AR TOOL, GAUGE & JIG LIST

In my opinion, this is the bare MINIMUM for building and tearing down an AR.
-A SOLID Workbench
You can buy small Work Bench from Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Harbor Freight, but most are very light, have very light/weak frames, and thin work surfaces. Some people are forced to use their kitchen countertops due to limited space or budget. If you mount a Vise to a flimsy or unstable Work Bench it will often move when you try to torque on things, or if you try to remove things like taper pins. If you want a good Workbench you can get a great one for $200.00 at Walmart/Sam’s Club. Their Work Benches are named Seville Classic. They have 2″ Wood tops and are heavy. I have 5 in my Shop/Classroom and they are indestructible and they have a few sizes for those with limited space.
-4″ to 6″ Vise.
You should bolt your Vise to your Workbench and avoid clamp-on arrangements. You can get by with just a Harbor Freight Vise, but it may not last.
A Vise is a must for Installing/Removing a Barrel/Rail System, Installing/Removing a Receiver Extension, or Installing/Removing a Muzzle Device. I use the 4.5″ Yost 445 Vises from Amazon for my Shop/Classroom Work Benches and have held up great.
Yes, people can do the above without a Vise and Work Bench, but in my experience, you’re not going to properly torque things down, or do clean work without a SOLID Workbench and Vise.
-Vise Pads
You don’t want to grab a gun part in a Vise without Vise Pads. There are many options for this, but most are not great. In my opinion the best ones are made at home. I use Trex Decking material and Leather. The alternative is 4.5″ magnetic rubber Vise Blocks from Amazon.
-½” Foot Pound Clicker Torque Wrench
A Harbor Freight model will work here but not for a lifetime of uses. Do your research and buy the best one you can afford. The beam types will work, but they are not easy to deal with when cranking on an AR. Torque Wrenches remove the human element from a job and create consistency in the work. I can build an AR without one, but I still use a Torque Wrench.
-Tapco Multi Tool Green Armorers Wrench
Yes, Tapco. My second choice is the Magpul Armorer’s Wrench. It’s the most versatile wrench when it comes to aftermarket parts like barrel nuts, muzzle devices, and receiver extensions. It isn’t as comfortable to use as others, but it is a great wrench with a great warranty.
-Geissele Reaction Block or Kley Zion Buffer Tube Jig
Which one you choose depends on what you will be working on. The Geissele ONLY works on Milspec Receiver Extensions. The Kley Zion works on Milspec AND Commercial Receiver Extensions. So if you only own Milspec Receiver Extensions, the Geissele is best. If you will be working on other people’s AR’s , you have no control on what they will bring you and I guarantee there will be Commercial Receiver Extensions you have to contend with.
-Wood Block
Good for supporting Barrel when using a Reaction Rod type tool, and good for hammering on FSB Taper Pins.
-Leather Remnants, Brass Sheets, and Lead Sheets.
These are good for backing items you don’t want to damage. Different material are good for different purposes.
-Magpul BEV Block
The BEV Block does work as a Barrel Install/Removal Tool and a Magazine Well Block. If you only need a Magazine Well Block then a NoMar Magazine Block will be a cheaper alternative.
-Harbor Freight Diamond File Set
Sometimes you need a file a part to fit and these cheap files work very well. If you are not patient, don’t have a steady hands, or a precise eye, then DON’T buy files. Remember to always file the cheaper part.
-Mark Brown Customs Gas Tube Gauge
-Schuster Sling Staking Tool
-2# Hammer
For removing Taper Pins
-1/2″ Tip Punch
For removing Taper Pins
-Propane Torch
For removing stuck/seized parts. MAP Gas is better but propane will work. Don’t get items cherry red.
-Gas Block Geanie, HB Industries Gas Block Alignment Pins, or Pasta
All of these are for aligning gas blocks to the gas port.
-Canned Air
Turn it upside down and shoot liquid on parts you want to take apart or put together. Sometimes freezing a part is better than heat.
-1.4636 Forster .223 GO Headspace Gauge
-1.4736 Brownells 5.56 Field Headspace Gauge
This is made by Forster
-NoMar Rail Blocks or YHM Rail Blocks
These help alignment of Handguard Rails to the Upper Receiver when you are installing screws or tightening clamping bolts.
-½” Drive 2’+ Breaker Bar
For removing stuck Barrel Nuts.
-KNS Hammer Cage Tool
Good for people with large fingers, or those with arthritis.
-Digital Depth/Anvil Gauge
For quick and accurate Firing Pin Protrusion measurement.
-Brownells Barrel Nut Alignment Rod
This is great to check for barrel nut alignment. If used in a stripped upper it will show you if your has key is not true.
-Midwest URR
I don’t recommend the Geissele Reaction Rod or the Kley Zion Clone. If you use a Torque Wrench, the Reaction Rod type devices are fine for Upper Receiver assembly, but if you plan on tearing down AR Uppers or changing Rails you really don’t want the Reaction Rod. The Reaction Rod is NOT good for trying to remove seized or over torqued Barrel Nuts. Think about how the Reaction Rod works. It holds the Barrel in a static position but does NOT lock the Upper Receiver in place. If you have a stuck/seized Barrel Nut, the Upper Receiver will try to spin with the Barrel Nut. What keeps the Upper Receiver from spinning? The Barrel Index Pin does, and it will break off if you add too much force. Seen this countless times. This is why the Midwest URR is best tool for the job, it has a sail that locks into the charging handle slot, and teeth that lock into the barrel extension. These two features prevents the Upper Receiver and Barrel Extension from spinning. The Midwest URR is a gauge of sorts as well. If your upper is twisted, or the Barrel Extension is not timed properly, the tool won’t go into the upper properly. I have a video showing this issue from a few weeks ago. Clamshell Upper Receiver Blocks are great for removing a stuck/seized Barrel Nut, but the Clamshell Blocks won’t work on some billet Uppers Receivers, and you can’t use heat on the Barrel Nut without melting the Clamshell Blocks.
-PRI Gas Block Punch Block
Great for installing Gas Tubes in a Low Profile Gas Block
-Wheeler Bench Block
Works great for installing Roll Pins in the Trigger Guard, Charging Handle, and Bolt Catch. It can be used for removing FSB Taper Pins, but I don’t use it for that feature.
-Sinclair Bolt Vise
For removing Bolt Ejector and Reinstalling it. You can do this without a Bolt Vise but this tool simplifies the job.
-Sharpening Stone
For resurfacing/decking a Gas Key
-M-Guns MOACKS Staking Jig
There is no other good option. I have tried them all. I suggest you avoid using striking tools to stake from the side of the Gas Key. Doing so will stress the Gas Key Screws.
-Bondhus Metric & SAE Ball Tip Allen Drivers
-Blue Point Strap Wrenches
Best strap wrenches I have used.
-Timney Trigger Pull Gauge
-No-Mar or Brownells Hammer Drop/Dryfire Block
-.061-.250 Pin Gauge Set
That set will allow you to check the following:
Barrel Gas Ports, GO Spec for Bolt Firing Pin Hole (NO GO .070 requires a Taper Plug Pin Gage), GO Spec for Lower Receiver Hammer & Trigger Holes (NO GO.163 requires a Taper Plug Pin Gage), FCG Hammer & Trigger Holes, Carrier Key Bore, Cam Pin Bore, FSB/Gas Block Gas Tube Bore, GO Spec for Pivot & Takedown Bores (My NO GO Spec is .253, so that is outside the range of this Set).
You can’t do the following with this set:
Gas Block/FSB Barrel Journal Bore, and Bolt Carrier 3 Bore.
-Selector/Safety Bore