How to Install an AR-15 Hammer & Trigger Assembly Presented by Larry Potterfield of MidwayUSA

Watch as Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA, presents “The Hammer and Trigger Assembly" in the How to Series, Gunsmithing the AR-15.
For this and other MidwayUSA videos visit the MidwayUSA Video Library:
www.midwayusa.com/video-library

[@TripAMD]

99% of the people watching this didn't learn anything... You need to show how the hammer spring legs get bent backwards almost 180° and sit on the trigger pin while you fight the hammer in.

[@jeffheyer7783]

Seriously… that’s what I came here to see… and oops let me just skip a few steps.

[@staggerlee6124]

Thank you for posting that, I thought I was going insane. Looking at my finished rifle then watching this was a true wtf moment, lol.

[@travenstevens6001]

First time assembling one and I didn’t have a problem at all besides my safety selector wouldn’t go in because of the trigger fit or something else

[@travenstevens6001]

@@TripAMD I agree it could of been explained more but the video is still good and so far yeah because I did it all last night and even had a different lower kit. Other than the lower being out of spec or the trigger being to fall was my only problem

[@TripAMD]

@@travenstevens6001. Did you get it all together in the end? Sometimes you gotta lightly file down the burs around the flat side of the safety selector. It also goes in before the pistol grip or it won't fit. What brand lower are you using? Andersons can be a little funny sometimes, thats why im asking.

[@RoninSerradaEscrimadore]

Can't see what you're doing with the hammer sir.

[@michi103semi5]

Terrible angles and cut scenes right?

[@cheapammo5502]

Yeah for sure. What a waste

[@CWebs]

He was using a potato to make the video

[@george5156]

He accidentally used Maxwell's silver hammer

[@WaitWhatsMyName]

I got my penis stuck in the Magwell with the "help" of this video

[@jessehamilton180]

Let's make sure our fingers obscure any useful views of the only challenging part of a lower build! Yeah - and maybe we can hurry through it to really keep our audience guessing! Lol. I feel like I've been Brownelled.

[@JakeCamo]

Haha omg seriously! “Now position the hammer into the receiver” and good luck completely guessing how to insert the springs. I mean cmon guys

[@CumminsTurbo4]

😂😂😂😂

[@uclajd]

Yeah what a dumbshit video. And we all have that slave pin, it comes with all AR-15's.

[@montenorwood8883]

“And hurry up because i dont want youtube to catch me”. WTF Larry! Slow and smooth and smooth is fast.

[@josephkoch2695]

Yeah I was suprised I got it done ( had to kind of guess and go till it worked😂)

[@maxfarris7492]

Glad to see that guy still rocking and rolling I grew up watching him on Midway USA. Also what the heck is with the ominous Final Fantasy music? Lol

[@charlesreid9337]

Nice video of your fingers. ill go find a video of a trigger assembly now

[@DawsonTyson]

Dang! I've been doing wrong. I've never used my receiver block, and I've always put my pins in from the right without a slave pin.😅

[@stopcensoringmyfreespeech3280]

Thanks was a big help to me . Some of the camera angles could have shown more like the legs on the spring. you did say they rested on the pin that was good enough for me.

[@olhesty2196]

Thank you for this video. I didn't have temporary slave pins, or a vice, but not difficult at all to reassemble it all with the help of this video.

[@AntiMaxer]

simply use a piece of coat hanger works great keeps everything aligned and there usually in your closet already for free

[@180SecondIdeas]

Should we show how the springs assemble? Midway: nah, let's just make it as confusing as possible and show almost nothing. Oh and if boss man can keep his hands covering the important stuff, that'll make it even better.

[@davidrairdan2744]

This was my first lower receiver build. I have replaced several triggers with single stage modules. I have watched several other videos on the lower receiver to see trigger install. I did have to watch the part of installing the hammer three times to catch spring positioning. Any improvements suggestions would be to stop and include a good look inside housing showing spring placement. Thank you

[@Daedalus273]

Yeah I don't understand the spring positioning on the hammer install. The only thing that's not clear from this video. Gonna call a buddy

[@nicklewis7291]

Thank you Mr Porterfield. This was a big help.

[@robertchichitano3209]

Every time I I build a lower regardless of how many times I've done it I always look at these videos. Thank you, Mr. Potter. It truly is a wonderful life, Geo. Bailey!

[@yourmomsscrotum5274]

thanks for blocking what i came here to figure out

[@Dosindapendence]

Exactly, cant even see how it went in...

[@White_Recluse]

I’m building my AR as we speak and having the same problem

[@AmmoshortageNP]

Optics planet has some $60 drop in flat face triggers that are better than factory triggers

[@AmmoshortageNP]

The Mimtac drop in flat face triggers are nice for a $60 drop in flat face trigger

[@codyjenn8785]

Thank you for this video it really helps to be able to understand how to install the trigger and everything in to the lower I received the whole AR 9 build kit from SDI the AR 9 build kit is made by panther arms and the way the trigger goes Into the lower in this video is exactly how the trigger goes in my AR 9 lower.

[@2bituser569]

You can hold the hammer with your palm and dry fire allowing the hammer to come back easy.

[@danielandrews7028]

For anyone struggling to get the hammer installed with the pin. Move the selector to the fire position and its cake from there.

[@White_Recluse]

The one piece I’m having trouble with and he ducking skips it

[@supercj12]

Thank you, for some reason, a lot of AR-15 build videos seen to not talk about that disconnector spring, and what orientation to put it in.

[@bergybomb3764]

Why can i not find a video that actually shows how the hammer spring sets

[@garyboyer8039]

The hammer and trigger pins are the same. 3 grooves. Two end grooves for hammer spring legs to lay in and keep trigger in from walking out. Center groove for hammer, little spring leg inside the hammer hole, keeps hammer pin from walking out. Safety/selector goes in first where it interacts with the trigger and disconnector assembly. Can not install safety after trigger. Safety, trigger, hammer, in that order.

[@noretreat151]

disconnect spring must be installed with wider end DOWN, it will position itself tighter into recessed cutout.

[@ChiefChokeAHoe]

Dude, thank you for this. I’m over here like why the hell is it not pivoting…

[@toddr.2698]

Fat end up on disconnect spring. The spring gets bound up with fat end down. It will still pivot but you can feel it catching with your finger. Also.. look closely, the "toe" on the sear won't ride inside skinny end as it should. Only fits fat end.

[@bmbertges]

Usually like your videos, but you can't see anything

[@SDRt77]

Thanks a lot for this video, I built my first awesome AR pistol.

[@423alonso]

Awesome video thank you for sharing God bless...

[@tonyl3762]

The Brownells video is easier to follow with less fingers in the way

[@-_-_-_-318]

Can't see anything... which direction do the trigger pins go in?

[@TherapeuticDriving]

Excellent and informative video! Thank you!

[@richwhippersnapper]

Installing the hammer is the hardest part of the entire job.

[@ablemagawitch]

nah, that's getting the trigger pin through the sides, then through the hole in Sear. You have to line up a hole under spring pressure on part that is fighting different spring forces. Without a drift pin guide, it can be were those missile detent on the Pivot Pin , which you should do inside clear bag, so if they try to go flying they are caught in the bag. Making easy to find. Getting the hammer spring on backwards is very common and easy to mistake but easily fixed

[@jamesoverstreet7173]

Just wanted to say that when he says/shows placing the disconnector into the channel of the trigger, that is the WRONG thing/way to do this. MUCH easier to put the springed trigger down into the lower and THEN after placing the slave pin in from one side and the cross pin in from the other side (leaving just enough open space - width of the disconnector - between the slave pin and the cross pin) to then place the hole of the disconnector down into the trigger channel right into the small open space between the ends of the slave pin and the cross pin and then all you have to do is push the cross pin thru with your finger (note, no hammer or anything else needed) and that cross pin will slide across the small opening and thru to the other side of the lower receiver just as slick as a whistle !!!

[@ledzeppelin1212]

Thanks for the alternate method!

[@SpiritualHQ333]

As a gunsmith student I just wreck my brain until I notice something you can’t install FCG without installing safety switch it’s a big part of helping align the roll pins for trigger and disconnector.

[@cgibsoniii1]

Not if the hammer is cocked :)

[@dkjohnson57]

You are correct.I waited to install the safety until after I put the trigger and hammer in on a AR 10 build.After a brief moment of panic I thought I was going to have to take the hammer and trigger back out.(I had a hell of a time getting the trigger pin in and I sure didn't want to take it back out)but I tried cocking the hammer back and the safety selector went right in.Whew!@@cgibsoniii1

[@user-rq9ve9ue3g]

Thank you Larry. You make it easier to assemble. Hard to find simple easy videos on assembly

[@greg9268]

Thanks for the useful video up to the hammer install with ur fingers blocking every piece of vital Info

[@will4782]

Thank you. I took apart a trigger assembly and paid attention to the layout and detail, the standard of triage or troubleshooting. It became excruciatingly clear that Eugene Stoner had a mind like a steel trap and that I would be putting back together something so deceptively simple. After wards, I felt as if I understood my weapon in a complete level of detail that would allow me to advance my learning and begin purchasing the unnecessary yet highly advantageous tools where I could call myself an armorer of said system. That little pin, gosh darn that makes it so much easier.

[@robertgorham3755]

in regard to the trigger and hammer pins..does it really make any difference which end goes in first?..or from which side/direction?..i am going to do my first build.

[@email3021]

robert gorham no one on the planet knows. That top secret info was taken to the grave with mister Stoner

[@1014p]

Professional I believe at one time I may have mattered. I myself looked at the assembly and do not see any reason it can’t go either way. Only reason you start with smooth part first is less friction when driving it in.

[@theia1653]

It doesn't. The hammer pin has a groove in the middle and on the trigger pin it's at the end. The hammer has an internal spring that sits in the channel of the hammer pin and one of the two hammer spring legs on either side will seat in the channel of the trigger pin, to keep them from walking out. If both pins are the same, with cuts at the ends and middle, it makes even less of a difference.

[@ilkoderez601]

Pins from the left to the right, un-grooved ends first... I'm always worried about putting the pins in correctly. The grooves are shifted on the pins, I think I get what he's saying...

[@johndickson4587]

Good video except for the trigger/hammer assembly section. All we can see is fingers and the part is being moved around so fast it's hard to see what's going on. Suggest holding the part up for a few seconds to show what things should look like after each step on the next one.

[@revshareglobal7334]

lol now i know why i purchase a complete lower receiver.

[@kurtlanford1448]

Thank you Larry

[@chancemorse6705]

how am I supposed to focus on the hammer when all that emerald gold bling is in the way😂

[@lunarcat1612]

I'm no pro but listen closely to the verbal instruction. Think about what part is under spring tension and then replicate that. It would help to see it, yes, but he explains what the camera angles don't. When it came apart I thought it would be a bitch to reassemble, but it's not as bad as removing an A2 gas block. Also I dry fire a lower all the time, oops.

[@lightinthedarkness341]

Its not that bad (even though the comments are totally right) if you just hear exactly what their telling you.

[@AtlasJotun]

Thanks for the tutorial, straightforward and brief as usual!

[@vintageguitarz1]

Too fast, too few a views of the assemblies and the installation of the fire control components into the lower. The tutorial should have been around 8 -10 minutes and not rushed at < 4 minutes! Graded as a D+ only.

[@AtlasJotun]

@@vintageguitarz1 Why do you want any of that? It's 2 springs and a couple of parts held in with pins; just make sure the sure the springs are the right way round and slam it together. There are dozens if not hundreds of other videos showing the same procedure, go watch them instead of wasting time yapping at people in the comments. I don't know why you're not giving that feedback to Midway, instead addressing it to me when I clearly disagree with your assertions anyway.

[@richwhippersnapper]

The little slave pin is usually not included in parts kits. This is probably made from a nail

[@augieschultz2530]

I cut the smooth end off of a #30 drill bit.

[@theia1653]

It's not needed. The pins will only go in if the holes are aligned, and you can check if they are on the sides.

[@george5156]

I used a scrap piece of 12 awg copper wire with the insulation left on. It may be expended, but the price is right.

[@GrubbShowMedia]

Where or how do I make a slave pin? My build didn’t come with one.

[@nathanrendelman]

thank you,

[@chrisacus7103]

Here’s a view of my hand while I work behind it

[@UndeadGeneral98]

Great job not showing anyone!

[@UnknownMe321]

You showed me something the rest of the videos didn’t show the spring 0:42

[@panzercop7950]

My hammer won’t spring up! I have to press it down to have it catch but it won’t spring up when I pull the trigger

[@TripAMD]

I bet this video didn't help at all either...

[@legaleagle123]

Spring in backwards. Not that you could tell from the video.

[@garyboyer8039]

Put the safety selector switch in first.

[@tylerellis8451]

Getting very frustrated at the moment because I do not have a slave pin so I can’t get the trigger and the spring to hold itself while I put it in the lowet

[@jamesrobertson6255]

Break a Q Tip in half cut to size. Use your imagination. Ou got this.

[@user-hw5ff6bv9l]

How can I purchase this part?

[@jstud999]

Don’t you insert the small end of the spring into the trigger and not the large end?

[@thefunstuff6121]

No. The large end of the spring goes into the recess in the trigger to ensure it stays located at all times

[@personalaccount4360]

Why would you jump cut the exact part that people came here for: how to put in the hammer.

[@lance5295]

Does anyone have an extra pair of these they are willing to gave away

[@MAGAMAN]

There is something really wrong with this video. It's showing the trigger pin being installed when it should show the hammer pin being installed.

[@hansbender45]

My upper kit didn’t come with a slave pin

[@habibsk7363]

Yes

[@donnyzarra]

You didn't show us how to attach the hammer to the trigger.

[@davidcoleman6211]

Let's not bother with describing the parts so you will know what we are talking about. Which way is the front on the doohickey so I can put the open side of the watchimicallit facing the front.

[@beneful209]

1:01 the WHAT PIN??

[@sgtmjrvoodoo1]

Absolutely cannot see the hammer and how that spring is oriented.

[@gahaha8565]

why would you block the one thing people want to see when putting in hammer lol!

[@davetripsandsticks8458]

Mine is stuck it doesn’t wanna fire

[@justinhaskins6324]

I have the same issue, hammer gets stuck even with proper placement of the springs

[@2wheeleddemon999]

Try manually resetting it and work it a few times. They get sticky when they are new.

[@promotedbylife8039]

Can’t see anything but fingers 😂😂😂

[@metal_mo]

I don't know what everyone is complaining about, even with the fingers in the way he showed enough to figure it out. Maybe you shouldn't be building a rifle if you can't figure it out from this video?

[@theia1653]

Probably newbies or people that won't take the time to learn and will take it to a gunsmith for a cleaning or detail strip that can be done at home. If you do it enough times, you will know by memory what each part is and where it goes.

[@jtcustomknives]

Let’s also not tell people that you need to install the safety first or you have to take everything out and do it all over

[@Tonymontanayayo]

Im almost 100% he oriented the disconnecter spring the wrong way… I’ve “built” my fair share of lowers and unless I’m doing it wrong… the wide end of the spring goes facing up not down. And if I am wrong… years later no malfunction to speak of. The spring should naturally fit, if you put the wide end down first, there’s some resistance… because it doesn’t fit at all. This video isn’t for starters and a “slave” pin isn’t necessary (neither is a vice block) but makes life easier. If it’s your first time… ignore this video.

[@justinsmith1798]

8.5 lb pull is standard? Sureeeeee, and thanks for blocking out how you seated the hammer.

[@robertvandyke8749]

Put the safety selector in first

[@jasonroyce3587]

be nice if you showed a close up of what your doing with the hammer. you can talk all you want but we came here for a video.

[@unpowedonner7642]

Too fast to catch what he was doing

[@gdaddy5193]

Make sure you don't include any useful images to show orientation of the springs and make sure you have your fingers in the way and use a useless angle to illustrate the assembled parts.

[@TCat-ve9qi]

This would of been great at like 3x less the speed

[@comson66]

u don't show the spring origination at all, we just see your fingers ?

[@legaleagle123]

spring orientation is at the beginning of the video when they are sitting on the bench.

[@DevilDoge25]

ive built about 10 ARs to this video, Without a vice just a hammer and punch set. It helps to know how to put the spring on the trigger. This video doesn't help with that.

[@damm4evr]

You should put your hand in the way and do it faster and not show the end deal it would make the video better.

[@alphatoure9731]

👏👏👏👏👏💪💪💪💪🇺🇸💪🇺🇸

[@Conky88]

This dude skipped a step smh

[@1995texasaggie]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJWuZ5ukfbJ7j8U = Here's the instructions you'll need

[@1995texasaggie]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWqTYphjg8lnhdk = Another resource that's better than this Potterfield video.

[@AntiMaxer]

if you cant follow along to this you shouldn't be building a sandwich let alone a firearm

[@habibsk7363]

Yed

[@arthurnunez5948]

Voo this video

[@vincentsmith8106]

These AR Stoner trigger assemblies SUCK!!!! Mine will fire if the hammer only goes down one click - bottom notch engaging - but if it goes all the way down, which it will do EVERY time you cock it with the upper on, then the hook on the disengage hooks over the lower hook of the hammer and WILL NOT FIRE!!! Ihave to take a small drift pin to push down on the back of the disengage to get it to go back to the first position. And, YES, EVERYTHING IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY. I found another video that shows how to do it in detail right here on KZbin.

[@garyboyer8039]

Put the safety in

[@longrangevoodoo4480]

Yay. No trigger comes with a "slave pin" lol

[@ToughCowboy]

Yea, any idea where to get that helper pin?

[@robertlawson1184]

8.5 lbs lol. Woot

[@JMac85X]

Fingers ......

[@Mentagrophytes]

After more than a minute of watching…..I knew this was not a replacement video. Totally mis labeled and not even a how to on trigger replacement.

[@dusteedawg2915]

Going waaaaay too fuckin fast

[@marvindelmonte4273]

Can't see what you doing with the hammer

[@StormWidgeon]

All those filming mistakes, and do you think they will bother to remove the video, or heaven forbid do redo it correctly? NOPE.

[@RidinDirtyOutdoors]

Thanks for completely skipping over the hammer…..lame

[@tflo4sho]

Your hands block the way you are positioning stuff and can’t tell correct way springs go

[@papazulu2968]

Terrible instructions

[@ch3cksund3ad]

This video lacks all the important details people use these videos for lol

[@baldeagleApiaries]

..............................yeah, not very good for newbies. need more eyes on inside view., please show what you are talking about.................................................

[@michaelwilson0889]

Useless video unless u want to pause and replay 100 times

[@tomcollins2679]

You can’t see half the install this is booty

[@jessemyers9347]

Why are almost all gun videos useless. Your fingers blocked everything

[@ziyad345]

What are we supposed to look at? Lmao what a waste

*Midway AMMO PRICE GOUGING USA!* Right now Midway USA is price gouging all ammunition when Americans are scared due to the corona virus and police saying they will NOT respond to theft or burglary calls. Midway USA is selling 30-30 WIN for $3 per round and 5.56MM at $2.89 per round. Capitalize on Americans' FEAR? Should you STAY in business??? Let's ask the rest of the Gun Community.