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Aug 31, 2024 · Sights. Iron sights. The ArmaLite AR-15 is a select-fire, gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed rifle manufactured in the United States between 1959 and 1964. Designed by American gun manufacturer ArmaLite in 1956, it was based on its AR-10 rifle. The ArmaLite AR-15 was designed to be a lightweight rifle and to fire a new high-velocity ...
A simple shot of a round from an AR-15 rifle requires a series of perfectly timed events that take place within a fraction of a second. The mostly smooth exterior of the gun hides the magic that ...
- History and Development
- AR-15 vs. M16 vs. M4
- Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
- The Industry Post-2004: A New Hope
- Myths and Fudd Lore
- Why Is The AR-15 So Popular?
- Practical Applications
- Best AR-15 Calibers
- What About Crime and Mass Shootings?
- How to Buy An AR-15
The history of the AR-15 is pretty cool and several books have been written on the topic. I’ll try to give you a short version though. Basically, the story really starts with the AR-10in the mid-1950s. At the time, the USA was looking for a new rifle to replace the M1 Garand. ArmaLite, a division of Fairchild Aircraft Corporation, had two amazing e...
There are minor differences in barrel lengths, materials used, etc. But these are more about choices than hard differences. Like if you make ramen with corn or without, either way -- it’s still ramen. When it comes down to the real stuff -- the only difference between an AR-15 and an M16/M4 is that an AR-15is semi-automatic only and an M16/M4 is se...
Proposed in 1993 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, this was a horrible law for gun owners. Even for non-gun owners, this was a real mixed bag of bad ideas, good intentions, and failed policies. The part that applies to firearms became known as the FAWB. Basically, it’s what the name implies -- a ban on anything fun. Barring the...
Since the crime bill ended, the industry has exploded in growth. The only things during those dark days of the crime bill were weird and unfun guns, basically. But once people were able to get their hands on the good stuff… we’ve been off to the races! The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates that 5 to 10 million AR-15 style rifles existin...
AR = Assault Rifle
The “AR” in “AR-15” stands for ArmaLite. This is a simple fact.
Only Use Is Military/Combat Applications
We’ll cover this more in a moment, but there are lots of applications for an AR-15. Shooting sports, home defense, training, hunting, and more. The fact is that the AR-15 is the most versatile firearm ever made. Even with just a basic 5.56 NATO upper, this platform can do almost anything. Combined with a wide range of calibers and uppers and there is almost nothing you can’t get done with this rifle. As my favorite federal judge once said: “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle i...
AR-15s Are Full Auto Firearms
There are some registered full-auto AR-15s/M16s, but they are very rare and normally sell for over $40,000 each. These are all registered under the NFA and closely tracked. Outside of those rare guns, the only full-auto AR-15 style firearms are in the military. The AR-15 itself is NOT full-auto, nor has it ever been.
Same reason the F150 or Camry is popular. They work, they’re a good price, they last, and they can do almost anything the average user needs it to do. A fairly average weight for an AR-15is about 7 pounds, often less. With that, you have a lot of firepower in your hands. For home defense, hunting, or shooting sports -- the AR-15 is simply one of th...
Home Defense
An AR-15 puts 30 rounds (or more) in your hands, it is easy to use, accurate, and allows for very quick follow-up shots. 5.56 NATO is also great in homes due to the fact that standard 55gr ammo doesn’t penetrate drywall easily. With the high velocity and the design of the bullet, it tends to tumble and fragment quickly. This results in it being a safer cartridge than 9mm, 45ACP, or 00 Buck. Add to it the fact that an AR gives you lots of room to add a light or mount a suppressor and you have,...
Shooting Sports
From 3 gun to 2 gun to PRS, an AR-15 can do it all. While it is more suited for things like 3 gun, running a gas rifle in a long range competition is a ton of fun. Sports like 3 gun and 2 gun let you train while you have fun. Learning to be faster and more accurate has real applications in self-defense, plus you can win prizes!
Hunting
Be it boar or deer or something with fangs, pick the right caliber and cartridge and an AR-15 is a solid option for hunting. Even in states that don’t allow .22 caliber or require a straight-walled cartridge, the AR-15 can still be used with just a change of the upper. Looking at things like 6.5 Grendel or .350 Legend, there are tons of great options. [See our complete guide to Hunting with an AR-15!]
5.56 NATO
This is the classic, the OG, the one that almost everyone has at least one of. For home defense, shooting sports, turning money into noise, and even some hunting applications -- 5.56 NATOis a great option that gives you lightweight bullets at very high velocities. If you want to reach out further, heavy-for-caliber rounds are available but might not play well with the most common twist rates. If you’re not sure what to get, get an AR in 5.56 NATO.
6.5 Grendel
One of my favorite rounds, the 6.5 Grendelis a great option for reaching out at distance and/or giving your AR more punch and power. Flinging 123gr rounds at 2700+ FPS 6.5 Grendel will stay supersonic past 1,000 yards and deliver 1,000 ft.lbf on target to at least 400 yards. Easy to use, looong barrel life, and fairly cheap to shoot -- the 6.5 Grendel is pretty awesome.
6mm ARC
Newer to the market than most options, 6mm ARC gives you 6mm bullets in the AR-15 platform. Perfect for sending very long distances, 6mm ARC has still yet to really prove itself. Adopted by a nameless part of the Department of Defense, Hornady designed the 6mm ARC from the ground up as a cartridge to be sent long distances from the AR-15. So far, it’s proven to be a really good target shooting load. If you want to get in on the new hotness, have at it!
There is a lie that some people will try to tell you, that rifles and especially the AR-15 are the root of all evil. Statistics depend on who you ask, but I’ve found some fairly solid ones to share with you. In 2019 (the most recent year the FBI has statistics for) there were almost 14,000 murders in the USA (13,927). 364 of those were with a rifle...
The easy way is to go down to your local gun store and follow their directions. A background check, some money to the person behind the counter, and you’ll be on your way. If you want to order online for a better deal or better selection, you’ll need to have it shipped to a local FFL. All FFLs will transfer firearms from other stores/online stores,...
Jun 29, 2022 · By: Sara Swann. June 29, 2022. Whether considered an assault rifle or America’s rifle, the AR-15 is emblematic of gun culture in the United States. Gun enthusiasts herald it for its versatility ...
The AR-15 is the civilian semi-automatic version of the select fire M4. 1 press = 1 PEW! Colt owns the rights to “AR15” and “AR-15,” so most other manufacturers have slightly different names, but the general public still refers to the general pattern as AR-15’s. Now, one big question coming up… AR-15: To Build or To Buy?
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Apr 15, 2019 · The AR in AR-15 stands for “Armalite Rifle” after the original designing company. It does not stand for “assault rifle” but is instead a semi-automatic rifle that shoots one time per trigger pull. Follow us as we go over what it doesn’t stand for …plus what is exactly an AR firearm and our favorite picks. A Few of Our Custom AR-15’s.
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May 22, 2024 · Nevertheless, a standard military-spec AR-15 (.223 chamber) is capable of reaching 400-600 yards. #6. M16 vs AR15: Accessories. The most recent innovations in firearms have largely been in developing optics and other gun accessories. As a result, it’s not surprising that the AR-15 and M16 have a feature of add-ons.
