Ar building tool kits

[Wolfdog91]

Looking at getting a lil more serious with my AR's and would like to try and build one or at least mod my current ones. Wanted to know what y'all would recommend as a good kit for getting into building them. Currently looking at either one of the lower priced Wheeler set up or the real avid on the high end. What would y'all reccomended?
Thanks !

 

[Adam in WI]

I bought my wrench and upper blocks from Palmetto. Works well enough for the price

 

[jelenko]

I've found a set of roll pin punches along with roll pin starter punches has been very helpful.
There's a roll pin punch shaped specifically for the roll pin on the bolt catch.
The jig that compresses the ejector spring to remove the pin that holds the ejector in.
An upper block [as mentioned]. Be careful. The clamshell blocks don't always hold a slick sided upper or the ones made from a billet.
There's a couple tools designed to take off and install barrels. [I'm not sure what they are as my AR's are 'spaceguns' and use a different barrel nut approach.]

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The real avid big kit does a pretty good job

 

[VA_XTC_Shooter]

Do yourself a favor and get a Midwest Industries URR, better than the Geissele reaction rod.
The Magpul bev block is my next choice.

 

[LiveFire]

Buy quality punches. You do not need a whole set. Somewhere there is a list of the sizes you will need. Don't cheap out on amazon punches and bend them in half or break the tip off in a hole like I had to learn. Some Grace roll pin punches and some Dasco Pro pin punches are all you need. I bought all the "special punches" when I started out. Such as the brownells kit for gas blocks that has a pin holder and the special shaped one for the bolt release. You don't need them. Buy a decent ball pein hammer. Smaller is better. I think mine is an 8oz Vaughan and I could probably use a smaller one. A scalpel or flat razor blade is good for holding detents in for the take down pins. Depending on handguard styles you may need a crows foot wrench, a regular barrel nut multi tool wrench or even a strap wrench for tightening the handguard tube if you end up having that style. I like the wheeler delta series block for holding uppers. I also have a no name clam shell that works. I use the delta series block when I want to clean an upper. Lock it in the vice at a bit of a downward angle, slip a boreguide in and away you go. A lot of tools will be specific to what youre building. Good luck.

Edited: I wanted to add you will want a 1/2" drive beam style torque wrench. I use an older craftsman. The barrel nut torque on most nuts is a pretty wide window. If you have the type of nut that requires the gas tube bed fed through or lined up through it a beam style allows you to watch the torque range while aligning the tube and nut. Im sure I have forgotten a bunch of stuff but again a lot is contingent on the part type you are assembling.

 

[Enosiophobia]

The real avid big kit does a pretty good job

I have one. Don't build dozens of AR's so this works for me.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Thanks for all the advice eveyone