| The AR15 is one of the most celebrated lightweight | | | | renewed the ban on this weapon a while ago. |
| rifles in the history of firearms. The US military | | | | Needless to say, this caused renewed interest in the |
| named it the M16 when it first adopted it shortly | | | | AR15. In fact, the latest figures indicate that |
| after its manufacturers, ArmaLite, developed it | | | | something like 10,000 units are legally owned in the |
| through their Fairchild Division in 1959. The original | | | | state today. |
| patents is accredited to their designer Eugene Stoner. | | | | Despite its popularity and widespread use, the AR15 |
| It is a little known fact that the rifle’s | | | | is subject to much debate on its safety and |
| name derives simply from the company | | | | technological soundness. The main issue seems to be |
| ArmaLite’s name. There is a common | | | | the potentially hazardous firing pin mechanism, which |
| misconception that it actually stands for | | | | is said to be too light for military purposes and can |
| ‘ArmaLite Rifle’. | | | | cause what is known as the |
| The AR15 is an extremely wieldy, lightweight small | | | | ‘slamfire’ effect while a round is |
| caliber rifle that features a magazine and has | | | | being loaded. In simple terms, slamfiring is what |
| auto-loading capabilities. One of its distinctive features | | | | happens when the firing pin jams on its way back |
| is ‘barrel lapping’, which is a | | | | into the bolt after the most recent pull of the trigger. |
| means of smoothing the bore of the | | | | When this occurs, there is an uncontrolled burst of |
| rifle’s barrel and making its bore as | | | | fire that does not stop until the magazine is empty. |
| consistently uniform as possible by means of | | | | Such a situation obviously raises issues of |
| extensive polishing. It comes in two basic models | | | | wastefulness as well as safety. The slamfire effect |
| – the one for civilians comes in .223 | | | | usually occurs in cases where the firing pin is not |
| Remington configuration (this is generally held to be | | | | cleaned properly, has not been correctly integrated |
| the more accurate version). For NATO purposes, the | | | | into the bolt mechanism, or has bent with repeated |
| 5.56 mm model is used. The AR15 operates on the | | | | use. |
| principle of gas impingement, which means that the | | | | Yet another hazard said to be associated with the |
| power of the expanding gas caused by firing a | | | | A15 is the possibility of a ruptured barrel if the bore |
| cartridge is optimized and channeled in such a way | | | | has been subjected to too much moisture. The |
| that the bullet attains maximum possible velocity. It | | | | dangers of an exploding barrel, especially in a |
| features a highly adaptable design and is suitable for | | | | semi-automatic or fully automatic rifle, cannot be |
| a number of add-on accessories. It is also extremely | | | | emphasized too much. However, whether or not the |
| easy to disassemble for repair. | | | | AR15 has the inherent design drawbacks, the fact |
| While it comes with attached front and rear sights, | | | | remains that it has a very high opinion poll rating. In |
| these can be supplemented by a variety of | | | | fact, there are fan websites dedicated to this highly |
| telescopic and night-sights to increase accuracy over | | | | versatile rifle and others like it – some |
| longer ranges. The entire unit usually weighs only 3.4 | | | | examples are www.ar15.com, www.ammo-oracle.com |
| kilograms and a standard magazine can hold either 20 | | | | (which consistently seeks to set the record straight |
| or 30 rounds. However, there are magazines that can | | | | about ammunition-related myths surrounding the |
| accommodate up to a 100 rounds. Purists argue that | | | | AR15) and www.theboxotruth.com. |
| a lightweight rifle like the AR15 is not suited for | | | | The AR15 comes in many different models and |
| extended fire and that larger-capacity magazines | | | | variations, each adapted for a particular situation by |
| should be avoided. Apart from that, there are other | | | | its respective manufacturer. However, it proves |
| points of controversy about this famous rifle, too. | | | | consistently more cost effective to obtain a unit |
| The American Violent Crime Control and Law | | | | from ArmaLite Company itself. Replacement parts |
| Enforcement Act of 1994 restricted its sale to and | | | | are readily and cheaply available at this source, and |
| use by civilians for almost a decade in the early | | | | this also reduces the chance of buying a spurious and |
| 1990s. This was in connection with the Assault | | | | potentially unsafe AR15. The company has its own |
| Weapons Ban, which later lapsed, but California | | | | website - www.armalite.com |