The ArmaLite Rifle-15, or more commonly known as the AR-15, was developed at the request of the United States Continental Army Command to replace the M1 Garand and other battle rifles. The gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle design was sold to Colt shortly after its inception due to financial troubles ArmaLite was facing. After a run of almost 20 years, Colt’s patent expired in 1977, and copies of the once-patented design began cropping up across the nation. Despite patent expiration, the Colt-designed M16, a revised select-fire variant of the original AR-15, remains the service rifle for the United States military today. As a result of the rifle’s military acceptance, Service Rifle matches across the country added slots for the AR-15/M16-style rifle. The subject of this week’s review is a hodgepodge of parts American Rifleman’s Mark Keefe requested to be assembled in order to meet Service Rifle match requirements. To learn more about the AR-15 rifle and the parts used in Keefe’s build, check out this week’s NRA Gun of the Week video.
Additional Reading:
Guns of the Tet Offensive
The First Colt AR-15 Rifle
The History of the M-16 Rifle: Stoner's Armalite
Rifleman Q&A: Why Have A Forward Assist?
Top 10 Infantry Rifles
A Look Back at the M1 Garand
NRA Gun of the Week: AR-15 Rifle
More like this from around the NRA
Latest
Reaching for 1,000: A Study in Long Range Marksmanship
Calculating all the factors that go into a well-placed shot at distance can be a daunting task for those new to long-distance marksmanship, but when it all comes together, the result is gratifying.
ATF Proposes Changes to Form 4473
The ATF proposed a series of changes to form 4473 in May. If approved, the modifications would shave three pages from the paperwork and eliminate a lot of the previous form’s confusing redundancy, trimming questions for both the purchaser/transferee and FFL.
Roar of the Muskets: The North-South Skirmish Association
The North-South Skirmish Association keeps Civil War history alive through competition shoots using Civil War-era arms at its Fort Shenandoah home base, as well as at regional shoots across the country.
Interest in Gunsmithing Grows as Potential AI Safe Haven
We’re told AI could eventually eliminate every job, and the trades will just be the last to go. But a pair of experts dedicated to training gunsmiths have a different opinion on the fate of their graduates.
Pietta Re-Introduces Starr Revolver Models
Late last year, Pietta announced it would be re-introducing their Starr revolver in both its double-action and single-action form, and now, the guns are finally arriving stateside.
Why the Murder Rate Quickly Fell to a Likely Historic Low
If the gun-control Left is to be believed, then the murder rate in the U.S. should be going up. After all, gun sales and ownership rates have been rising for the last few decades and anti-gun groups claim that gun ownership is the cause of violent crime. This, of course, is nonsense.
Interests
SECTIONS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
EXPLORE MORE NRA PUBLICATIONS
