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Work order — Smith & Wesson M&P15-22

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3

AR-15-pattern .22 with a polymer upper and lower: stripping the lower means the usual AR detents and springs (pivot and takedown pin detents, selector detent, magazine catch, bolt catch) and a hammer/trigger group on pins, plus a blowback bolt. Conventional AR traps (spring-loaded detents held while pins go in) and S&W does not publish a parts list. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~40 min, rebuild ~60 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Pivot-pin detent tool or razor blade — Pivot pin detent and spring
• Roll-pin holder punch — Bolt catch roll pin
• Lower receiver vise block — Holding the polymer lower

Watch for:

• S&W limits owners to what the manual shows; any further service must be done by a qualified gunsmith, and a parts list is only available on request. (both; Smith & Wesson)

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.
3. Pull the charging handle fully rearward and lock the bolt back.
4. Inspect the chamber and magazine well with a light and physically confirm the chamber is empty.
   Warning: Rimfire cases are small and easy to miss.
5. Place the selector on SAFE and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and put on safety glasses specified for firearms use. S&W asks for them every time.
2. Confirm the magazine is out and the rifle is not loaded.
3. Push the top of the bolt release to make sure the bolt is in the forward position.
4. Push the takedown pin — above and behind the trigger — in from the left of the lower receiver, and pull it out on the right until it comes to a positive stop.
   Tip: One pin, not two. S&W's field strip leaves the front pivot pin alone and the receivers hinged.
5. Pivot the lower receiver down and away from the upper receiver.
   Tip: Expect some initial resistance as the parts separate; that is normal.
6. Pull the charging handle to the rear and remove the bolt assembly, which comes out together with the charging handle.
   Warning: Never dry fire this rifle while it is disassembled. S&W states damage to the firearm may result — on a rimfire the firing pin strikes the chamber mouth with nothing to stop it.
7. Clean the chamber, bore, bolt face and receiver interior. Rimfire fouling accumulates fast.
8. Stop here. S&W directs any maintenance beyond this to a qualified gunsmith using genuine Smith & Wesson parts.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

4. Reassemble

Reassembly

1. Wipe the metal parts with a cloth dampened with good gun oil, remove the excess, and leave a light film inside and out.
2. Assemble the charging handle onto the bolt BEFORE the bolt goes back into the upper receiver.
   Tip: This is the order that trips people up. The charging handle does not go in separately afterwards.
3. Orient the bolt as the manual shows and partially insert the charging handle into the upper receiver slot before sliding the bolt in.
4. Slide the bolt and charging handle fully home in the upper receiver.
5. Pivot the lower receiver back up to the upper and push the takedown pin fully home from the right.
6. Cycle the action several times by hand, confirm it returns fully to battery, and perform the function check.
   Warning: Never dry fire this rifle while it is disassembled. S&W states damage to the firearm may result — on a rimfire the firing pin strikes the chamber mouth with nothing to stop it.

5. Torque

Notes: These are the Magpul M-LOK values as S&W's M&P15-22 manual reproduces them (p. 40). S&W stresses that they are limits, not targets, and that the nylon thread-locking patch on the screws can slightly affect a torque wrench reading. Without a torque wrench, the manual (p. 42) describes approximating them with an L-shaped hex key: 35 in-lb is about 15 lb at the end of a standard 2 5/16" key using its long arm; 15 in-lb is about 6 1/2 lb there, or the maximum force achievable by hand on the short arm.

Fit or check on rebuild

• Hammer/trigger pin retention and screw torque on the polymer lower — Over-torqued fasteners strip polymer; pins must be retained.
• Sight re-zero — Sights removed for coating.
• Function check: safety, trigger/sear release, disconnector and feeding with dummy rounds — Standard after any detail strip; a mis-assembled sear or disconnector can double or fail to fire.

6. Function check

• Verify the rifle is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each step.
• Cycle the charging handle and confirm the bolt returns fully into battery.
• Charge the rifle, place the selector on SAFE, and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
• Move to FIRE and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
• Confirm the magazine seats, locks, and drops free.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Safety & Instruction Manual For M&P15-22 Rifle — Smith & Wesson primary
   https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltb61dcb3c40854cd9/blt484b89d2ae4eeadd/65d518a7bdb22a85b5c23612/M&P1522_Rifle_113022_3005746.pdf
2. Smith & Wesson — Consumer Firearm Recalls: M&P15-22 Consumer Safety Alert — Smith & Wesson primary
   https://www.smith-wesson.com/safety/recalls
3. Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 Sport — product specifications, SKU 10208 — Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. primary
   https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/m-p-15-22-sport
4. Virtual Patent Marking | Smith & Wesson — Smith & Wesson primary
   https://www.smith-wesson.com/company/virtual-patent-marking

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.