Building my first AR15

[Gobble]

I just purchased my first AR15 Lower (Aero Precision) I'm really looking forward to the build, do you guys have any good advice, do's, don'ts, cal. etc?

Thanks,
Gobble

[fowl smacker]

Good start!  What are you using it for?  Fun, hunting, self defense?  Get a good barrel and a good trigger, the rest is pretty much cosmetic.  I've built 5 now, they are a fun build.  I'm a fan of ballistic advantage barrels and LaRue mbt triggers(best trigger out there, especially for the cost).  If you're building a standard all around AR, I suggest the 223 wylde, it will shoot your 5.56 as well as 223.  Have fun, good luck.

[adamR]

Buy all the tools you will need up front.  I kept thinking I could do it with tools I already had and then ended up buying it anyways.  I waited on a single tool to be shipped to me countless times.  If I could start over, I would have bought upper and lower vise blocks, brass punches, roll pin punches, go/no go gauges, and extractor pin removal tool ahead of time. 
I also lost a lot of springs on my first go around.  Have some spring and detent kits on hand.

[Bango skank]

I just purchased my first AR15 Lower (Aero Precision) I'm really looking forward to the build, do you guys have any good advice, do's, don'ts, cal. etc?

Thanks,
Gobble

Im in the same boat.  Just purchased a stripped lower from aero precision.  Also a stripped upper, free float handguard, lower parts kit and bolt carrier group from aero.  Geisselle trigger and charging handle, faxon 20" flame fluted match barrel (.223 wylde,) getting an adjustable gas block, waiting on a suppressor.  Need a few more things, buffer and whatnot, then need to figure out what the hell to do with it all 

[Fl0und3rz]

AR15.com has at least one decent DIY how to.  If you are in the area (NE), I can lend some tools and moral support.

[Bango skank]

AR15.com has at least one decent DIY how to.  If you are in the area (NE), I can lend some tools and moral support.

Ive got some books and a dvd coming, but if youre offering to help me out ill holler at ya when the time comes.  I dont know anybody who knows about building ars.

[Gobble]

Good start!  What are you using it for?  Fun, hunting, self defense?  Get a good barrel and a good trigger, the rest is pretty much cosmetic.  I've built 5 now, they are a fun build.  I'm a fan of ballistic advantage barrels and LaRue mbt triggers(best trigger out there, especially for the cost).  If you're building a standard all around AR, I suggest the 223 wylde, it will shoot your 5.56 as well as 223.  Have fun, good luck.

Im looking to build a all round plinking, varmit, home protection gun, Thanks for the advice

[Gobble]

Buy all the tools you will need up front.  I kept thinking I could do it with tools I already had and then ended up buying it anyways.  I waited on a single tool to be shipped to me countless times.  If I could start over, I would have bought upper and lower vise blocks, brass punches, roll pin punches, go/no go gauges, and extractor pin removal tool ahead of time. 
I also lost a lot of springs on my first go around.  Have some spring and detent kits on hand.

I will definitely take that advice, I know not having the right tool for the job is maddening

[Gobble]

AR15.com has at least one decent DIY how to.  If you are in the area (NE), I can lend some tools and moral support.

Thanks, I will look them up. I have a cop buddy that wants to help with the build as well, he has built a few

[Fl0und3rz]

AR15.com has at least one decent DIY how to.  If you are in the area (NE), I can lend some tools and moral support.

Ive got some books and a dvd coming, but if youre offering to help me out ill holler at ya when the time comes.  I dont know anybody who knows about building ars.

I used the bushmaster DVDs. They are truly adult legos. I don't have shop space at the moment, but I can certainly help with lower.  I did my first lowers with a set of punches and an armorer's wrench.  Bought more tools to work on uppers since proper torque is more difficult to hold the upper firm.

Haven't done a complete upper yet, from bare parts, but have done disassembly/reassembly and mods. It is pretty simple, with a few function checks.

[Evil_EdwardO]

Youtube is your friend. Built an AR15 and LR308 and when I got stuck figuring something out, I just look it up on Youtube.

[Lincoln4]

#1 - Don't do it!  BRD (Black Rifle Disease) is real!

#2 - Plenty of videos out on the interwebs to view.  Find ones that work for you and save them for when you start building.

#3- Don't worry too much about spending lots of money for "quality" parts unless you are seriously looking for a special gun to shoot 15 miles at 1 moa.  My friends, family, and I have built plenty on the cheap that have all functioned flawlessly.  It's easy (and fun) to upgrade later if you get infected, and you will (See #1 above).   

[Blacklab]

Building ar’s is a fun hobby. As said above get the tools for the job. You only buy them once. Like potato chips you just won’t build one. Don’t ask me how I know 😉. The most important for me was accuracy. Barrel trigger and glass play a key roll. We all have are favorite manufactures. Lots of good barrels at a fair price for a couple hundred bucks tops. Or you can go bigger money of course. I like single stage tiggers personally. For my 6.5 Grendel I dropped in a Timney 3 lb. Very nice trigger not cheap. On other ar builds I have Andersens parts kits and triggers. Great clean break a a quarter of the price of a Timney. Have fun shopping and building😉🥃🇺🇸

[Fl0und3rz]

+1 on the youtube vids.  No need to buy an AR build vid.

[hunter399]

+1 on the youtube vids.  No need to buy an AR build vid.

+3 on YouTube vids plenty there just got to start searching.
I know everybody here says buy the tools ,but I put my first lower together with a pair of channel locks .Will it be easy with tools ,yes
Can it be done without, yes.