The service rifle is disassembled into how many major parts?

• A. 2 major parts
• B. 4 major parts
• C. 3 major parts
• D. 5 major parts

Answer: (C)

Breaking the rifle down into three major parts reflects how the firearm is organized into the main functional blocks: the upper receiver group, the lower receiver group, and the stock assembly. The upper receiver group contains the barrel and gas system with the handguards, the lower receiver group houses the trigger mechanism and magazine well, and the stock assembly provides the buttstock and its structural support. In standard field stripping, you remove the magazine and separate the upper from the lower receivers, leaving the stock attached to the lower; this yields three primary assemblies to inspect and clean. Choices that propose only two or more than three major parts don’t align with how the rifle is conceptually divided for routine maintenance.