Hi, I have a buddy in the market for a used AR-15, and he asked what to look for when inspecting a rifle.  I have 9mm AR so, my mechanism is different than that of a normal AR.  What can I tell him to look for, and what to inspect when looking for a used AR?  Thanks for your help.

SAS

Nobody, knows what to look for on a used ar-15?

Well I’ll chime in. I’d first look at the overall condition of the exterior. Next I’d field strip the rifle and inspect the bolt and carrier paying attention to the bolt lugs, cam pin and gas key for tightness. Look down the bore checking for condition. Check the barrel extension/chamber area for cleanliness.  Look down the barrel over the sights to check for FSB alignment. Check where the sights are set at which might suggest an over torqued barrel or misaligned FSB. Grasp the FSB and rear of the upper receiver and attempt to twist the barrel. This will reveal if the barrel is loose in the upper receiver. On the lower receiver check for interior cleanliness. With the hammer released wiggle the hammer from side to side to check for worn hammer pin holes in the lower. Do the same with the trigger. Inspect the condition of the bolt catch, paying attention for signs of cracks that might suggest that the hammer was often dropped with the receivers separated. Reassemble the weapon and perform a function check. Off the top of my head that’s about it.

dang i think that about covers it