and other accessories Durable, all-metal construction. Not an all-encompassing kit Expensive for the size.
Real Avid Bench Block Allows users to hold five separate components in place during assembly. Each area is clearly labeled Stable Multiple working configurations Non-marring material Magnetic strip keeps pins in place. More of a nice to have than must have product. Magpul Armorers Wrench American-Made, solid steel construction.
The Latest firearm Reviews:. In-Depth Review: Ruger Charger. Checking our work. However, for the scope of this article, we will focus on the tools absolutely essential to assembling an AR rifle. You will need both a flat workspace , such as a workbench or table, and a sturdy vice. Of course, the purpose of the work bench is that you will have a significant number of parts to keep up with, and the purpose of the vise is to hold your first, absolutely essential, tool — an AR Vice Block that is specifically designed to tightly grip an upper receiver without damaging it.
Next, an assembly of an AR rifle requires the seating of a significant number or roll pins and, while they most certainly can be seated using standard punches, the flat surface of a standard punch does not mate very well with a roll pin.
Therefore, a far better solution is to purchase a set of roll pin punches from Brownells that have a small, half-round protrusion on the end, which mates with the hole in the center of a roll pin and prevents the punch from sliding off of the pin. In addition to a set of roll pin punches, a specialized Bolt Catch Pin Punch is necessary to drive the Bolt Catch Roll Pin straight without damaging the surrounding metal due to its contoured design which rides over the raised portion of the magazine well.
Last, you will need to secure the Castle Nut on the Receiver Extension Tube aka buffer tube to prevent it from rotating and thus, you can either use Loctite or stake it with a center punch, such as the Starett E Center Punch. And, unless you are absolutely determined to make the building your AR as difficult as possible, you should also purchase a Brownells Pivot Detent Installation Tool , or otherwise be prepared to spend a significant amount of time on your hands and knees looking for your detent!
Last, but not least, you will need one other essential tool called a Headspace Gauge , which is absolutely essential for positioning the barrel so that the shoulders of the chamber are precisely the right distance from the bolt face to prevent accidental case failure. So, while you may have heard that an AR rifle can be assembled with nothing more than a punch and, although that statement is essentially true, attempting to do so would be like attempting to play 18 holes of golf with nothing but a putter or a driver in your golf bag!
Consequently, although it does cost more to purchase the correct tools to do the job, having the correct tools to assemble your AR makes the assembly process much easier. Plus, with only 9 tools being absolutely essential for assembling an AR, you will not need to purchase a drawer mechanics tool chest to hold them all! Home News 9 essential tools you should purchase before building an AR rifle. However, as time went on and I knew I would be building and working on more ARs, I upgraded to a workbench in my barn.
The workbench provided a clean and clear surface for me to place tools and parts during assembly. It really worked great to have a bench built just for rifle building. I built my own bench and attached my vice to it. It is necessary to have a sturdy bench to attach the vice. My first workbench was the one below. At least not if you want to build your rifle into a reliable weapon. A vise allows you to use an AR block kit, a Gisselle rod, or an upper clamp block.
I personally prefer the rod, more on that in the next section. You want to have a secure vise that is large enough to hold your rod or block kit. Works perfect for me! This is one of the most important tools for building an AR. My personal favorite is the Midwest Industries AR upper receiver rod or the Geissele Reaction Rod , which lets you slide the upper onto the rod and then torque the barrel nut and handguard with ease.
The Geissele reaction rod is probably the 1 tool used by gunsmiths and gun manufacturers. So this makes it a must-have tool in your AR build tool kit.
Midwest Industries also makes a combo kit that includes their receiver rod and armorers wrench. Torque wrenches are a magic tool for building your AR A torque wrench allows you to properly attach your barrel nut to the upper receiver.
Most muzzle devices can be tightened with just a simple adjustable wrench or a torque wrench if you know your correct poundage.
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