A while back I purchased an AR-15 stripped lower receiver. For you gun novices, that means that all you get is a serialized hunk of metal that looks like this. Well, today I drove down to the Richmond gun show, and got a good price on a complete A2 flat top parts kit. Again for you gun novices, that means you get all the rest of the parts, (minus the stripped lower) and once you assemble them you get a gun that looks somewhat like this.

Now, you may be asking yourself just why anyone would do such a thing. Well, the stripped lower is the serialized part, so you can pick those up for between $100 and $200 depending on the make. That is the part the ATF considers a gun, and the one for which they do a NICS check. (Instant background check.) The rest of the gun is just parts and can be picked up anywhere with no restrictions. Basically that means you can take advantage of the internet and purchase across state lines without having to go through an FFL. In short, you can save a few hundred dollars.

So, I spent the better part of today greasing up gun parts and assembling my AR-15. I figure I saved about $250 by putting it together myself, and I'm starting to wonder if it was worth it. First of all the thing was a bear to put together. It only took about 3 hours, but it still needs more lubing and oiling. I never thought the thing would be this dry. I don't have the specialized tools to assemble the upper, so I had the smithy do it for me while I waited. I put the lower together using tools I had laying around the house. They have specialized tools available, but they aren't necessary if you are willing to put up with the pain in the ass factor.

I really only ran into two snags. First, the bolt catch plunger pin is too stiff. It doesn't flow very freely, and I'm wondering how that will impact performance. Also, the damned selector switch (safe-fire thingy) was milled out too far, so it will not switch from safe to fire. There is a detent that slips too far into the selector, so once you set the safety, it aint coming off unless you disassemble the rifle. That means I still need to go out tomorrow and find a new one, and then strip the gun down a bit to install it. I don't want to drive all the way back to Richmond for a $5 part, so I'll see if I can find one here locally.

After I get that final piece, and have it properly oiled, I'll be ready to test fire it. That is where I'll see if my hard work paid off, or if it blows up in my face. Wish me luck.