Never slapped together an AR.

[Lonesome Dove]

Yeah I know but now I want something to do and came to my senses about building Canoe.
What AR tools are needed to complete the task? Just basics please

 

[Otto_Mation]

Yeah I know but now I want something to do and came to my senses about building Canoe.
What AR tools are needed to complete the task? Just basics please

An Armorers wrench and stuff you probably already have will get it done. A torque wrench is helpful but there is not that much to it. You can go crazy and get every tool out there that is made for each task but it is really not necessary. Magpul makes a good one.

 

[Moonpie]

You'll need a vice or some other way to hold your receiver when you go to torgue in the barrel.
Some roll pin punches are nice but not 100% necessary
Small hammer/mallet with a soft head for tapping in pins.
Barrel wrench, or Armourers tool.
Screwdrivers.
Hex key wrenches.

 

[V-Tach]

No one ever builds...........................


just one....................

I've owned the less expensive wrenches, but the Magpul is the best and I agree with Otto_Mation

 

[Powderhead]

As mentioned you'll need a vise, and your efforts will be easier if you use vise blocks for the upper and lower.

 

[Tnhawk]

I purchased several lowers a few years ago but have yet to complete them. I’m afraid once I get involved it will become another obsession as reloading did.

 

[zackmars]

The bare minimum? Like ghetto bare minimum? An armorer's wrench. And a pair of knees.

You can use an appropriately sized drill bit to help hold the pivot pin detent in place.

A vise and armorer's block and wrench are godsends, i like the magpul wrench and block.

If you dont use the PWS ratchet castle nut/endplate, a good automatic center punch is useful to stake a castle nut

 

[Lonesome Dove]

You'll need a vice or some other way to hold your receiver when you go to torgue in the barrel.
Some roll pin punches are nice but not 100% necessary
Small hammer/mallet with a soft head for tapping in pins.
Barrel wrench, or Armourers tool.
Screwdrivers.
Hex key wrenches.

Have all but the wrench.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Are go - nogo gauges a must?

 

[zackmars]

Are go - nogo gauges a must?

No

 

[Maverick44]

Are go - nogo gauges a must?

They're recommended, but not necessarily required. In theory, you don't need them. In practice, stacking tolerances are a thing, and parts might not fit together quite right. You're PROBABLY fine without them. ARs are rarely that far off.

You can get away with just a go gauge and some masking tape to make a redneck nogo and field gauge. There's lots of info about that online. If you're not a cheap bastard like I am, just buy the set. Just remember to remove the extractor and the ejector from the bolt face.

 

[candcallen]

I purchased several lowers a few years ago but have yet to complete them. I’m afraid once I get involved it will become another obsession as reloading did.

I can help you with that. Remove the temptation.

 

[Gordo]

I have a Large range bag with most of my AR tools in it, not including torque wrenches, torque screwdrivers, crowfeet, spanner wrenches that are part of my normal tools, or all the tools in another range bag, that I actually take to the range.
Hardly use some of the first AR tools I bought when I first started, like the all-in-one barrel nut/buffer tube nut wrench. That kind of stuff just makes doing things more difficult. Going to a FF hand guard, and suddenly about all you will use that big-ass combo tool for is the buffer tube nut.
Use my barrel vice jaws, and upper clam shell holders quite often.

 

[Nicholst55]

Seriously consider a Reaction Rod. It makes installing barrels all but painless.

 

[Txdweeb]

Good recommendations here but the one most important over looked one is masking/painters tape for the lower for the bolt catch retaining pin.

 

[zackmars]

Good recommendations here but the one most important over looked one is masking/painters tape for the lower for the bolt catch retaining pin.

The Brownells bolt catch punch, roll pin starter punch and a good small mallet is a must have, and makes scratching a lower almost impossible.

Pro tip, tape the punch, not the lower.

 

[Lonesome Dove]

Thanks for all the help.
Looking around at offerings and I think I'm gonna do a PSA parts build for my first attempt since it can be a one shot order if all is in stock. Is there somewhere else I should look? Oh and yeah, budget matters.

 

[zackmars]

Thanks for all the help.
Looking around at offerings and I think I'm gonna do a PSA parts build for my first attempt since it can be a one shot order if all is in stock. Is there somewhere else I should look? Oh and yeah, budget matters.

Psa is good.

For your first, you may want to seek out a handguard/barrel nut that doesn't have to be timed. Expo arms has some pretty decent stuff on primary arms

 

[Txdweeb]

The Brownells bolt catch punch, roll pin starter punch and a good small mallet is a must have, and makes scratching a lower almost impossible.

Pro tip, tape the punch, not the lower.

Didn’t even know that existed till I just looked it up, that’s very clever.

 

[smittyb]

Thanks for all the help.
Looking around at offerings and I think I'm gonna do a PSA parts build for my first attempt since it can be a one shot order if all is in stock. Is there somewhere else I should look? Oh and yeah, budget matters.

I'd be more than happy to come help you put it together. I have all the tools required as well.