post #352614 post #1490985 post #1272365

The AR-15 is a rifle originally designed by the American gun manufacturer ArmaLite in the 1950s, though the patents were later sold to Colt's Manufacturing Company. The design was later adopted by the United States military as the M16 rifle in the 1960s.

Since then, a large number of variants have been derived from the original pattern, and it has seen widespread popularity in both military service and the commercial market, as well as popular media.

Identification

Correctly identifying AR-15 is difficult due to the vast number of variations that exist. The design is also very similar to m4, although the m4 is a fully automatic assault rifle.

• ar-15 has a diagonally protruding forward assist on the right side, just behind the chamber, straigt above the handle/pistol grip.
• ar-15 has more straight parallel lines in the shape of the handle/pistol grip than m4, which also has a protrusion to go between the middle finger and the ring finger, which is unlikely to be visible if the weapon is held rather than being stored or carried.

See also:

• tag_group:weapons
• ranged_weapon
• assault_rifle - Though not always technically accurate, popular conception stemming from its military use and depictions in media has created a strong association between AR-15 style guns and this term.