HD Tutorial on Fieldstripping an AR15

Amsdorf · July 11, 2012, 06:22 AM

I made a HD video with detailed instructions and good close up, etc. on field stripping an AK-47 and got a lot of requests for the same thing for the AR15. Hope you find this helpful and something you could share with folks just getting into the AR15 platform.

Here's the AR15 Field Stripping Video

Amsdorf · July 11, 2012, 06:17 PM

The AR15 featured in the video is a Daniel Defense M4(V1).

It has:
An Aimpoint CompM4 Optic
A BCM Warfighter Charging Handle
A MAKO GL Shock Stock with cheek riser
A Battlecomp compensator

Sinlessorrow · July 12, 2012, 11:17 PM

not a bad video, one thing I would have to say could have been better was your explanation on how the piston in the AR-15 works(yes I said piston in the DI system).

Amsdorf · July 13, 2012, 07:21 AM

There is no piston in a DI AR15.

There is a gas tube and bolt key...perhaps you are referring to those?

Sinlessorrow · July 13, 2012, 09:22 AM

There actually is a piston in the Stoner system. His patent even calls it a piston.

The bolt tail is the piston and the bolt carrier is the chamber.

As a part of the gas is siphoned off from the barrel and sent down the gas tube, through the carrier key it is chanelled into the bolt carrier.

Once it gets into the Carrier it is now in a sealed environment so it begins to expand and pushes against the bolt tail that is sealed by gas rings, as it expands it pushes the carrier away from the bolt and the cam pin begins unlocking the bolt, one fully unlocked the excess gas is vented via the exaust holes in the carrier.

Read this, its a good cut away to explain how it works.
How the piston in the AR-15 works.

Good video overall and should help alot of new people in dissassembly of their new rifle

Amsdorf · July 13, 2012, 09:37 AM

OK, yes, I remember that now, thanks for your interesting and infomative comment. I feel another video coming on!

Elsewhere a person described this design as the AR pooping where it eats! Crude, but...a lot of truth to that.

Sinlessorrow · July 13, 2012, 09:54 AM

This is from Eugene Stoners patent #2,951,424

It is a principal object of this invention to utilize the basic parts of an automatic rifle mechanism such as the bolt and bolt carrier to perform a double function. This double function consists of the bolt's primary function to lock the breach against the pressure of firing, and secondarily, to act as a stationary piston to actuate the automatic rifle mechanism. The primary function of the bolt carrier is to lock and unlock the bolt by rotating it and to carry it back and forth in the receiver. The secondary function of the bolt carrier is to act as a movable cylinder to actuate the automatic rifle mechanism. By having the bolt carrier act as a movable cylinder and the bolt act as a stationary piston, the need for a conventional gas cylinder, piston and actuating rod assembly is eliminated.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gas system which is lighter and less expensive to produce because of its simplicity than the present gas systems now used in automatic rifle mechanisms.

Its pretty ingenous for its time. I guess in a way the term is crude and kind of correct, while it does send a small portion of gas into the system the excess is vented. The person who coined that phrase said the system just dumped the gas into the upper and ignored that most is vented.

Also the AR-15 is a self limiting self scraping system. Anywhere that carbon builds up is a place of no contact, any place that has metal on metal will scrape itself clean.

The main issue for the M16FOW is that.

1. If you use cheap lube it drys it up.(in a sandy environment this is bad.)
2. It uses a round carrier. A round carrier allows for less room for sand to go, lube counters this by keeping it suspended and allows it to be moved to places its not needed.

To make my point, if you dont lube the HK416 it will short stroke and have issues same as our M4.

Amsdorf · July 13, 2012, 10:33 AM

Thanks, again, very interesting stuff.

July 11, 2012, 06:22 AM	#1
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	HD Tutorial on Fieldstripping an AR15 I made a HD video with detailed instructions and good close up, etc. on field stripping an AK-47 and got a lot of requests for the same thing for the AR15. Hope you find this helpful and something you could share with folks just getting into the AR15 platform. Here's the AR15 Field Stripping Video Last edited by Amsdorf; July 11, 2012 at 06:17 PM.

July 11, 2012, 06:17 PM	#2
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	The AR15 featured in the video is a Daniel Defense M4(V1). It has: An Aimpoint CompM4 Optic A BCM Warfighter Charging Handle A MAKO GL Shock Stock with cheek riser A Battlecomp compensator

July 12, 2012, 11:17 PM	#3
Sinlessorrow Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2011 Posts: 147	not a bad video, one thing I would have to say could have been better was your explanation on how the piston in the AR-15 works(yes I said piston in the DI system).

July 13, 2012, 07:21 AM	#4
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	There is no piston in a DI AR15. There is a gas tube and bolt key...perhaps you are referring to those?

July 13, 2012, 09:22 AM	#5
Sinlessorrow Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2011 Posts: 147	There actually is a piston in the Stoner system. His patent even calls it a piston. The bolt tail is the piston and the bolt carrier is the chamber. As a part of the gas is siphoned off from the barrel and sent down the gas tube, through the carrier key it is chanelled into the bolt carrier. Once it gets into the Carrier it is now in a sealed environment so it begins to expand and pushes against the bolt tail that is sealed by gas rings, as it expands it pushes the carrier away from the bolt and the cam pin begins unlocking the bolt, one fully unlocked the excess gas is vented via the exaust holes in the carrier. Read this, its a good cut away to explain how it works. How the piston in the AR-15 works. Good video overall and should help alot of new people in dissassembly of their new rifle

July 13, 2012, 09:37 AM	#6
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	OK, yes, I remember that now, thanks for your interesting and infomative comment. I feel another video coming on! Elsewhere a person described this design as the AR pooping where it eats! Crude, but...a lot of truth to that.

July 13, 2012, 09:54 AM	#7
Sinlessorrow Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2011 Posts: 147	This is from Eugene Stoners patent #2,951,424 It is a principal object of this invention to utilize the basic parts of an automatic rifle mechanism such as the bolt and bolt carrier to perform a double function. This double function consists of the bolt's primary function to lock the breach against the pressure of firing, and secondarily, to act as a stationary piston to actuate the automatic rifle mechanism. The primary function of the bolt carrier is to lock and unlock the bolt by rotating it and to carry it back and forth in the receiver. The secondary function of the bolt carrier is to act as a movable cylinder to actuate the automatic rifle mechanism. By having the bolt carrier act as a movable cylinder and the bolt act as a stationary piston, the need for a conventional gas cylinder, piston and actuating rod assembly is eliminated. It is an object of this invention to provide a gas system which is lighter and less expensive to produce because of its simplicity than the present gas systems now used in automatic rifle mechanisms. Its pretty ingenous for its time. I guess in a way the term is crude and kind of correct, while it does send a small portion of gas into the system the excess is vented. The person who coined that phrase said the system just dumped the gas into the upper and ignored that most is vented. Also the AR-15 is a self limiting self scraping system. Anywhere that carbon builds up is a place of no contact, any place that has metal on metal will scrape itself clean. The main issue for the M16FOW is that. 1. If you use cheap lube it drys it up.(in a sandy environment this is bad.) 2. It uses a round carrier. A round carrier allows for less room for sand to go, lube counters this by keeping it suspended and allows it to be moved to places its not needed. To make my point, if you dont lube the HK416 it will short stroke and have issues same as our M4.

July 13, 2012, 10:33 AM	#8
Amsdorf Junior member Join Date: July 24, 2011 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 849	Thanks, again, very interesting stuff.