Alright folks, buckle up. Wanted to finally put together that MTZ 556 everyone’s always yapping about. Figured I’d document the whole mess for other newbies, step by damn step. Fair warning, it ain’t flawless, but I got it done.
Getting Started & The Messy Setup
First thing was dumping out the kit box onto my workbench. Parts went everywhere. Seriously, tiny springs and pins tried to make a run for it right off the bat. Spent ten minutes crawling on the floor hunting for one piece already. Pro tip: work inside a big plastic tub if you’re clumsy like me.
Grabbed the main chunk – the receiver – and laid it out. Needed my basic tools: hammer (gotta be gentle!), screwdrivers, roll pin punches (life savers!), pliers, and a vice block that fits the thing nice and snug. Don’t skip the vice block unless you like mangling parts.
Slapping Stuff On Bit by Bit
Started with the easy bits:
- The Grip: Super simple. Just lined it up on the back, popped in that one bolt, and cranked it down tight. Felt solid.
- Trigger Guard: This got fiddly fast. Had to wrestle that spring underneath it. Used a flathead to finally poke it into place while I shoved the guard pin through. Took a few tries and maybe a few choice words.
- The Bolt Catch: Oh man. Tiny roll pin time. Tapped it gently with the hammer and punch. Missed once, dinged the receiver. Grr. Got it seated eventually. Practice patience here.
Next was the magazine catch button. Pushed the button spring in, stuck the release button through the hole, then squeezed the hell out of it to slide the lock piece over. Fingers hurt after that.
The Big Guns: Trigger Group & Hammer
Took the trigger group outta its package. Noticed the pins needed go in from left to right. Started on the left side:
- Slipped in the safety selector first. Needs to be on ‘fire’ (the dot!). Forgot once, had to backtrack.
- Lined up the trigger with its hole. Used a punch to kinda hold things steady while I started pushing the pin. Gently tapped it through. Same deal on the other side.
Hammer was next. Its spring looked wild, all bendy. Hooked it onto the trigger assembly thingy, then lowered the hammer into place. Used my thumb to squish it down enough to slide the pin through. Took muscle! Felt like it wanted to leap away.
Buffer Tube Time & Stock On
Screwed the buffer tube into the back of the receiver. Hand-tightened first, then gave it a final snug twist with a wrench. Don’t forget the castle nut wrench later! Slid the buffer spring in – watched it closely so it didn’t uncoil and smack me – then the buffer itself. Locked the charging handle into place too.
Last step felt good: Slid my chosen stock onto the buffer tube and clicked the lever tight. Finally looks like something real!
Does it Bang? (The Moment of Truth)
Honestly, sweating a bit here. Dropped the charging handle. Slapped in an empty mag. Pulled the trigger… heard that solid CLICK of the hammer dropping. YES! Repeated manually a few times. Everything cycled smooth. Feels solid. Didn’t rush safety checks afterward – triple-checked everything functions right.
Overall? Took longer than expected (like always!), cursed some parts, spilled my coffee once, but damn it feels good to have built it myself. Not rocket science, just need attention and decent tools. You got this!
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