Saturday at the Movies: Do-It-Yourself AR-15 Rifle Assembly

Cheaper Than Dirt (CTD), a Texas-based vendor of firearms, gun accessories, and ammo, has created a very complete web page on AR-15 assembly from start to finish. If you are thinking of building an AR, or upgrading your upper, trigger group, or buttstock, we recommend that you read CTD’s DIY ARs — Building Your Own AR-15 page. This illustrates all the components you will need for a complete AR build.
In addition, the page has a series of videos showing how to assemble each element of the AR-15. We’ve included five of those videos in today’s Saturday Movie Showcase. There a total of ten CTD AR-15 videos in the series. View them all on the CTD AR-15 Playlist on YouTube.
Then, as a closer, we offer another video — the Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Building an AR-15. Worth watching BEFORE you start an AR project, this useful video now has 2.1 million views!
Installing the Fire Control Group
Installing the Safety Selector and Pistol Grip
Installing the Take-Down Pin and Buffer Tube
Installing the Bolt Catch
Field-Stripping the Bolt-Carrier Group
Mistakes to Avoid When Assembling an AR-Platform Rifle
This popular Tactical Toolbox video (with 2.1 million views) is definitely worth watching BEFORE you start your own AR project. It explains the common mistakes that even careful builders can make when assembling an AR-type rifle.
The 27 Parts Needed for Do-It-Yourself ARs
Here’s a helpful CTD infographic that shows the parts needed to build an AR-15. These parts are available for purchase at Cheaper than Dirt. To learn more, click the photo to view the full CTD AR-15 Build article.
Top photo with AR upper kit and stripped lower from Palmetto State Armory.













Developed in 2007 by Dennis DeMille and Dave Emary, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a shortened and improved 30 TC cartridge case that was inspired by the .308 Winchester design. This short action design was created to maximize case capacity and a wide range of loading lengths, while still fitting in standard short action magazines. With the correct twist barrel, the versatile 6.5 Creedmoor can take advantage of the wide range of bullet weights available in 6.5 mm (i.e. .264 caliber). Reloaders should keep in mind that the 6.5 Creedmoor works best with medium to medium-slow powders such as H4350, Varget, Win 760, and RE-17. The light recoil and adaptability of the efficient 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge has already proven itself in high power, precision rifle series and benchrest competitions. Couple that with respectable barrel life and its intrinsic accuracy potential and you have a recipe for success which should insure its legacy for decades to come.









