Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Clifton, New Jersey
    Posts
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    Default New to area.. help please!

    Hello

    Just moved to Center City area from NJ. I purchased an AR lower and some parts recently that i want to put together however I don’t have a vice and don’t think I want to purchase one ( for space reasons). Anyone willing and able to invite me in to use theirs?

    I will provide beer and happy to throw you a couple bucks for the help!

    Alternatively does anyone know a good Smith in the area? Searched a bit but all the threads were from years ago.

    Final question: any FFLA in the area who will accept forearms shipped from individuals?

    Thank you so much!

    -Quinn

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Upper Providence, Pennsylvania
    (Montgomery County)
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    118
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    19450850

    Default Re: New to area.. help please!

    Hi, Quinn! Welcome! Glad you got out of the Peoples Republic of NJ, but Philly isn't much better, I'm afraid.

    First of all, a vice is not a necessity to build an AR lower, although I admit it can make it easier. If you want to build your own upper, definitely need one and a special set of blocks that go inside the upper receiver so you don't crush it. Here's a video of a guy who put his lower together without a vice.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nen5iNNzVXE

    If you really want to use a bench with a vise on it, you're more than welcome to come use mine, I'm out by Valley Forge, though, not too close. My son and I have built about 8 of them, so if this is your first, happy to help in any way I can.

    Couple of suggestions, if I may be so bold and you don't have all your parts yet ...

    Get an ALG Defense ACT trigger. They're only about $65, but such an improvement over the stock kit triggers you won't believe it. They are MILSPEC dimensions, but the sear/hammer surfaces that work together are polished and then differentially coated, one with nickel boron, one with nickel teflon. You can also buy a lower parts kit without a trigger, because this is commonly done.

    An H buffer will give you better results than the stock carbine buffer, the little extra weight helps smooth everything out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Clifton, New Jersey
    Posts
    3
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    Default Re: New to area.. help please!

    Thank you so much for the offer JCinPA. I’ll keep you in mind if I need you.

    I think I will be able to assemble without a vice. I went with a complete upper and I am giving a ratcheting castle but a try so I should be able to complete it without a vice.

    I have all the parts. However I had a stripped lower shipped to Founding Fathers Weapon outfitters. It has been marked delivered for close to two weeks. I showed up expecting to be able to pick it up but they told me they are backed up. I have them the weekend thinking I would hear back but I did not. I have called a multitude of times just asking if it has arrived safely, but they are unable to give me a straight answer and just say that they are opening boxes.

    Every firearm I ever had shipped to a FFL would call me the same day it arrived. Should I be concerned?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    SXSE
    (Chester County)
    Posts
    1,012
    Rep Power
    21474847

    Default Re: New to area.. help please!

    Seconding what JCinPA said about not needing a vice to build a lower, your best friends are YouTube, patience and a large, clear plastic bag to work inside of when attempting to install the front take-down pin's spring and detent, along with a large magnet to find the detent when it flies out of the bag.
    Last edited by eatmydust; October 2nd, 2020 at 07:49 PM.

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