“Why is staking a castle nut so important? Why can’t I just use blue thread lock?” This is something I am regularly asked about building an AR-15. I have found that a large number of people with whom I have spoken do not realize the importance behind staking the castle nut on their AR-15. Personally, I am a big proponent for staking a castle nut and will always do it on any … [Read more...]
“What do I need to be aware of when choosing parts for an AR-15 build?” This is one of the most common questions that I am asked on a weekly basis through my YouTube channel, Facebook or via email. To be honest, I find this to be a much broader and complex subject than some may think. However, that is probably because I am self-diagnosed with the … [Read more...]
You do not always have to go to a gun store to purchase an AR-15. Surprised? I know I was when I first ventured into the hobby of building custom AR-15s. Some of you may not know, but building your own AR-15 is actually quite simple. However, if you do not know anything about the process, or where to start, you have come to the right place. I am going to start this "How to … [Read more...]
At this point in our AR-15 lower receiver build, we've finished putting together the magazine catch, trigger guard, bolt catch, pivot pin, and trigger, and now we're ready to install the hammer. I have two references for you to check out, if you like, that go along with this article. First is a list of the tools and parts I'm using for this build, and the second is a video … [Read more...]
We're now halfway through the steps for building our AR-15 lower receiver. We last left off with installing the hammer, and ready to move on to adding the safety selector and pistol grip. If you wanted to know what tools I'm referencing in this article, check out the tools and components post. The video embedded above is a visual walk-through of the steps covered in this post, … [Read more...]
Installing an AR-15 dust cover can be a real pain in the butt, but it doesn't have to be. I'll admit, with my AR builds, I've often dreaded the point in the assembly where I have to spend way too much time struggling to install a simple dust cover. When I'm working on a new AR-15, it feels like I spend forever getting the dust cover spring into position, only to have it slip … [Read more...]
