How to disassemble or field strip an AR-15

This article will tell you how to field strip an AR-15 for cleaning. This is extremely easy to do and can be done with the most basic of tools.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• An AR-15
• A sturdy, pointed object, such as a .223 bullet or a retracted ballpoint pen

1. 
    
   Pertinent parts of AR-15 disassembly

   Safety first! Make sure the rifle is unloaded by removing the magazine and pulling the charging handle fully rearward, thereby ensuring that there is not a cartridge in the chamber. Always treat your rifle with the utmost respect and as if it were loaded. If it's not already, flip the safety switch to "safe."

2. 
    
   This is the rear take-down pin

   Make sure the bolt is fully forward and the gun is cocked. It should still be cocked from the previous step in which you cleared the chamber, but if in doubt, cycle the bolt once. Then, using a solid, small-diameter pointy tool, push the rear take-down pin through the left side of the gun. (A .223 bullet works great.) The pin will not fall out; this is normal. It's held in place by a retainer. After the pin has been pushed through, the gun will swing open, pivoting around the front take-down pin.

3. 
    
   Pictured here are the bolt carrier and the charging handle.

   After opening the gun, remove the bolt carrier and charging handle together. This is accomplished by pulling on the charging handle. The charging handle will stop moving, but the bolt carrier will continue sliding rear-ward and out of the gun. After the bolt carrier clears the gun, the charging handle will drop out of its groove in the receiver.

4. 
    
   Pay special attention to these areas while cleaning

   Your gun is now field stripped! While you have it apart, be sure to clean the inside of the gun with a good gun cleaning solution. I recommend Hoppe's. Pay special attention to the areas mentioned in the picture. I recommend using a pipe cleaner soaked in cleaning solution to clean the entire length of the gas tube. Also, clean the bolt and bolt carrier of any powder residue that may be present.

5. When you're ready to re-assemble, lightly coat all internal parts with gun oil. Follow disassembly steps in reverse. Replacing the charging handle and bolt carrier is tricky at first, but still very easy.

Tips & Warnings

• The upper and lower half of the gun can be completely detached by pushing out both take-down pins. This is useful if you own multiple "uppers" and like to switch barrel configurations, etc.
• It goes without saying, handling guns is a potentially dangerous activity. The reader assumes all risk involved with disassembling a firearm.
• Do not make any modifications to your rifle. Not only is this grounds for legal trouble, mis-informed tinkering can cause a malfunction and possibly injure you or bystanders.

[sunshine11219]

on 12/11/2008 good step by step