Get yourself a Magpul enhanced ejection port cover. Don’t have to worry about taking your upper apart, it just snaps into place and is easily removable.

Crazy that this guy very simply explains what others can’t . Great video , thank you

I'm loving your Playlist. Building mine now. But word of advise. Never loosen with a torque wrench. It voids the calibration. Use a ratchet for that.

As a guy with a a few different blocks, trays, etc... I still find myself using a roll of tape to tap pins in and out. Top notch brother.

I would not use the same wrench to loosen the barrel nut I would always switch to a no-torque wrench to loosen it.

This was VERY helpful!!! Another great video, great camera visibility, great instructions and good tips as well! GLORIOUS!!!

Take a moment to attach the vice to your bench.👍

I’m sure I’m not the first person to say this, but you should never use a torque wrench to loosen the barrel nut. That’s a job for a breaker bar. Overall great video!

Love all my aero products thanky aero for all you do!!!

I'm new to the AR building game and I'm enjoying your videos, thank you. But I have to say brother, as an old man who has made his living with tools for 50 years, you have to invest in a proper set of roll pin punches, both starter and regular as well as a set of brass punches. Oh, and a proper bench block. Again, thanks for the video, they are very good quality.

Thanks for the video. I just picked up my stripped upper yesterday. As a first time builder I would like to mention something to others considering their first build. Unless you know someone who has all the required tools for a build and will lend or rent them to you, don't start your first build thinking it will be your only build. You will be buying some specialized tools.

Thank you for this instructions, make it super easy

A hair dryer or heat gun is a useful tool as well. BCM mills their uppers to be slightly small (to aid in accuracy they say). I'm in the middle of a Grendel build and I'm waiting for it to cool down in Colorado so the barrel will shrink slightly (because it's cold) and the upper will be slightly larger (because I'm going to heat it) so I'm hoping it slides in just as easily as yours. One method one used in the past to line up the gas block is to plug both the muzzle and the chamber and use a duster can. You'll hear it when it's lined up properly.

Yeah a lot of people don't realize how easy it really is to put an upper together good video by the way I like the colors of the barrel and the receiver curious to see the handguard and all of that once it's finished make that thing super duper light and a cool broken-up color scheme going sorry I'm telling you what to do it's your rifle but I like the color you got me wanting to put one together now good video 👍

Excellent review, outstanding, thanks a lot

I suggest using a breaker bar or regular socket to loosen the barrel nut. Torque wrenches are finely tuned tools, and using them to loosen nuts can lead to them becoming wrongly calibrated.

Very helpful and detailed instructions thank you !

The Midwest reaction rod will prevent the barrel from clocking in the index slot of the upper receiver, worth every penny. Clam shell holders will put stress on the barrel's index pin and won't prevent barrel clocking... Anti-sieze is not the best, it will harden and can cause problems, use AeroShell Grease 64 as recommended in the TDP specs..Put the grease on the upper barrel threads, in front of the barrel lip and around any shims.. I lap the upper receiver face and bed the barrel in the upper with green loctite.. I dimple the barrel for the set screw type gas block and use a little green loctite around the barrel journal to seal the gas block to the barrel journal.. I use Rocksett for the gas block set screws as even red loctite will fail with heat..Blue loctite is worthless on gas block set screws..Pinning can cause accuracy problems, especially with a .625 barrel journal.. The best adj gas block is the Riflespeed. It has made all other adj gas blocks obsolete..

You should mention headspacing. I headspace all my builds regardless of whether they are ARs or bolt guns. It’s easy to do while the barrel is out but shouldn’t be overlooked.

I have a dimple jig for my set screws. Drill a recess into the barrel so they lock in place. That works out well for one of my uppers.

Well done video pardner!

I'm not bashing 1st shot because I don't know what checks you performed prior to the video BUT.... Safety is paramount when doing this. What I would say is that the steps to insure the barrel is properly headspaced and examined prior to assembly is very important to show in a build video. After all this is the most critical part of the build in terms of safety. Your audience is looking to you for knowledge as most lack the knowhow to do this safely. It is not a difficult job building an AR but it is important that you show the safety aspect as well. I would not forgive myself if I caused injury or worse to someone as i am sure you probably would not either.

What a great video. Im a first time watcher and builder. I started looking at complete uppers due to the uncertainty of installing, Im definitely looking forward to it now. Thanks Subscribed keep them coming

FYI don't use your torque wrench to loosen anything, it's a precision tool. Breaker bar for loosening, torque wrench for tightening

Thx for information 🙏🏼

Great vid

Great vid 👌

Thanks man! Very helpful

For heaven’s sake would someone please buy this man a clamp to hold down his vise!?

I like how you torque on then remove then re-torque. MY extra step,and it does make a difference, same as you do but remove the nut and clean the threads THEN do final torque. There WILL be coating and grit in the threads.

It sounds like you're saying "twerk." LOL Great step-by-step vid. Thanks!

Thank you guy

Very informative video and well explained. I like the idea of tighten and loosen the barrel nut. This will season the threads and give a much better barrel seat. Great job. How does the completed rifle shoot.

Been buying firearms for years. Always whole guns. Since I have Hitler jr in Washington state passing an assault weapon ban. I bought enough parts to build 12 rifles. First time ever building my own. Thanks for this video.

Get 2 3 inch metal clamps for your vise. Portable vise is the way to go.

Don't drive a point "pick" into the end of a roll pin. The pin is hollow with a slit down the side, so the point will actually expand the roll pin so that it won't fit.

Great video, thank you. One thing, I heard that using a torque wrench to loosen bolts messes up the internal calibration.

The hardest part I’ve experienced when rebuilding an M4 when I did small arms repair in Afghanistan, was those damn spring pins for the gas tube and block. 😂

Aeroshell grease👍🏻

I'm nowhere near this part of the process, but good video. Still deciding if I want to build or buy a complete rifle.

Never break torque with a torque wrench - use a breaker bar.

Use clamps to hold the vise onto a table or desk.

Thx bud... Seems easy enough... My turn lol...

Thanks! ... But what about head spacing ? ? ?

If you don't remove the dust cover, you won't be able to get the tool for aligning the gas tube out. The spring loaded pin on the inside of the dust cover hangs up on he tool. I just went through this and after some thought, I aligned the small "C" clip so I could see the two ends of the clip. I used 2 small screwdrivers . One on each of the "ends" and tapped the clip off. It came off like a breeze. Just watch so the clip doesn't decide to take a cruise around the kitchen. I then pulled the rod out of the cover from the rear "stock end". That's it. I have my first ever AR-15 close to being finished. I think I went over my budget but that's okay. Wheeler needs to modify the mold for the plastic pat that holds the gas alignment rod, You can't get it out "IF" you have the dust cover on. The first two flanges toward the front of the tool can't get by the dust cover spring catch on the inside. Then you would have to take the dust cover off. God Bless America. We need Trump back or else we're screwed.

Use Aeroshell 33 on the barrel and receiver not anti seize. I'll also jump on the bandwagon about the torque wrench use. Read the instructions that come with your tools before you use them the wrong way. Enjoyed the video.

very good stuff but loctite is useless in this case, the heat from the barrel will burn it

i have a primary arms handguard on the way, as well as a Bear Creek Arsenal barrel on the way, will it come with a barrel nut wrench?

Note that many of Loctite's formulas require using Loctites primer if the metal is coated. Most metals are coated. Loctite needs access to the metal's elemental makeup in order to harden.

Loving the series. Are all the Aero barrels notched for gad block or just some of them?

This assembly brought to you by Loctite™

Awesome video question which Aero Precision barrel block and tube are you using there are so many but your setup makes things so easy

Just coming across this series, man they are great! I have an Aero builders kit that can now actually be built thanks to you! The no bullshit solid teaching is what I love!

first we're going to go ahead and just go ahead with this video. and then were going to go ahead and never watch another

Great video. However, torque wrench gears are not designed to loosen bolts that are tightened. That lever is in case you need to switch directions to get the gears inside the head unstuck.

Thnk so much

Everyone else is saying use 30-40 foot pounds of torque on the first torque

Note to all whatever the torque spec when torquing if you use any type of lubricant reduce the applied torque to 70%. If you use full torque and lubricant you are over torquing

I like the Handguard itself but that barrel nut star style to tighten it down is ridiculous. I sheered off some of the teeth off the barrel but only going to 45lbs. Now I can’t take the barrel but off and the gas tube slightly touches the barrel nut. They didn’t have to change the style of torquing it down it’s pretty dumb. Nice vid though

Well, this young man did a decent job of throwing a barrel on a upper receiver. That’s about all you can say, was it done right? Hardly. Was it worth making a video as a guide for others to follow? No. Too much was taken for garnet that it would be right solely on the premise that they were “ quality” parts. I myself have used from the same manufacturer and they are high quality parts and pieces, but I always check all my tolerances and fitments for my own piece of mind. Saying it was “high quality “ parts after it blows up in your face doesn’t mean much. Parts are parts, how the parts are assembled are key to building a safe and dependable rifle.

Idk what you do for work but anti sieze is for threads only brother and just bit on the first 3 or 4 threads is usually enough

Next time use correct size drill bit and slightly dimple the barrel where the 2 screws go in the gas block

Those Wheeler clamshell vise mounts are actually pretty "risky" to use, as they transfer all the torque from the barrel nut into the _receiver_ which can cause your receiver to CRACK!😬 Instead you want to use a "reaction rod" tool, they're a long bar/rod that slides inside the receiver and has splines which mate inside the barrel against the bolt lugs, that means all the torque is applied to the barrel instead. You can typically find one for around $45-100 bucks.

To all you would be gunsmiths,I would advise you to at least watch a few vids from reputable gun builders before you build your first firearm. It may save you some headaches throughout the process

Are we using inch pounds or foot pounds cause im thinking about changing my barrel on my rifle

To the people that watch this and don’t have all the tools to build you AR get the Real Avid armorer’s master kit it has everything but the breaker bar, the vise and the mat

Mil spec gun grease on the upper threads and barrel extension

What about headspace???

Just FYI, loctite on the gas block won't do anything. They get super hot, which completely negates loctite.

Good day, thank you for the great content. I am a new builder and was wondering what brand of barrel you used in this video? What model number? Thanks in advance.

Where can I buy that barrel in black with same exact set up as your video has? gas block everything. Need an online source that will ship to California

Does the wheeler vise also work for an ar 10?

I’d suggest checking your bolt carrier keys fit to gas tube before pinning gas block… Just to be safe that it ain’t of kilt a lil.

Getting that gas block and rod on looked a bit difficult 😅 good job tho

Shouldn’t you use a high temp type of loctite around the gas tube bracket?

That vise block and the vise itself are pretty sketchy. I use a reaction rod and a properly mounted vise to install the barrel and torque down the barrel nut

Did you forget the pin for the barrel that mates to the upper?

I'll never be putting a Barrel on a rifle. But I'm curious will it be torqued at 25 Nm or something

My muzzle device is pinned and welded so I cant slide my gas gas block off. Will the barrel nut install from the receiver side of the barrel?

Who's barrel did you buy?

did you use the shims? how did you see if it was head spaced?

Can you give me the sites where you found the gas block tube and gas block and barrel set

Way to figure it out as you go

60 ft pounds is the torque spec for that hanguard?

It's called a roll pin punch, not an o-ring pick.

What about the spacers and timing?

They are called "roll pins" and there are punches called "starter pin punch" and "roll pin punch". Good to also have other proper equipment like a bench mount vise, pin block and better to have the proper barrel rod which will stabilize the barrel when torquing the nut down. Yes, I have done barrels without the proper tools in the past. But I didn't post a "how to" video.

What happen to the other gas tube tool? Video 1:38 time you showed a tool.

What punches do i need?

The action rob is much better for torque

4:28 How is the grease gonna help seat it better? 😂 The grease is to make removal easier. There is no other purpose for it.

I'm confused why you are torqueing down to 55ft-lbs, then loosening, then tightening to 65ft-lbs. Why not just do it once to 65ft-lbs the first time? "To make sure those threads all seat together" doesn't make any sense. Aero's own video on barrel install makes no mention of this tighten-loosen-tighten method you are referring to...

Using the torque wrench to break the nut can throw off the accuracy.

How do you fix headspacing?

That torque wrench must be wildly off if you’re using it also as a breaker bar Edit: nvm… I can read…

I would not loosen it up . I would make my torques in three stages first one at 45 pounds second one at 55 pounds and the third at 65 pounds

👍

What kind of barrel did you select for this build?

Do you not need shims for these

You never use a Tork wrench to loosen any fasteners.