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How to Disassemble an AR-15 Upper

An AR15 rifle is the semi-automatic version of the military's M16 assault rifle. The upper receiver of an AR15 consists of the barrel, barrel shrouds, the charging handle, bolt carrier and bolt. Disassembling the upper receiver requires no special tools, but does require you to separate it from the lower receiver first. Before working on your AR 15rifle, remove the magazine and check the action to make sure that the weapon is unloaded.

Instructions

- 1
  Push the rear take-down pin, located behind the fire selector switch, through the receiver from the left-hand side. Pivot the upper receiver forward, the front take-down pin will act as a hinge, push out the forward take-down and separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver.
- 2
  Turn over the upper receiver, pull back on the charging handle back approximately three inches and lift out the bolt carrier. Align the tabs on the sides on the charging handle with the notches cut into the charging handle groove and lift it out.
- 3
  Press the firing pin retention pin, located in the center of the bolt carrier, through the bolt carrier and retract the firing pin from the bold carrier.
- 4
  Turn the bolt clockwise so the cam pin becomes accessible, turn the cam pin a quarter turn and lift it out. Pull the bolt from the bolt carrier. This completes disassembling the bolt carrier.
- 5
  Hold down the extractor, located at the rear of the bolt, and carefully remove the extractor pin. Do not separate the spring from the extractor.

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