New to amature gunsmithing looking for the right start

[RDH]

Hey guys, I found your forums looking for info on 80% ar-15 receivers. I'm new to firearms, just bought my first one last fall with a $500 cabelas gift card I got as a wedding present. I did alot of research and settled on a marlin 336y (youth model) and now I already want to mod it. I kind of regret not getting the ruger mini 14 which was second on my list but only because I could have sold it right now and got the marlin anyway as well as gotten my wife a small pistol, and the single shot 12 gauge with the various caliber barrel inserts that is now on my list as well. I don't like relying on others to make things for me if I can make it myself and I have always enjoyed making things. Although I have no experience with fire arms I have built many different paintball rigs over 9 years of playing. Before you poo poo my paint marker experience I have done a hall sensor trigger job on one marker that I could put out 20 rps in semi auto and so far looking at the inner workings of many of the fire arms I am interested in building they seem to run on many of the same principles. I have access to a manual lathe, and drill press, and I am working on access to a brothers friends CNC and mill. When I found out I could legally make my own firearm and how easy it is with 80% lowers, which I never heard of before this winter (shame on gun folks for not getting this info out in the public) I have been filling my head with as much knowledge as I could find on the web. I don't really know any people who are into guns so I wanted to hear thoughts from experienced people on what I should be doing and learning to prepare for my first 80% ar-15 lower. I want know everything safety, laws, education, parts, tools, products, cool stuff, tips and tricks, friendly local gunsmiths (chester county area), good starter builds, ect. Thanks so much and I look forward to becoming an accomplished garage gunsmith with your help.

[DClan]

Well, welcome aboard. I'm not a Smith, so I'm not going to try and answer to many of your questions. If you are interested in gunsmithing, and are looking for internet help, I would recommend adding to your searches, weaponsguild.com.

http://www.weaponsguild.com/forum/index.php

I believe, while you can find all the necessary law information you need here, and please stay ( I'm not suggesting you go away ), I think you can find more useful smithing information there. I am sure some of the members here are members there as well.
There are lots of other sites for useful information as well, why limit yourself to just one.
AR15.com can help with info on the lowers as well.

http://www.ar15.com/

http://www.homegunsmith.com/

[Chazman321]

You don't need much to make an AR with an 80% receiver. You need the jig, a drill press, and the templates and guides. They template pack will tell you what size drill bits you need, how big a bit you need, and how far down to drill each. After that, you'll need some good quality bits and some oil. While WD40 would work in a pinch, most people use thicker cutting oil used for tap and dies. After that, you need some good files for cleanup, a little sandpaper to make it pretty, and a wool wheel and some aluminum polish to make it purty...

After that, you can paint it or I've seen some people leave the raw aluminum look with a coat of Duracoat. Duracoat is easy to use, and now it comes in a shake and spray can so you don't have to mix it or buy an airbrush...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co70MNG6JiU


-Chaz

[rifleshooter2]

Dont worry about people slighting you for working on paintball guns. Any experance with hands on work is helpfull. When doing gun work think of the Hipocratic Oath "First do no harm" the 80% receiver is a good project take it slow measure twice before you cut, drill or mill. For a finish duracoat is easy for a first project. I used it on an AR pistol I made from am 80% lower and its holding up great.

Here is a link to my range toy

http://forum.pafoa.org/gun-pictures-...15-pistol.html

[RDH]

Nice piece!

I will check out gun guild sounds right up my alley.

Does anyone know a place to get an 80% or 0% or a lower in pa? I went through 20 pages of google results and the web stores are back ordered intill aug and sept. Is there another name for it that I should search under?

Also what is necassary to make 80% lowers in a machine shop, I have half the mind to contract a local machine shop to produce a bunch of 80%'s to help ease the demand from the buy up, seems like there is a demand for them and I could just pay someone to make them for me and sell them for half the inflated price, maybe help put america back to work LOL.

[sinkrun]

Gunbroker is a good place however there not cheap right now. I am in the process of maybe having lowers made not sure if it will happen or when. May just be a few for myself depends on if the owner of the shop can make sure its ok with his insurance etc.