ar15 question

deshawnjackson

deshawnjackson

Private
Minuteman
Apr 11, 2010
19
0
35
philadelphia
#1
so i met an ar15 armorer through my old job, and he recommended to me buying a stripped lower and he would build me a quality rifle for a deal. says he uses nothing but yankee hill parts and is pretty close minded to other brands. so i bring him a lower i picked up at a gun show, made by YHM, and had him assemble my gun. felt like i got it for a good price, 600 give or take. which brings me to my questions:

he said while assembling it he broke off a tab on the lower receiver where the pistol grip connects to the receiver via a piece of metal under the trigger, trigger guard? it would appear he put some glue on it and called it a day. didnt think anything of it until i got it to the range, was shooting it and one of the pins behind the magwell and above the trigger started working itself free. now im no gunsmith but im pretty sure thats not supposed to happen. could the pin working free be related to the missing tab? should i just replace the lower receiver? finally, is YHM legitimately a good company? i feel like quality parts wouldnt break during assembly, i guess a sub par quality smith could break anything though.

picture shows pin and broken tab

thanks for any input.

 
#2
Re: ar15 question

Pics would help and not to talk about your friend but .... glue!??!?!? $10-$20 buys a replacement trigger guard if that's the piece that broke. Pics would definitely help but if he broke it, and it's not a defect in the part, he should be replacing it.
 
#3
Re: ar15 question

yeah at the time i didnt even notice it, i was too exited to own an ar15 but once the piece fell off i was pretty disappointed but the cash already changed hands so chances of me getting a replacement are slim at best. ill try and figure out how to get these pics on here.
 
#4
Re: ar15 question

The pin walking out is the trigger pin. I have never had the problem on my ARs, but this is a known problem with some guns. Anti-walk pins are available to fix that problem.

Looks like one of the tabs for the trigger guard is broken off the lower. I have never seen this and looks like incredibly sloppy work. He likely used way to much force in driving in the roll pin. If he won't work with you on replacing the lower, you are looking at the glue solution, leaving it as is, or just removing the trigger guard.
 
#5
Re: ar15 question

The pin is likely in backwards. It has a index on one end. The broken piece looks like it is the receiver. I would not fire this gun until it is torn down by a competent armorer or smith. Who knows what else is going on. The word "glue" should raise concerns.
 
#7
Re: ar15 question

That picture shows a broken receiver. I'm no ar15 expert, but in putting two or three together myself, that roll pin that holds the trigger guard can be a tight fit in the reciever. Looks like in his efforts to install that pin he broke your reciever. Sorry about your rifle, but that "smith" did a broke dick job.
 
#8
Re: ar15 question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deputy1505</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The pin is likely in backwards. It has a index on one end. The broken piece looks like it is the receiver. I would not fire this gun until it is torn down by a competent armorer or smith. Who knows what else is going on. The word "glue" should raise concerns. </div></div>

thats sort of what im worried about, i dont need to be pulling bolt out of my face. it has jammed pretty hardcore on me twice now, broken lower receiver and trigger pin walking itself out. thats 3 strikes on a gun i have had at the range once. im new to ar15 ownership, but that seems like alot of problems for a gun with under 100 rounds.
 
#11
Re: ar15 question

Breaking the "ears" of the lower that hold in that pin is a known rookie mistake. The YHM lower wasn't the problem, it was the hack that put it together.
 
#12
Re: ar15 question

yeah when you are installing that pin you MUST support the ear. I would say that the pin walking out isnt related to the broken ear tho. both need to be fixed and this is how i would do it: first buy some anti walk pins or just a replacement pin and tap it in the right way. there are plenty of guides(brownells) floating around on the web(try Brownells.com) For the ear i would buy a new reciever but the cheap way to fix it is to use some JB weld instead of glue. IMO i would buy a new reciever AND JB Weld the old one that way you have a start to your second project. Trust me you can just own ONE AR.
Best Of Luck.
RYAN
 
#13
Re: ar15 question

put a magpul miad full kit and forget about it.

MiadFullSet.jpg


DSC01253.jpg
 
#16
Re: ar15 question

I dunno, AR-15 Armorer + broken trigger guard ears makes me wonder what exactly qualifies someone to be called an 'armorer'. I've built 5 AR's and haven't broken a thing yet.

A lower is only $80-90 bucks if u want to do-over.
 
#17
Re: ar15 question

You definitely got had in terms of a "quality rifle for a deal"!!! Anybody that has ever assembled a stripped lower knows (or damn well should know) that you must properly support the ear and be cautious when tapping in the pin. That is the weakest part of the receiver and it is a well-known that care must be taken when assmebling it at that point.

Glueing the broken ear back onto the lower is just stupid! It won't hold and it will never be right. JB Weld is a better solution, but you still have a temporary solution to a permanently broken lower when push comes to shove. It will probably hold up "okay" for a range rifle, but replacement is your best option.

As for the trigger pin, you should probably replace the pin at a minimum. Whether you go with anti-walk pins like the KNS pins or something similar is up to you.

Now...even with all that said...I wouldn't trust a rifle built by someone with the technical incompetence of the guy who put yours together for you. You know of a broken TG ear and a trigger pin that won't stay in place...who the hell knows what other problems may be lurking!! I think you'd probably have been better getting a lower parts kit and following directions you found online somewhere (and I'd recommend you try that on your next build). Out of curiosity, did he build the upper for you too? If so, I'd definitely want to have someone competent check that the barrel was properly headspaced and torqued down!
 
#18
Re: ar15 question

yeah, thats what he does builds uppers and sells them. ive learned more times than this if you want it done right do it yourself, so i guess in the end i just got another reason to reinforce that. im just going to bench the rifle for now until i can get a new lower and some other necessities(tools). i guess the problem now is finding a reputable quality armorer to strip and reassemble the upper, sucks i thought i was going to get to dump cash into a aimpoint red dot but it will have to wait. thanks again everyone.
 
#19
Re: ar15 question

that's why i bought the ranier arms trigger guard that uses the tiny allen bolts so that i didn't have to worry about lower receiver ears breaking....sorry about your luck i took great care when tapping my factory pin out to not break the ears....i heard that it happens if not supported right.......
 
#20
Re: ar15 question

I would carry the gun back and "let" him buy it from you cost + time/trouble. After all if he thought it was good enough for you he would not mind having it for himself.He could sell it to one of his other customers as it is apparent that they like to be screwed. Just because you are new to the platform or he gave you a "deal" does not mean you have to bend over for this clown. Does he have a ligit company or is he a basement butcher.A call to the better B.B.B or better yet file charges for theft by deception or fraud.I know a lower is only $90 and a with a simple manual you could fix it your self but what happens when the next weapon this assclown screws up blows up is some poor bastards face. or this one in yours !! Friggin GLUE piss-on it break you foot off in his ass and give him a tube of GLUE to fix it!!!!!Sorry forgot to take my meds Good luck.
Scot
 
#21
Re: ar15 question

that is certainly one approach, i feel like fixing it would be beneficial to me as otherwise i wouldnt know much about the internals of an ar15. also if i want to order new parts i can more or less strong arm this guy into giving me his dealer discount, which is good because i need new parts. on another note, i feel like anyone who sells me anything is bending me over, especially in the gun market. paid too much for a used glock 23 and a used s&w 1911sc im pretty sure.
 
#22
Re: ar15 question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deshawn jackson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">so i met an ar15 armorer ...</div></div>

He might be a plumber or a janitor, but he is no armorer.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> he uses nothing but yankee hill parts and is pretty close minded to other brands. </div></div>

YHM is good, but so are many others.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">he said while assembling it he broke off a tab on the lower receiver where the pistol grip connects to the receiver via a piece of metal under the trigger, trigger guard? it would appear he put some glue on it and called it a day.</div></div>

He broke your receiver. It would drive me nuts knowing that I had a broken receiver, even with the MIAD grip on it. So I would get another lower, move the parts over, and then take the broken lower and stuff it down the "armorer"s throat.
 
#23
Re: ar15 question

You are starting off way too nice in your aproach leave room for a happy medium . Best if you are not charged at all .
Scot
Ps you need anymore guns??? just kidding!!!
 
#24
Re: ar15 question

well to complete my arsenal im going to need an m60 or m249 para or ideally the KAC belt fed LMG.

a long range rifle, something as close to an m24 as i can without breaking the bank(next in budget, hopefully june i can start getting parts).

im looking to get rid of the glock 40 cal because i dont like the way the 40 cal behaves. i bought it because 1911's only hold 8 rounds, well the 40 cal i got only holds 10 and doesnt shoot nearly as good as the 1911. so im going to ditch it and get the g19(oh how i long for a g18c) like i originally intended. id also like to replace the s&w 1911 with a kimber 1911 because the s&w was used, i want to get all new guns so i have a better idea of rounds through it, but im in no hurry to replace my 1911 bc i love it so.
 
#26
Re: ar15 question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deshawn jackson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">so i met an ar15 armorer through my old job..........</div></div>


Pretty much got the story I was expecting to hear the second I read those words. If he builds and sells AR's get your money back.

oh, and fill out your profile.
 
#28
Re: ar15 question

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deshawn jackson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well to complete my arsenal im going to need an m60 or m249 para or ideally the KAC belt fed LMG.</div></div>

Do you have any idea what the cost is for a legal fully automatic weapon? Or the fact that there is a cutoff date of manufacture for which said weapons are legally transferable?
 
#29
Re: ar15 question

Of all the AR's I've built, I can honestly say I've never broken an ear off of a customers gun, if I had, it would be replaced without question. a $600 AR will get you that, a $600 AR, if its for plinking, self defense, 100-200yds and in, then thats not a bad deal.

If you plan on putting jagged holes in paper and holding a 3-4 inch group at 500yds, go with better parts, barrel and trigger especially.

Good luck and sorry to hear about your "armorer" breaking your lower.
 
#31
Re: ar15 question

IIRC when you install the hammer spring the legs (for lack of a better term) of the spring should ride in grooves in the trigger pin and hold it in place. That pin should never be able to walk out if it was installed properly.

It's been a while since I built one but that's the way I remember it. Could be wrong I guess. Somebody open theirs up and look and see for me... Would ya? It'll drive me nuts! LOL!!!
 
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