anygunanywhere wrote:I have a few questions for the more experienced AR folks.
1. How difficult is it to assemble an upper? I have above average mechanical skills and a pretty full tool chest. Lots of files, hacksaws and channellock pliers.
Uppers are simple. You do not need too much equipment.
A good quality barrel wrench is about the only specialized tool you need. There are others, such as a gas-tube alignment tool, a front sight pinning block, and vice blocks. I went old-school and used a barrel extension torque tool from Brownells instead of a vice block.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 27452.aspx
anygunanywhere wrote:
2. Does anyone know if the supply of barrels, BCGs and all other upper components are also in short supply? I have not checked AR15.com lately. I would imagine that components are suffering the same fate.
Anygunanywhere
Yes, components are in extremely-short supply. I did manage to piece together a bolt carrier group this past week but had to do a lot of searching on different web sites to get the components.