The Armalite AR-15 Rifle

by
posted on June 15, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2011779828-125rifleman_f.jpg

From the July, 1959 issue of American Rifleman

The American Rifleman reported in July 1958 on this development, and described the Winchester .22 High-Velocity Lightweight Military Rifle and the T44E6 which is a lightweight version of the 7.62 mm. M14 rifle. The developer of another rifle in this field, the Armalite AR-15, has now consented to the publication of details on it, and the rifle has been made available for examination and firing.

The Armalite AR-15 was first in the field. It was developed by Armalite Division of Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp. It fires, like the Winchester, a special high velocity .22 military cartridge originating in an Army contract development by Remington Arms Co., and later brought out in sporting form as the .222 Remington Magnum.

Firing trial by several members of The Rifleman staff showed the AR-15 to be easy, pleasant, and accurate to shoot. Functioning was very positive and regular. Cyclic rate in full-automatic fire was undesirably high, but the very straight stock made up for this and made good control possible. The fore-end, which surrounds the barrel, protected the forward hand well.

Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. is now tooling-up to manufacture the AR-15 rifle.

Latest

FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA
FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025

This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.

Preview: Uni-Loader

The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.

CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability

In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.