This began as a $30 blem stripped lower from PSA. The lower was finished with a PSA B5 Systems lower build kit. It went together without a hitch.
Enter the upper. This started as a BCM blem stripped upper. I found a good deal on a Roscoe mid-length 16” barrel with a front sight pinned gas block added by the distributor. The BCG, front sling swivel, front sight detent and spring, birdcage, gas tube etc were all from DS Arms. They added the front sight gas block also.
First lesson is check your stuff before you start. The extractor had a narrow groove and wouldn’t extract. DS Arms sent a new one so I swapped out the guts and put it back in the bolt.
First mistake was trying to heat fit the receiver and barrel with a hair dryer. That resulted in a half stuck barrel which required a Mapp gas torch to remove and reinstall.
Second mistake was trying to use the barrel nut to pull the receiver onto the barrel. Bad idea. The receiver twisted and the index pin was off. When one has a heat fitted receiver, use real heat. A hair dryer just gave enough confidence to get in trouble.
In cleaning up the mess above I ended up removing the dust cover and reinstalling it. It went about as well as can be expected. I dropped the spring and had to find it.
When installing the barrel, I found the barrel nut was tighter than I expected. I tightened it with an armorers tool then got my torque wrench. I moved the nut enough for the gas tube guide to fit properly and was at 50 ft-lbs already. Minimum is 30 as I understand but I think I’m still in range. I used a Wheeler upper vice block and the insert with a gas tube guide rod.
I also ruined the first gas tube roll pin. Fortunately DS Arms included a spare. The sling swivel installation is also pretty ugly, but it isn’t going anywhere. If I get annoyed with it, I’ll put a new rivet in place.
I still need to put the hand guard on but I need to get one of the delta ring tools. I can’t get them on properly with just my hands. I went to great effort to get the proper tools, mostly by just being patient until the tools were in hand.
My first lower was pretty rough too, so I am not surprised. This was the third, so lowers I feel pretty comfortable assembling. Upper lab are where the fire is, so I waited to get into one of those. I won’t get to test it until next weekend but function testing has me hopeful. Ultimately I’d like an M4 style rifle with backup sights and a fixed 3-4 power optic. For now it will have to do with just backup irons. I
Enter the upper. This started as a BCM blem stripped upper. I found a good deal on a Roscoe mid-length 16” barrel with a front sight pinned gas block added by the distributor. The BCG, front sling swivel, front sight detent and spring, birdcage, gas tube etc were all from DS Arms. They added the front sight gas block also.
First lesson is check your stuff before you start. The extractor had a narrow groove and wouldn’t extract. DS Arms sent a new one so I swapped out the guts and put it back in the bolt.
First mistake was trying to heat fit the receiver and barrel with a hair dryer. That resulted in a half stuck barrel which required a Mapp gas torch to remove and reinstall.
Second mistake was trying to use the barrel nut to pull the receiver onto the barrel. Bad idea. The receiver twisted and the index pin was off. When one has a heat fitted receiver, use real heat. A hair dryer just gave enough confidence to get in trouble.
In cleaning up the mess above I ended up removing the dust cover and reinstalling it. It went about as well as can be expected. I dropped the spring and had to find it.
When installing the barrel, I found the barrel nut was tighter than I expected. I tightened it with an armorers tool then got my torque wrench. I moved the nut enough for the gas tube guide to fit properly and was at 50 ft-lbs already. Minimum is 30 as I understand but I think I’m still in range. I used a Wheeler upper vice block and the insert with a gas tube guide rod.
I also ruined the first gas tube roll pin. Fortunately DS Arms included a spare. The sling swivel installation is also pretty ugly, but it isn’t going anywhere. If I get annoyed with it, I’ll put a new rivet in place.
I still need to put the hand guard on but I need to get one of the delta ring tools. I can’t get them on properly with just my hands. I went to great effort to get the proper tools, mostly by just being patient until the tools were in hand.
My first lower was pretty rough too, so I am not surprised. This was the third, so lowers I feel pretty comfortable assembling. Upper lab are where the fire is, so I waited to get into one of those. I won’t get to test it until next weekend but function testing has me hopeful. Ultimately I’d like an M4 style rifle with backup sights and a fixed 3-4 power optic. For now it will have to do with just backup irons. I