is a widely owned
semi-automatic rifle, of which the most famous derivative is the selective fire M16-series assault rifle used by the United States military.
Standard
AR-15 rifles accept detachable magazines of varying capacities; the most common being 10, 20, or 30 round magazines. There are numerous variants and the rifle is available in as many as 40 different calibers making it highly customizable. The
AR-15 is subject to restrictions in certain juridictions regarding configuration and ownership.
The
AR-15 is based on the 7.62 mm AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner of the Fairchild ArmaLite corporation. The
AR-15 was developed as a lighter, 5.56 mm version of the AR-10. The "AR" in
AR-15 comes from the ArmaLite name. ArmaLite's AR-1, AR-5, and some subsequent models were bolt action rifles, the AR-7 a semiautomatic survival rifle and there are shotguns and pistols whose model numbers also include the "AR" prefix.
Ar-15 1973 Colt
AR-15 SP1 rifle with 'slick side' upper receiver (no forward assist) and original Colt 20 round box magazine
ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and
AR-15 to Colt in 1959. After a tour by Colt of the Far East, the first sale of AR-15s were made to Malaysia on 30 September 1959 with Colt's manufacture of their first 300 AR-15s in December 1959. Colt marketed the
AR-15 rifle to various military services around the world, including the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps. The
AR-15 was eventually adopted by the United States military under the designation M16. However, Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its semi-automatic variants (
AR-15,
AR-15A2) which were marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers. The original
AR-15 was a very lightweight weapon, weighing less than 6 pounds with empty magazine, though later heavy-barrel versions of the civilian
AR-15 can weigh upwards of 8.5 lbs.
Today the
AR-15 and its variations are manufactured by many companies and have captured the affection of sport shooters and police forces around the world due to their accuracy and modularity. (Please refer to the M16 for more history on the development and evolution of the
AR-15 and derivatives.)
The trademark "
AR-15" or "
AR-15" is registered to Colt Industries, which maintains that the term should only be used to refer to their products. Other
AR-15 manufacturers make
AR-15 clones marketed under separate designations, although colloquially these are sometimes also referred to by the term
AR-15.
Some notable features of the
AR-15 include:
- Aircraft grade aluminium receiver is lightweight and highly corrosion-resistant
- Modular design allows for a variety of accessories and makes repair easier
- Straight-line stock design eliminates the fulcrum created by traditional bent stocks, reducing muzzle climb.
- Small caliber, accurate, high velocity round
- Synthetic stock and grips do not warp or splinter
- Front sight adjustable for elevation
- Rear sight adjustable for windage and elevation
- Wide array of optical devices available in addition to or as replacements of iron sights
- A direct impingement gas system
- Synthetic pistol grip (regulated in some states)
