picked up my M&P 15 MOE on Monday evening and have not yet had a chance to shoot it...I do have a question on the charging handle though...when I pull the charging handle back and lock the bolt back, if I tip the gun up and down the charging handle slides freely to the front and back while the bolt is locked back...is this normal...???...I guess it does it to a lesser degree on my 15-22, but I never really noticed it as you don't spend a lot of time with the bolt locked back...anyways, sorry for the newb question, but any advice, experience or helpful ramblings will be gratefully appreciated...

Yes, perfectly normal. The charging handle can move independent of the bolt on the AR-15, unlike the charging handle of the M1 Garand, or M-14.

thanks cypher, that is what I suspected, just wanted to make sure...this a great place to get good answers from knowledgeable people...

and thanks for not killing me for asking a rather basic question...

Yes. Before you shoot it, take the bolt and charging handle out, and then reinstall them. This will better inform you as to how the system works. Have a look at the gas key on top of the bolt carrier, and how it mates with the (silver) gas tube in the front (above the feed ramps). It may look complex at first, but it's really rather low-tech, by today's standards.

Like any firearm, you should clean the bore first, anyway.
This ensures that there is nothing obstructing the bore. The rest of the cleaning you can save for after you shoot it the first time.

Here's a video on disassembly. Except for the superfluous music, it's not bad. I would add the caveat that before you turn the cam pin and remove it, you need to push the bolt into the bolt carrier.

That's about the limit of disassembly you'll ever need. I don't even take the extractor out of the bolt very often, as it dosen't get that dirty. The same goes for the buffer and spring. That gets removed and cleaned every 4th or 5th outing. Then again, I don't shoot a lot of 5.56/.223 at any one time. Sixty rounds for me is a standard day, since I shoot other things. Your mileage may vary. Just don't shoot a lot, really fast. These things heat up quite quickly, and you don't want to screw up your barrel. You can get there (barrel damage) really quickly if you start going through 30-round mags one after another, like some kind of Mall Ninja in a crowd of zombies.

Don't be a Mall Ninja.

I've got guns with thousands of rounds down range and never removed the extractor. It's seldom necessary.

Google "lube points on ar 15" images and follow the illustration that turns up and you will have far fewer malfunctions. If you keep them lubed, you really don't need to break them down for a thorough cleaning very often.

You should push the charging handle forward and lock it back in place once the bolt is locked back. NOT a good practice to leave it un-locked with the bolt locked open.

Look at it this way. If the charging handle is "loose" and extended out,what's going to happen to it and ANYTHING in the way if the bolt release is hit ??? OUCH...

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