Considering Piecing together a 6.5 Grendel..your thoughts

[diddlyv]

Assembling an AR is pretty easy with a couple of exceptions. I have had both good and bad times putting the pin into the trigger guard. Getting a lower with sold trigger guard will eliminate that problem. The other quasi tricky job is getting the pin driven into the Bolt Catch/ Release. Starter punches and lube help a lot. In a pinch you can actually tap one in with a nylon cleaning jag that has been cut off 3/8 to 1/2 inch from where it threads into a rod. One thing that I did that I believe helps accuracy is true the face of the upper receiver. I bought the Brownells tool and enough lapping compound to do 10000 rifles. Brownells also has a tool to insert into the barrel extension to hold things when tightening the barrel nut. I used a piece of wood in the mag well and a 165 lb son to push the upper against the table as I torqued the barrel given the large torque range that will work for an AR this is not rocket science. In my case the Key Mod upper came with shims one used to make sure the upper lined up properly and the hand guard was square when you got into the proper torque range 30 - 80 lbs. I actually used a 10 inch cressent wrench pulling hard enough to know I was well past 30 lbs and given that short of a wrench I can't pull hard enough to get to 80 anymore. I subsequently have acquired 2 crowsfoot wrenches that should work on most barrel nuts and I do have a couple of torque wrenches.

Purists will tell you to use a barrel vise when tightening barrel nuts and flash hiders / compensators. I don't disagree but don't have a barrel vise. A regular vise with blocks of wood and a leather strap from an old boot tounge or belt will work. You can take a 4 inch section of 2x4 drill a 1/2 to 5/8 hole in the center of a flat side all the way through then cut straight across the center of the 2x4 from the end grain side. put the leather around the barrel and use the vise to clanp the assembly together tight enough the barrel does not turn.