How to perform a functions check on your own AR-15 rifle

Follow some expert gunsmiths at Brownells as they walk you through simple procedures for customizing, repairing, and maintaining your firearms. This weapons video tutorial series will teach you how to perform a functions check on your own AR-15 rifle, and clean and maintain it.

The AR-15 is one of the most adaptable rifle platforms in history, and building one is easier than you think. Brownells has produced a comprehensive series of easy to use web based video instructions on assembling an AR-15. They cover the all the parts, variations, subassemblies, tools and complete building of the rifle so you can feel confident to tackle this project on your own.

Broken down into short easy to follow video instructions for each step, you’ll be able to watch only those segments that pertain to your rifle and not be bogged down with a lot of extra details.

Throughout the process of assembly you have been performing function checks for each subassembly as you’ve built your rifle. Now it is time to test the rifle to see how all the parts work together.

Bench testing is performed without live ammunition and confirms proper manual cycling and the interaction of the subassemblies. Field testing is performed with live ammunition and confirms the proper operation of the fire control systems, the bolt carrier group and live fire cycling. These are important steps that need to be completed when you finish building your rifle.

The final section covers basic cleaning and maintenance of your rifle. Before you go out and field test, you should perform a basic cleaning of your rifle.

1. Putting the Two Halves Together & Function Checking at the Bench
2. Function Checking at the Range
3. Cleaning & Maintenance

Search "AR-15" and start building, parts knowledge, get the right tools, upper receiver, free float barrels, charging handles, lower receiver and fixed buttstock on WonderHowTo to see more about building an AR15 gun.