Join Renew Donate

Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

CLOSE

Quick Links

ArmaLite M-15 A2 Carbine

by

NRA Staff

posted on July 15, 2012

News, Reviews, Rifles, Semi-Auto Rifles

Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

A step-by-step photo tutorial on how to fieldstrip the popular Armalite M-15 A2 Carbine.

Gallery

ARMALITE M-15 A2 CARBINE

NRA Staff

1 of 1

ARMALITE M-15 A2 CARBINE

NRA Staff

Armalite M-15 A2 Carbine

Charging handle

NRA Staff

1 of 1

Charging handle

NRA Staff

Pull the charging handle to the rear and pull the bolt carrier (31) group from the upper receiver (Fig. 1). Remove the charging handle by dropping it through the recesses in the upper receiver. Depress the buffer retainer (81) to release the buffer (42) and buffer spring (41). Pull the buffer and spring from the receiver extension tube (43).

NRA Staff

1 of 1

Retaining pin

NRA Staff

Pull the firing pin retaining pin (29) from the bolt carrier (Fig. 2). Up-end the bolt carrier and let the firing pin (26) fall from the bolt carrier.

NRA Staff

1 of 1

Cam pin

NRA Staff

Push the bolt (33) into the carrier, then rotate the cam pin (30) 90 degrees (Fig. 3) and pull it from the carrier.

NRA Staff

1 of 1

Bolt

NRA Staff

Extract the bolt (Fig. 4).

NRA Staff

1 of 1

Extractor pin

NRA Staff

Push the extractor pin (37) out of the bolt (Fig. 5), but be careful with the small extractor spring (35) and extractor spring insert (34). Some easily fall from the extractor (36) and can be lost

More like this from around the NRA

The Evolution Of The Colt Model 601 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

The Evolution Of The Colt Model 601 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

The AR-15: A Brief History | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

The AR-15: A Brief History | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

Entertainment Group’s Lawsuit Against Gun Manufacturers Dismissed with Prejudice | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Entertainment Group’s Lawsuit Against Gun Manufacturers Dismissed with Prejudice | An Official Journal Of The NRA

NRA World Shooting Championship: A Firsthand Look | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

NRA World Shooting Championship: A Firsthand Look | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

Latest

More

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Rifle Muskets, Trapdoors & Early Bolt-Actions

The U.S. Army would enter the 19th century equipped with a smoothbore flintlock musket that differed little from the designs of the past, and it would exit the century with a modern, bolt-action, repeating rifle that used smokeless powder ammunition.

Charter Arms Introduces Walker & Boomer Revolvers

With its new Walker and Boomer revolvers, Charter Arms has introduced two purpose-built wheelguns aimed at specific niches within the self-defense market.

Charter Arms New Revolvers 01

Charter Arms New Revolvers 01

California is Going After Out-Of-State Home Gunsmiths

A California lawsuit is targeting the Gatalog Foundation Inc. and CTRLPEW LLC, claiming that Gatalog and CTRLPEW are providing prohibited persons with plans to make “ghost guns.”

Armed Citizen, News

California Goes After Home Gunsmiths F

California Goes After Home Gunsmiths F

U.S. Military Unveils "Drone Killer" Rifle Cartridges

The U.S. military's new Drone Killer Cartridge is designed as a cost-effective family of ammunition designed to increase a warfighter's probability of a hit against drone threats.

News, Ammunition

Low

I Have This Old Gun: Röhm RG 14

RG Industries was established in Miami, Fla., to manufacture—using many German-made parts—the smallest Röhm-pattern handguns for domestic sale, including the RG 14 revolver chambered in .22 LR.

News, I Have This Old Gun

Rohm RG 14

Review: Primary Weapons System UXR

What if you wanted to have more than one caliber in a single rifle? The Primary Weapons System UXR rifle is the answer, and it takes caliber-interchangeability to the next level.

News, Semi-Auto Rifles

Primary Weapons System UXR

Primary Weapons System UXR

More Latest Stories

Interests

More

American Rifleman Television

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Rifle Muskets, Trapdoors & Early Bolt-Actions | An Official Journal Of The NRA

250 Years of the U.S. Army: Rifle Muskets, Trapdoors & Early Bolt-Actions | An Official Journal Of The NRA

U.S. Army, Army 250th, Model 1855/1861 Springfield

ARTV

I Have This Old Gun

I Have This Old Gun: Röhm RG 14 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

I Have This Old Gun: Röhm RG 14 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

I Have This Old Gun, Rohm RG 14, RG Industries

I Have This Old Gun

The Armed Citizen® March 2, 2026 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

The Armed Citizen® March 2, 2026 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Armed Citizen, The Armed Citizen Blog, The Armed Citizen Online

Armed Citizen

American Rifleman News

#SundayGunday: Mossberg 500 Combo Field/Deer | An Official Journal Of The NRA

#SundayGunday: Mossberg 500 Combo Field/Deer | An Official Journal Of The NRA

News, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Mossberg 500

News

American Rifleman Reviews

Review: Kimber 2K11 | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

Review: Kimber 2K11 | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal

review, kimber, uspsa

Reviews

NRA Gun of the Week

Gun of the Week: Springfield Armory Hellcat in .380 ACP | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Gun of the Week: Springfield Armory Hellcat in .380 ACP | An Official Journal Of The NRA

NRA Gun of the Week, Gun of the Week, Springfield Armory

NRA Gun of the Week

Charter Arms Introduces Walker & Boomer Revolvers | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Charter Arms Introduces Walker & Boomer Revolvers | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Charter Arms, Charter Arms Walker, Charter Arms Boomer

New For 2026

The Keefe Report

The Keefe Report: The Incomparable, Inimitable Phil Schreier—1962-2025 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

The Keefe Report: The Incomparable, Inimitable Phil Schreier—1962-2025 | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Philip Schreier, The Keefe Report, Mark Keefe

The Keefe Report

More Interests

EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS