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Are you building an AR?

23K views 369 replies 15 participants last post by  rawright54 
#1 ·
While howlnmad and I were discussing AR parts and builds over in the "what have you bought" thread, I had an idea to start a thread about AR builds. This could be a place to talk about your build, post pictures of what you have, talk about the best (cheapest) place to buy parts, or just talk about AR whatever!! I know there are other members who are in various stages of a build.

Last month I built an AR and I am now in the middle of building another one. The one I built last month was a retro style with the old triangle hand guards, but I couldn't find a A1 or A2 upper that I could afford so I used a flattop and a removable carry handle to get the "look". The one I am working on now is going to have a 20 inch barrel with quad rail with free floating barrel. All I like to be finished with the upper is the gas tube and the flash hider. I have not touched the lower yet. I will put up a picture or two on the upper a little later.
 
#316 ·
I have the middle style on two of mine, word of caution do NOT use loc-tite on the set screws or you will likely never get them off again. I just locked mine down dry then decided to do some mill work on the handguard and ended up having to take my little impact driver that I bought for working on motorcycles to them, it felt as if the allen wrench was about to round off in them, the impact driver popped them loose fine. I have one AR with the pinned A2 front sight post and never could get the removeable carry handle to zero right so just used a riser and scope on the flattop instead, and I'd like to put a pair of the 45 degree sights on it to use in addition to the scope but would need the railed front block, so that's next on the agenda.
 
#317 ·
I've heard that loctite is not necessary on them. The mid length has an A2 on it now with a flat top reciever. The new gas block will allow me to go with optics, 45 degree back up sights and a light or laser underneath. The A2 sight is going on the rifle I'm slowly putting together.
 
#318 ·
Mogunner has a very good point about the loc-tite. I did NOT use any on mine and they were hard to remove once cinched down. I found a 15 inch quad rail on eBay and put on that last one I built. I have the scope and the 45 degree back up sights on it.
 
#322 ·
I took both of my sights on the last trip to the range. Easy enough to get them sighted in. After about 20 rounds, on both, the were loose and no longer sighted-in. I plan a trip to walmart tomorrow to pick up some locktite. The side screws on the rail got very tight, but the two small screws that hold the scope to the rail are what came loose, on both. They were on as tight as I could get them by hand.

The only way I can think of to get them tight and keep them in-place, is with locktite. Is that a mistake?
 
#325 ·
Don't use the blue. The red or purple are removable loctites. You can use those and not have to heat anything up to get it loose. Only use a single drop. You don't need to coat the entire threads.
 
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#329 ·
This is the one you want: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/445105/loctite-222-threadlocker-purple-10-ml?cm_vc=ProductFinding

This one is the Purple, it is used for set screw, etc, which would mean (to me) scope mounting screws.

I opened up my little tool box earlier and looked in, the bottle was RED so I mistakenly said red. I did not realize that every one of the bottles is RED. The color of the little stripe in the front is what you go by. Sorry for the confusion!! Blue would work too!
 
#331 ·
Alrighty I got it. The directions say to coat the threads. A post here says it's only necessary to use a 'drop'. Gonna put it on tomorrow.

I remember 'in the day' when we wanted to keep a screw in place, all we did is put a single drop of red nail polish on the top of the screw, across whatever the screw was going in to, and that was that. It worked.
 
#332 ·
George,
I got home yesterday to find a barrel nut had arrived. Thank you very much. I'm going to try and get some in process pics of this frankengun put up this weekend.
 
#339 ·
It's just like Christmas. Got the gas block today. Thank you George.

Now I have a question. I've only ever installed pinned sight bases so you can't do it wrong. How can I tell when the gas ports are lined lined up and it's time to tighten the set screws?
 
#340 · (Edited)
Push it one as far as your can, when it hits that ridge, it is lined up (front to rear). Put the set screws right in between the holes where the sight post was and it is lined up (side to side) (just eyeball it).

EDIT: Once you get it lined up, hold your thumb over the muzzle end of the barrel and blow in the chamber end, air should be coming out of that little hole where the gas tube goes.
 
#343 ·
Oh man, I just saw them somewhere for $39 each (if you buy two). I almost did, but decided I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I've got to convince myself - I am not going to build another one!
 
#344 ·
Oh man, I just saw them somewhere for $39 each (if you buy two). I almost did, but decided I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I am not going to build another one!

I've got to convince myself - I am not going to build another one!
Don't forget the pictures. :)
 
#345 ·
I got the email from AIM surplus on the $39 ones, but they sold out fast, I don't think they had all that many of them. Besides, once you add in shipping it puts it right up there with the one from Bud's, seems like AIM get's right at $18 for shipping on a lower if I remember right.
 
#346 ·
I got my rifle completed, but I see more and more stuff that I'd rather have on it compared to what I already have on it. I swore I wasn't going to be one of those guys that over-builds an AR, but more stuff just keeps coming out that performs better or looks sleeker and it's KILLING me! Between Optics, muzzle brakes/Compensators, recoil buffers and caliber options I just don't know what I am going to do with this rifle anymore...
 
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