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For rifles of a similar name, see ArmaLite AR-15 and Colt AR-15. For other uses, see AR-15.
AR-15 variant
AR-15 variants come in many sizes and have many options, depending on the manufacturer. The part shown bottom center is the lower receiver with pistol grip and trigger assembly.
TypeSemi-automatic rifle
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1958–present
Production history
DesignerEugene Stoner, Jim Sullivan, Bob Fremont
Designed1957
Specifications
Barrel length
  • 24 inches (610 mm) target barrel
  • 20 inches (510 mm) standard barrel
  • 16 inches (410 mm) carbine barrel[1]
  • 14.5 inches (370 mm) carbine barrel
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO is the most common caliber; see list of AR platform calibers for others
ActionDirect impingement or Gas Piston[2] via a Rotating bolt
Blowback on pistol-caliber variants
Effective firing range~550 metres (600 yd) for 5.56mm versions[3]
Feed system5.56mm versions use standard AR-15/M16 STANAG magazines
SightsAdjustable iron sights as well as various optical and electronic sights


AR-15 variants are a general category of semi-automatic firearms based on the Colt AR-15 design and now made by many different manufactures. After Colt's patents expired in 1977,[4] an active marketplace emerged around the Colt AR-15 rifle's design, all sharing the same basic characteristics of the AR-15.

The original ArmaLite AR-15 rifle was designed as a selective fire weapon for military purposes. ArmaLite was forced to sell the design to Colt due to financial difficulties. After some modifications, the rifle eventually became the US Army's M16 rifle, with a semi-automatic version marketed as the Colt AR-15 rifle.

The term "AR-15" originally signified "Armalite rifle, design 15".[5] However, today the term "AR15" or "AR-15" is a Colt registered trademark and Colt only uses the term to refer to its line of semi-automatic civilian rifles. Other manufacturers now make AR-15 clones and variants marketed under separate designations, although these are all frequently referred to as AR-15s.

History

1973 Colt AR-15 SP1 rifle with 'slab side' lower receiver (lacking raised boss around magazine release button) and original Colt 20-round box magazine
Modified AR-15

The Colt AR-15 is based on the 5.56 mm ArmaLite AR-15 rifle, which is a smaller lighter version of the 7.62 mm ArmaLite AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner, Robert Fremont and L. James Sullivan of the Fairchild Armalite corporation.[6] The "AR" in all ArmaLite pattern firearms simply stands for "ArmaLite Rifle"[7] and can be found on most of the company's firearms, such as the AR-7 and the AR-10 rifles.[8]

Due to financial problems, ArmaLite was forced to sell its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt. Colt manufactured their first 300 ArmaLite AR-15s in December 1959.[9] Colt marketed the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle to various military services around the world. After modifications (most notably the relocation of the charging handle from under the carrying handle to the rear of the receiver), the redesigned rifle was adopted by the United States military as the M16 rifle in 1964. In the same year, Colt started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15.[10] Colt continues to make the AR-15 line of semi-automatic rifles and continues to use the AR-15 trademark.

The first version was the Colt AR-15 Sporter, in .223 Remington, with a 20 inch barrel and issued with 5-round magazines.[11] Initial sales of the Colt AR-15 were slow, primarily due to its fixed sights and carry handle that made mounting a scope difficult and awkward to use.[12] After Colt's patents expired in 1977,[13] an active marketplace emerged around the Colt AR-15 rifle's design, all sharing the same basic characteristics of the AR-15.

In the 1990s AR-15 sales increased dramatically.[12] Partly as a result of the introduction of the flat top upper receiver allowing scopes and sighting devices to be easily mounted and new features such as free floating hand guards that increased accuracy.[12] In 1994, only a handful of companies were manufacturing AR-15 type rifles. However, by the twenty first century the number of AR-15 variants and clones had more than doubled.[14] By 2016, every major gun manufacturer produced an AR-15 variant.[15]

By 2016, AR-15-pattern rifles had become controversial in the United States. While the National Rifle Association labeled them as "America's gun", their use in mass shootings has led to a debate between advocates of gun control and gun rights.[16]

Components

AR-15 variants are available in a wide range of configurations from a large number of manufacturers. These configurations range from short carbine-length models with features such as adjustable length stocks and optical sights, to complete redesigns for different roles such as designated marksman rifles, varmint rifles. Due to the myriad options, AR-15s have been referred to as "the Swiss Army knife of rifles",[17] "Barbie Dolls for Guys"[18][19][20] or "LEGOs" for adults.[21][22][23]

Operating system

M&P15 piston with MOE Grip and PRI sights

Most AR-15 variants use the same mechanism as the original Colt AR-15. This mechanism is often called "direct gas impingement" (DGI), although it differs from prior gas systems.[24] When fired, DGI systems send high pressure hot gas through the gas tube to the bolt carrier key and into the bolt carrier group. This can heat the bolt carrier group and cause fouling, one of the main design complaints of the original DGI system.[25] Other variants uses a either short stroke or long stroke gas piston system.[25] These rifles have different bolt carriers, gas keys and gas blocks. Gas piston operating systems alleviate some of the DGI systems problems, but have other issues such as carrier tilt, which can increase bolt fractures.

Lower receivers

The lower receiver incorporates the magazine well, the pistol grip and the buttstock. Full size rifle generally use a fixed buttstock. While carbines generally use an adjustable telescoping buttstock. The lower receiver also contains the trigger, disconnector, hammer and fire selector (collectively known as the fire control group).

Upper receivers

AR-15 variants employ a modular design. Thus one upper receiver can quickly and easily be substituted for another from the aftermarket. Many aftermarket upper receivers are available that incorporate barrels of different weights, lengths, calibers, and rail systems with various sights and accessories. The standard AR-15 rifle uses a 20" barrel. Although, both shorter 16" carbine barrels and longer 24" target barrels are also available. Many AR-15 manufactures use .223 Wylde chamber barrels to allow them to safely fire either .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. Other calibers include .300 Blackout, 7.62×39mm, 5.45×39mm, 9×19mm Parabellum, .45 ACP, 5.7×28mm, 6.5mm Grendel, 6.8mm Remington SPC,[26] .50 Beowulf and .458 SOCOM, to name a few.[27]

Reliability

Firing military 5.56×45mm NATO cartridges may produce dangerously high pressures in civilian chambers designed for the .223 Remington.[28] Excessive pressure may force the primer out of the case into the rifle action. Disassembly may be required to locate and remove the jammed primer.[29]

List AR-15 type firearms

  • Barrett REC7, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • Bushmaster XM-15, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • Carbon 15, a line of semi-automatic pistols, carbines, and rifles based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • Heckler & Koch HK416, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • KW MWS, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design and produced by the Belgian company KW.
  • Remington GPC, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • Ruger SR-556, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • SIG MCX, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • SIG Sauer SIG516, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • SIG Sauer SIGM400, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.
  • Smith & Wesson M&P15, a semi-automatic rifle based on the Colt AR-15 design.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Barreled Upper Assemblies - AR-15". palmettostatearmory.com.
  2. ^ "Carbine Length Piston Kit - XLP". adamsarms.net.
  3. ^ Saunders, Forrest (June 16, 2016). "Police demonstrate the power of the AR-15 rifle". WWLP. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
  4. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=bCFjCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT10&dq=The+Evolution+of+the+Black+Rifle+By+Jeff+Zimba&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_1IuN8cPTAhXKwFQKHQs9B2cQ6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Evolution%20of%20the%20Black%20Rifle%20By%20Jeff%20Zimba&f=false
  5. ^ Armalite - About US. Armalite.com. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  6. ^ "A Historical Review of Armalite" (PDF). ArmaLite, Inc. April 23, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2008.
  7. ^ "1952-1954 - Armalite".
  8. ^ Shideler, edited by Dan (2010). The official Gun Digest book of guns & prices 2010 rifles, pistons & shotguns. Iola, Wis.: Krause. ISBN 1440214549. {{cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  9. ^ Dockery, Kevin, Future Weapons, Berkley Books, 2007, p. 96.
  10. ^ Bob Hutton & Bob Forker (October 1964). "A Beautiful Marriage: .223 Remington and Colt's AR-15 'Sporter'". Guns & Ammo.
  11. ^ Bob Hutton & Bob Forker (October 1964). "A Beautiful Marriage: .223 Remington and Colt's AR-15 'Sporter'". Guns & Ammo.
  12. ^ a b c Mann, Richard A. (April 30, 2014). GunDigest Shooter's Guide to the AR-15. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-1-4402-3847-5.
  13. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=bCFjCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT10&dq=The+Evolution+of+the+Black+Rifle+By+Jeff+Zimba&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_1IuN8cPTAhXKwFQKHQs9B2cQ6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=The%20Evolution%20of%20the%20Black%20Rifle%20By%20Jeff%20Zimba&f=false
  14. ^ Sweeney, Patrick (August 30, 2016). Gunsmithing the AR-15, the Bench Manual. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. pp. 7–9. ISBN 978-1-4402-4660-9.
  15. ^ Richardson, Reed (July 12, 2016). "American Rifle: A Biography of the AR-15". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved March 28, 2017. Fueled by this "Obama effect" — his reelection in 2012 coincided with the best month for gun sales in decades — every mainline gun manufacturer now sells an AR-15 model.
  16. ^ "AR-15 Inventor’s Family: This Was Meant to Be a Military Weapon" Time magazine. June 16, 2016.
  17. ^ Patrick Sweeney ARS Across the Board. GUNS&AMMO November 2010
  18. ^ "Chicago Tribune: Why Assault Rifle Sales are Booming - The Truth About Guns". June 17, 2015.
  19. ^ Levings, Darryl (February 2, 2013). "AR-15 rifle more loved — and hated — than ever - Amid the rising call for the rifle to be banned, sales of the "Barbie doll for guys" have soared". Kansas City Star. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  20. ^ Kyle, Chris (2014). American Gun. William Morrow Paperbacks. p. 252. ISBN 0062242725.
  21. ^ Stokes, Jon. "The AR-15 Is More Than a Gun. It's a Gadget". WIRED. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  22. ^ "Fifteen of the Best Cheap AR Accessories". The Shooter's Log. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  23. ^ "Lego Kits for Adults". AR Blog. July 13, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  24. ^ Lawrence, Erik; Pannone, Mike (2015). AR-15 Handbook. Lawrence Publications. pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-1-941998-58-8.
  25. ^ a b "6 Facts About AR-15 Gas Impingement Vs. Piston - Gun Digest". June 18, 2014.
  26. ^ U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition Failures and Solutions, GK Roberts, NDIA Dallas, TX, May 21, 2008 http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Roberts.pdf
  27. ^ Evolution of an AR | Gear | Guns & Ammo Archived September 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Archives.gunsandammo.com (August 29, 2011). Retrieved on 2011-09-27.
  28. ^ Towsley, Bryce (March 4, 2013). ".223 Remington Vs. 5.56: What's in a Name?". www.americanrifleman.org. NRA American Rifleman. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  29. ^ "ArmaLite, Inc. Technical Note – 5.56 NATO vs SAAMI .223 Chambers". ArmaLite, Inc. December 4, 2002. Archived from the original on December 17, 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Bibliography

  • Stevens, R. Blake and Edward C. Ezell. The Black Rifle M16 Retrospective. Enhanced second printing. Cobourg, Ontario, Canada: Collector Grade Publications Incorporated, 1994. ISBN 0-88935-115-5.
  • Bartocci, Christopher R. Black Rifle II The M16 Into the 21st Century. Cobourg, Ontario, Canada: Collector Grade Publications Incorporated, 2004. ISBN 0-88935-348-4.
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