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