Don’t Build Your New AR-15 Just Yet!

Definitely get your AR-15 parts, but before you hit the work bench, you need the proper tools

by the Shoot On staff

If you remember way, way back in the day — we’re talking the summer of 2020 — firearms were a bit difficult to come by as everyone and their brother and their neighbor and their neighbor’s brother rushed to arm up in the face of domestic and global uncertainty. The result was barren gun shelves and equally barren website stores that sold parts to build guns, especially AR-15 components.

The good news is that ARs and their components are back in stock, for the most part. For how long we can’t say, but if you’ve been thinking about building your own AR (our two-part series shows you how to do it in step-by-step detail), now is definitely the time to buy all your necessary parts.

At the same time, you’ll also want to “tool up.” For that, we can offer no better solution than the AR-15 Armorer’s Master Kit from the folks at Real Avid.

Building an AR is relatively easy and straightforward, but there are some specific tools that make the job easier and go faster, and the AR-15 Armorer’s Master Kit has them all. Since Real Avid introduced the kit a couple years ago, we’ve used it exclusively in the Shoot On shop to build all our upper and lower receiver assemblies. Yes, it is an investment, but the kit covers all the bases, and it will serve the DIY enthusiast well for many years of fun, quality AR building.

We do want to stress that this kit is not simply a collection of essential tools packaged in a slick clamshell case — tools that you can purchase individually from anywhere. There are those included in the kit, like pin and roll pin punches, an armorer’s wrench, torque wrench, and so on. What makes the Real Avid kit noteworthy are the proprietary tools Real Avid developed to solve the common challenges every AR builder encounters. Some good examples of this include the multi-function Master Bench block, pivot pin tool, Lug-Lok upper vise block, and the Smart Fit lower vise block.

So, if you are new to the AR building scene, know that with the proper guidance and the right tools, putting together your own AR-15 from scratch is easily accomplished in a weekend or even a day. And now is definitely the time to get what you need because who knows where things will be in the near future.