Seekins is good to go
All good advice to follow.
@OP You don’t have to spend a ton of money on a new torque wrench either. I found both of mine (one in inch/lbs., one in ft./lbs.) just by looking around at a few pawn shops. Both were in near new condition at about 1/2 the price of what they retail for.
A good AR multi tool like the one from wheeler works very well. Wheeler also makes a good set of punches that are fairly inexpensive. Upper and lower vise blocks can be found pretty cheap too. I’d recommend buying one of those roll pin wizards for installing the bolt catch roll pin as well as your pivot pin springs and detents. If your lower doesn’t have an integrated trigger guard and you’re having to install one yourself, be careful that you don’t damage that part of the lower when installing trigger guard the roll pin. They jut out like ear lobes and if you damage or break one, your whole lower receiver is garbage at that point.
Buy one or two of those AR “oops” kits. They have spare springs, pins, and detents that are commonly lost while building / working on your gun. They also have extra parts that commonly wear out or need replacement on your bolt carrier group. It‘s a good idea to invest in a good BCG. This is the part of the gun that getting the most heat and friction. It also takes more of a beating than any other part of the gun. The average high end BCG from companies like Lantac, JP Enterprises, or Bravo Company will run $200-$300. The average low end BCGs from PSA or AIM Surplus range from $80-$120. Everything in between can be considered mid-tier.
This is a link to a video that will tell you everything you need to know about regular AR-15 maintenance:
These comments are based solely on my own experience. If you really want to understand how an AR works, build one. I built my first AR, if I can do it anyone can. Strategy for putting together the parts will depend on your desires for the gun. My first was a parts kit I bought from a discount supplier for $175 dollars on a Black Friday sale. It has ran flawlessly. For the second build, a side charging pistol, I bought a complete upper from a discount supplier. It was cheaper to buy the complete upper than buy the individual parts, and I didn’t feel the need for a lot of bells and whistles. It has also ran flawlessly.
Some good places to look for pats online are ar15discounts, unbrandedar, psa, many others. Take a look at gun.deals, good buys on parts get posted there frequently.
The advice on buying build tools and oops kits up front is well taken.
As a final word, I will readily admit that if I were going into combat with the SEALS, my rifles would not be appropriate. I feel that they will do everything I need reliably, and I saved a lot of money building them myself with budget parts.
Some good places to look for pats online are ar15discounts, unbrandedar, psa, many others. Take a look at gun.deals, good buys on parts get posted there frequently.
The advice on buying build tools and oops kits up front is well taken.
As a final word, I will readily admit that if I were going into combat with the SEALS, my rifles would not be appropriate. I feel that they will do everything I need reliably, and I saved a lot of money building them myself with budget parts.
I went cheap on a set of HFT punches and I regret it now. I need to pick up some roll pin punches. I also recommend a roll of painter's tape, double layered on the side of the receiver when seating the bolt catch roll pin. It keeps the side of the receiver purty.
A few items to make your life easy on the first build.
www.brownells.com
www.midwayusa.com
These might not be the cheapest, but they are not the most expensive either.
Pre-pandemic, I would have recommended a Ruger MPR as a great first AR. It came with lots of features for a bargain price. They were $600 in 2019. They run just over $800 now. For that price, you can almost get a Colt 6920.
ROLL PIN PUNCH SET
ROLL PIN PUNCH SET https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/general-gunsmith-tools/punches/roll-pin-punch-set-7863afdb/
www.brownells.com
Wheeler Delta Series Pivot Pin Detent Roll Pin Installation Tool AR-15
The Wheeler Engineering Delta Series Pivot Pin Detent and Roll Pin Installation Tool ends the aggravation of launching a pivot pin detent across the...
www.midwayusa.com
These might not be the cheapest, but they are not the most expensive either.
Pre-pandemic, I would have recommended a Ruger MPR as a great first AR. It came with lots of features for a bargain price. They were $600 in 2019. They run just over $800 now. For that price, you can almost get a Colt 6920.
I got both tools, thanksA few items to make your life easy on the first build.
ROLL PIN PUNCH SET
ROLL PIN PUNCH SET https://www.brownells.com/tools-cleaning/general-gunsmith-tools/punches/roll-pin-punch-set-7863afdb/
Wheeler Delta Series Pivot Pin Detent Roll Pin Installation Tool AR-15
The Wheeler Engineering Delta Series Pivot Pin Detent and Roll Pin Installation Tool ends the aggravation of launching a pivot pin detent across the...
These might not be the cheapest, but they are not the most expensive either.
Pre-pandemic, I would have recommended a Ruger MPR as a great first AR. It came with lots of features for a bargain price. They were $600 in 2019. They run just over $800 now. For that price, you can almost get a Colt 6920.
Aero Precision has 15% blemished uppers and lowers right now, and I’ve never had any issues with quality, fit, or finish with any of their products.
While we're on the subject and not trying to thread jack, but does anyone have a good way to remove a crush washer that gets trapped behind the threads? I tried applying upward pressure while "unscrewing" it and eventually ended up cutting it with dremel. Total PIA! Hopefully someone has an easy, simple way that doesn't end up looking like a rat attacked your barrel for future reference.
ask 100 people the same question you may get 100 answers. you found a solution to your problem and that's just fine. I wouldn't think there maybe a better one.
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