AR15 bolt problem

[bodiebill]

While head spacing we inserted the bolt carrier Assembly without the charging hande. The bolt locked up and we cannot pull back on the bolt carrier to disengage the bolt.
Dumb move!
To make matters worse we were head spacing on a live round!
We had removed the firing pin.
How can we move the bolt carrier back to disengage the bolt lugs?
We one know it was a dumb move so be easy on the criticism and provide some helpful tips.
Thanks from dumbsville

[Carsgunsandchics]

Pull the rear pin and open it up.

[TKM]

Drop the lower and pop the bolt back with a screwdriver from below.

Never mind. Bad idea... Don't do it.

[ar15barrels]

AR15 bolt problem

How can we move the bolt carrier back to disengage the bolt lugs?

Unscrew barrel nut.
Pull barrel forward 1/8".
Rotate barrel to unlock from bolt.
Pull barrel out.
Manipulate bolt/carrier/cam pin back into alignment to remove the carrier.
Without the firing pin through the cam pin, the cam pin rotates and can completely fubar the receiver if you force things.
Get the firing pin back through the cam pin to keep it aligned before you remove the carrier from the receiver.

[ar15barrels]

Drop the lower and pop the bolt back with a screwdriver from below.

With the cam pin out of alignment, this will do a real number on the receiver.

[kcstott]

With the cam pin out of alignment, this will do a real number on the receiver.

I installed the bolt in a rifle once with no firing pin. That screwed things up fortunetly that was twenty plus years ago and I learn from my mistakes.

[kendog4570]

...
To make matters worse we were head spacing on a live round!

That's not head spacing, that's playing.

Thanks from dumbsville

EVERYONE does dumb things now and again. The important thing here is that you learn something from this experience.