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Thread: Building an upper

  1. #1
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    Building an upper

    I am interested in building the upper for my next rifle so I can get the handguard I want. I have a list of parts, any suggestions or experience with these parts is welcome. Also what vice blocks are you guys using to secure your uppers?

    Aero assembled upper (FA and dust cover installed)
    Faxon Firearms 16" pencil midlength barrel with pinned low pro gas block
    ALG EMR v2 MLOK

    I am trying to keep this from being really expensive. Does these parts look good to you guys?

  2. #2
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    Your parts list looks great for a budget build. I very rarely use a vice block anymore since purchasing the Geissele Reaction Rod. It's kind of pricy so unless you want to invest in tools, a vice block might be a better way for you to go. My vice block of choice is the Wheeler Engineering Delta Series. I don't usually recommend Wheeler products but I do like their vice block. (Don't buy one of their barrel nut wrenches!) Anyway, their vice block is great and works well. For a few more bucks you could buy a DPMS Panther Claw. This is a great system as well.

    Good luck and have fun with the build!
    “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
    Thomas Jefferson

  3. #3
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    I use a PRI vice block, which allows for attaching the upper using the take down pins at the bottom of the upper or on the other side using the clamp to attach to the Picatinny flat top instead. One nice thing about it is that the Picatinny grove/clamp allow you to do a pretty fair job of aligning your flat top upper with the top rail of your hand guard and making sure they are squared up.

  4. #4
    FaxonNathan Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by ncshooter18 View Post
    I am interested in building the upper for my next rifle so I can get the handguard I want. I have a list of parts, any suggestions or experience with these parts is welcome. Also what vice blocks are you guys using to secure your uppers?

    Aero assembled upper (FA and dust cover installed)
    Faxon Firearms 16" pencil midlength barrel with pinned low pro gas block
    ALG EMR v2 MLOK

    I am trying to keep this from being really expensive. Does these parts look good to you guys?
    Looks good to us.

  5. #5
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    I would recommend a BEV block or reaction rod over a vice block. You'll probably get better mileage out of the BEV.

  6. #6
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    As a matter of fact the last rifle I put together was with an Aero assembled upper and a Faxon 16" middy barrel (I used the Gunner profile instead of the Pencil). Both are great quality products and I would recommend them to anybody. I will never go with another Anderson upper... these Aeros are much nicer, and if you can find them for $60 like I did, it's a great deal. I used the Faxon low pro nitride gas block (clamp-on) and their gas tube as well. All of it was great. Pinning a gas block like you are planning would be even better, as long as you use a good one that is designed for pinning, like the BRT Micro-pin. I have no experience with the ALG handguard. I used the UTG Pro Keymod on mine, and was highly impressed with it too... it really exceeded my expectations. I honestly see no reason to go with anything else.

    As far as a vise block, based on advise from TOS, I got a set of No-Mar blocks off Ebay. They work great. I got the one that works for both AR-15 and .308 ARs, and really couldn't be happier.
    Last edited by henschman; 10-31-15 at 20:28.
    "This motto may adorn their tombs
    (Let tyrants come and view):
    We rather seek these silent rooms
    Than live as slaves to you."

    Lemuel Haynes, 1775

  7. #7
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    I can't work on an upper without using my reaction rod it makes like easier and is faster to setup. Fortunately, Botach makes a copy and it's a little cheaper.

    https://www.botach.com/kley-zion-ar1...ne-socket-rod/
    Life's a risk, enjoy the adventure - HOPLOETHOS

  8. #8
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    Looks good, I would insist on buying a bag of small replacement parts from PSA, its a bag of detents and detent springs and some roll pins just in case you loose some in the process. I've lost too many springs and small parts to count.
    What kind of muzzle device are you going to use? Post some pics when done!
    Last edited by elephant; 11-01-15 at 19:08.

  9. #9
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    I'll echo, a reaction rod is very nice for working on uppers.

  10. #10
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    The Reaction Rod sucks, I would not buy one... They break index pins all the time.

    Everyone here will disagree with me but that's okay.
    Last edited by 556Cliff; 11-02-15 at 16:45.

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