While I’m far from old, (at least in my own humble opinion) I have been around long enough to have watched the AR-15 go from a mainly store-bought firearm to a frequently-built firearm. It’s not to imply that people didn’t build them at all, but definitely not as frequently. It was always just a handful of dedicated guys who chose to build their AR’s. It’s safe to say project builds have now reached mainstream status, attracting people who might have otherwise just bought one off the shelf. We can also thank resources like YouTube for that.

It’s not to say that the platform is a difficult one to build at all because it’s really once you get a few under your belt. One of the greatest determining factors in the ease or lack thereof of building an AR-15 comes down to the tools that you have. I’ve built a few AR’s over the years and worked on plenty and I distinctly recall the frustration that accompanied my lack of tools necessary for efficient execution. Therefore I learned to default to a friend or two who had the patience to deal with it. If I’d had these tool kits from Wheeler years ago, I’d likely be tinkering with the AR platform more frequently.

Wheeler has already come to the aid of DIY’ers and professionals alike with their Delta Series AR Armorer’s Essentials Kit. That kit boasted having all the essential tools necessary for AR smithing and armoring. The tools included therein were designed with application-specific features so that you, the user, don’t break things, lose things (including an eye), and bust fingers. This makes for a calm and happy user—something I rarely experienced in my AR platform maintenance. The two new kits from Wheeler Tools – the Ultimate AR-15 Armorer’s Kit and AR-15 Armorer’s Kit – are updated versions with updated tools and a hard case that keeps all the parts and pieces secure and tidy. No more wondering where a punch or tool walked off to.

What’s in the New Wheeler Tool Kits?

The Ultimate AR-15 Armorer’s Kit sets the standard with a whopping 28 pieces of high-quality tools. There are enough tools in the kit that unless you are extremely well versed in the ways of AR-15 building, maintenance, and accurization, you may not know what many of them are for.

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The Ultimate kit features all the tools needed for building, maintaining, and accurizing an AR-15 while the Armorers kit does not include tools for accurizing. The tool of focus for accurizing is the upper receiver lapping kit. This tool is used on the very front of the upper receiver where the barrel extension and the receiver mate up, and with the supplied 220 grit lapping compound, you can add a touch of precision and meticulousness to your build. Lapping this part of the receiver smooths out the area where the barrel seats and may improve accuracy. Remember, in the realm of stacked tolerances, every bit can help. Many people claim that lapping the receiver improves accuracy. The lapping tool can be connected to a drill for use via a flexible bit that is included in the kit.

Another tool that is included in the Ultimate kit but not the Armorer’s kit is the gas block taper pin removal tool. A2-style gas blocks are less than friendly when it comes time to remove them. Those tapered pins are pesky to say the least and one of the reasons I avoided such gas blocks, although I do prefer the look sometimes. Wheeler’s gas block taper pin removal tool, made from durable tool steel helps ease this process. It features a support block that slips onto the gas block. Once this is done, you use the starter and finishing punches to complete the task. Back in the day, I had no such tool when I needed it.

Both kits come with an included torque wrench but they differ. The Ultimate Kit features a half-inch drive XL F.A.T. (Firearm Accurizing Torque) wrench. The XL F.A.T. wrench comes with a Crowfoot set that gives you lots of options for working, this gives you a 12 function set, with the five included crowfoot wrenches. The XL F.A.T. wrench delivers torque in a range from 10 to 150 ft lb.

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The LR-308/AR-15 barrel nut wrench has four functions on its own being double sided and double ended. The other wrenches are two function, and all are Mil-spec. Thanks to the many options, you can address Mil-spec and aftermarket barrel nuts as well. 

The torque wrench in the Armorers kit is a 1/2-inch drive as well. It’s not adjustable but provides an accurate reading of the torque you put on it. It comes with a professional armorer’s wrench that is used in combination with the torque driver for your castle nut, barrel nut, and muzzle device. This armorer’s wrench is an upgrade from the one found in the Delta kit. The new wrench has a comfortable rubberized grip for hand use. A nice touch.

Standard Goods

Regardless of which kit you opt for, you’ll get solid standard goods that include an AR-15 roll pin install tool kit, AR-15 Armorer’s bench block, pivot and Roll pin installation tool, AR-15 Magwell vise block, and AR-15 upper receiver action rod. I remember installing pivot pins the old-fashioned way with a credit card, a little luck, and lots of cursing.

The upper receiver action rod has a rear locking mechanism to hold it in place and it has a gas port indexing rod as well to make sure your gas tube is properly aligned.

Wheeler has done us all a solid by also providing a latching hard case for all these wares. It keeps everything protected and in place and if you do your part and put things back in their specific slots, you’ll have the tools to enjoy for years to come.

Final Thoughts

Having or not having the proper tools for the task at hand is the deal maker or breaker for this gun enthusiast. I’m not the type to dive into DIY work on a firearm without knowing exactly what I need to do and even then, if I even think I don’t have the tools, the project either waits until I have the tools or someone else can do it. Sometimes, it doesn’t get done at all and that’s a sad statement of fact. But if I’m doing to do it, I’m going to do it right and the new Ultimate AR-15 Armorer’s kit, and the Ar-15 Armorer’s kit, is a step in the right direction.

If you plan to do your own AR-15/AR-10 work, start out the right way and avoid headaches and complications. Get yourself a solid tool kit like the Ultimate AR-15 Armorer and AR-15 Armorer’s kit from Wheeler.