Self-loading rifles Ar-15 for civilian use

A little history

The world famous M-16 rifle has become as popular as the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Meanwhile, in the fifties in the West, a decision was made to switch to smaller cartridge calibers (from 7.62 to 5.56). Then Eugene Stoner took his AR-10 with a 7.62 caliber as a basis, and in 1958 a new product from the Armalite Division company called the AR-15 was released. The AR-15 assault rifle had a 5.56 caliber and was capable of penetrating a standard army helmet.

Stoner proposed using plastic and aluminum alloys to make the new product much lighter compared to its predecessors. This is how the AR-15 rifle turned out. The magazine capacity (due to the reduction in cartridge caliber) was increased.

Weapons IMHO. Part 1: AR vs AK. AR-15 review and tuning using the HK416 as an example

So, a little history of the appearance of weapons designated as AR15, which subsequently gave rise to the M16 and M4 family, as well as many clones and versions, which are still, after more than half a century, in service with more than 20 countries, including, of course, USA. What I write is only my understanding of what I have learned. For exact dates and more complete information, please refer to available sources, of which there are many on the Internet, I just want to make this interesting for you and perhaps encourage you to study weapons, to love them and to the shooting sport.

No comments)))) Let it be the cover for the photo report

As I (author, Alexander Ten - note LastDay.Club ) said in the announcement, I’ll start with the AR15. The question is “ what is better - AK or AR? " excites the minds of many people, even those who, on duty or work, handle weapons a lot, but in essence are still “one-sided amateurs”))) yes, yes, because those who really shot a lot from AK and AR platforms , they will say only one thing - they are EQUAL. The AK model of 1947 is often compared with the M4, which is incorrect, because it would be more correct to compare it with the AK74M. And taking into account the possibilities of modern tuning, the best finished AK samples are in no way inferior to the same masterpieces from AR.

Let's start with the history of creating AR in my performance

The M16/M4 family... The “Black Rifle” is an ideological and constructive rival to the Kalashnakov assault rifle.
The creators of these, without embellishment, unique shooting systems are no longer alive. But during their lifetime, both Mikhail Kalashnikov and Eugene Stoner met each other several times and managed to become friends. By the end of the 50s, apparently stunned by the potential hordes of Soviet soldiers and their allies, who had been running around training grounds for more than a decade and firing from the hip with AKs (well, we all remember the footage from the “Serving the Soviet Union” program)))) and the terrible VDV and SPETSNAZ with AKS jumping from the sky, the USA apparently realized that something had to be done, otherwise the Russians would fill everyone with lead. This is how the concept of creating an intermediate cartridge was born in the USA, which the Germans actually laid down in 1943 and developed in the USSR in 1947, adopting the AK itself. Moreover, by the time the United States was just beginning to develop the AR15, the USSR had already received the first modernization of its AK, the AKM.

A few years later, namely in 1957, the talented engineer Eugene Stoner, among many others, presented his concept of a rifle chambered for the small-caliber intermediate cartridge 5.56x45 (.223). Already in 1961, the rifle began to enter limited service with the Special Forces of the US Army, and already in 1964 it officially replaced the M14 in service with all units. A short time later, given the not very successful debut of the M16 in Vietnam, a modernization was carried out, called the M16A1; moreover, it was from this moment that the carbine began to be called an “assault rifle.” The troops liked the weapon and earned the right to further life. Further, as usual, all sorts of modifications began to grow like an avalanche, including the shortened “Colt Commando” - which later grew into the M4... By the way, being the first in the mass production of machine guns (well, the Germans don’t count))), the USSR still had to catch up with the USA, and namely in the use of a low-impulse small-caliber cartridge, reducing the caliber from 7.62 to 5.45 in 1970, revealing to the world since then the almost unchanged AK74 chambered for the 5.45X39 cartridge (AK74M, which appeared in the early nineties, is distinguished by a folding plastic butt and a side rail for mounting optics ).

NK416 assault rifle with an under-barrel grenade launcher. The apotheosis of AR platform development.

So, let’s move smoothly to the main thing - over the years, many companies continued to make many improvements to the design of the M4/M16, and one of the most successful, apparently, can be recognized as NK416 (the digital designation contains a hidden code confirming continuity from the M4 and M16). The assault rifle, starting in 2004, begins to seep into the special forces of the US Army and Navy, as well as police SWAT teams. The culmination will be its adoption by the US Marine Corps as a single weapon under the designation M27. It is also worth noting that the 416th is the weapon of the SEALs - the Navy SEALs and it was she who participated in the raid on Abbottabad, where Osama bin Laden was eliminated. Another indisputable proof of the outstanding capabilities of this weapon is the fact that it was planned to be purchased for arming the TsSN of the Russian Federation...

The original appearance of the HK MR223 carbine with a 16.5″ barrel and a standard handguard. For me personally, a short forend is more of an inconvenience...

Success among the military and special police forces prompted Heckler & Koch to release a civilian version of the assault rifle - HK MR223 (556)....

My swallow - HK MR223 left view. The carbine is fully equipped. In this form, she completed many courses and seminars, as well as training in the field, CQB and Long Range, at -30 and +40 degrees. And no matter how bad manners this might be considered, it was used on many hunts with a standard magazine.

After several years of owning this wonderful carbine, having fired more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition from it alone, I can say the following:

• the carbine is extremely reliable, using only an imported power supply in it, I only had one!!!! there was a delay, or rather a problem - the cartridge picked up from the ground was buried in the chamber, and did not want to come back out, having driven it all the way in, using the “notorious” rammer, a shot was fired, after which everything started working again. It is worth noting that reliability is positively affected by an automatic system with a short piston stroke, in contrast to the same Stoner direct gas supply, however, having shot a lot of DI ARs at various courses and seminars, I will say this - this system works perfectly and reliably.
• The carbine is very accurate. I was regularly getting sub 1 MOA groups.
• my maximum firing range from this carbine was 500 meters, while hits on a 30 cm gong in a series of 10 shots were rarely less than 90%.

The front part of the carbine, you can see the DTK PVS, the Magpul front handle on the extended Geisel forend, as well as remote control buttons for the flashlight.
There are a lot of tuning options for the heckler, although not as accessible as on the AR15. The carbine was replaced/installed: DTK PWS; extended Geissele forend, as well as the same company’s Super Select trigger; multi-mode flashlight with IR illumination from Surefire with a remote button, as well as inclined auxiliary sights from the same company; from Magpul - pistol grip, front and rear swivels, stock, quick release button, front tilt grip, strap and trigger guard; shutter cocking handle from VSM; two-channel laser laser module with IPIM flashlight, 4X32 Trijicon ACOG combo RMR optics.

The back of the carabiner. The rather high aiming line at the collimator requires some getting used to, however, the versatility of the AKOGA forgives it many ergonomic problems.

Everything that has been done with this rifle is the fruit of many trials and errors. I still want to change something. What to change to, as well as why and why standard equipment was installed or replaced, as usual, in the comments to the photographs.

View of the carbine from the right side. A characteristic feature of the AR platform is the suspended barrel. The forend, along its entire length, is not attached anywhere to the barrel. The fuse is double-sided, which is extremely convenient, especially when frequently moving from one shoulder to the other.

View of the carbine with the sights, laser sights, flashlight, magazine and belt removed. Please note that the axis of the barrel and the butt tube are strictly on the same line - from a physics point of view, it is easier to absorb the recoil force and quickly return to the aiming line for a second shot. When shooting in a long burst, this feature becomes critical, especially for beginners.

Barrel markings. Unlike military rifles, civilian ones are equipped with heavy forged and black barrels. In fact, the lion's share of the weight is carried by the barrel. There is a great desire to order an army standard chrome-plated lightweight barrel. The loss in accuracy will be insignificant for the purposes of this carbine. View of the carabiner without attachments, only from the top and back. Oblique additional sighting devices are clearly visible. I’ll be honest, since I shot them, I haven’t used them anymore, because AKOG didn’t let me down…. and the carbine is flat... Very.

And this is what an incomplete disassembly of the carbine looks like. The extended Geisel forend is lighter than the standard one, the same can be said about the Magpul stock versus the standard HiK. Geisel is perhaps one of the best options today. Soon I will try a custom forend from Sureshot Armament Group on the 308 - it looks very promising. Disassembly order. The pin is pressed out, the upper is broken, we take out the bolt group with the charger and ALL... assembly in reverse order, install the bolt, fold the carbine, insert the pin. ALL. Usually at this moment, many of my comrades who have seen AR only in pictures, but are confident in the complex and instrumental disassembly of ARs, stand in thought for a long time...

Short stroke piston rod. I cleaned it three times... my personal opinion is that using a piston is much more convenient and practical than the Stoner system. There are many kits on the market today that allow you to turn a standard AR15 into a piston rifle. From this angle you can see the custom cocking handle and rammer. Here you can examine in detail the bolt group and the cocking handle from the VSM with an enlarged cocking key. I have NEVER disassembled the shutter itself. The cocking handle allows you to manipulate it in high-speed mode only with your left hand.

The rammer button... This is a special place where AK adherents are especially fascinated by the concept of the AR15. The main complaint is how the carbine should have been designed in order to come up with a button for “pushing” the cartridge into the chamber. If you look at the previous photo, the first thing that becomes clear is the fact that the cocking handle and the bolt itself are not rigidly connected to each other... and here comes the understanding that cases when the cartridge does not fully enter the chamber also happen on AKs, which can be treated by pressing the shutter handle, so this button performs this function... I myself only used it once, but I think in war conditions it will be in constant demand, ugh, ugh.

Bolt group. Everything is clear here, however, pay attention to the fact that it is practically devoid of asymmetry; its central axis and the axis of mass coincide. Remember this, because soon we will look at the AK bolt group... The chamber, there is little of interest here for the uninitiated, just to understand that everything is easily accessible and does not interfere with cleaning the weapon in the field. In the photo you can see the stock pipe and recoil buffer. There is a return spring inside. As you understand, after firing the bolt moves to the butt of the carbine. In addition to the function of returning the bolt and chambering the next round, a side effect is reduced recoil... For even more understanding: see the red dot on the buffer? so, the bullet’s nose is located exactly on the axis coinciding with this point…. Upper part of the lover. You can see the Magpul 3Z reset button, the striker and the Geisel trigger. The miracle of the USM is inside the lover, and there is absolutely no point in photographing it. The USM guard has also been replaced with an extended one from Magpul. The Magpul CTR stock is one of the best in the world. Additionally, a butt heel with increased recoil absorption capacity is installed.

Possessing low weight and excellent ergonomics, allowing you to adjust the length over a wide range, and, thanks to the locking key, it is practically free of the shat that is so annoying to shooters in telescopic stocks. Ergonomic Magpul MOE+ handle. I have tried many different types of handles, in the end I only use Magpul for everything...

This particular handle is distinguished by the rubberized material from which it is made. It is much more convenient to manipulate weapons than with ordinary plastic ones. Both with and without gloves. The cavity of the handle contains a sealed container for batteries. In general, additional storage compartments for various needs are pleasant in every sense, but they undoubtedly affect weight and balance. In this sense, the pistol round is the best place for this. In the photo you can see the Trijicon ACOG 4x32 combo RMR constant magnification optical sight with an additional collimator installed for close combat, as well as a laser targeting module. Before this sight, the carbine had two types of Aimpoint collimators - T1 and PRO, and EOTech was also installed for some time. After choosing for a long time between ELCAN and ACOG, the choice finally fell on the latter, in the combo version with a mini collimator. The main shooting was done with this sighting system, which is probably the best option at distances from 0 to 500 meters. The standard mounting bracket was replaced with the LaRue one used by the USMC.

ACOG, being a fixed X4 optics, uses a unique optics illumination system - during the day through optical fiber, at night radioactive tritium is used. There are no batteries, the element works for 25 years. I chose the chevron ballistic reticle, designed for .223 caliber. The optics allow you to confidently hit small targets at a distance of 500 m. I am sure that a tall target can be trained up to 800 m. You can safely hammer nails with the sight itself. Laser target designation module with red visible and IR range with an integrated flashlight. IPIM-000-A1 is the property of the US Marine Corps, in the event of a threat of falling into the hands of the enemy, destroy it... that’s exactly what it says on the user manual... Well, what can I say, the device has been repeatedly used in night shooting in combination with the PVS14 NVG proves a simple truth - without a night light, a soldier is an easy target at night. Allows you to confidently hit targets in complete darkness at distances from 0 to 200 meters, or suppress them at longer distances. Interesting in recreational and tactical shooting, absolutely useless in sports)))) DTK PVS. After spending many hours on foreign forums and reading a sea of ​​literature, I consciously came to the choice of this particular compensator. In addition to doing an excellent job of reducing recoil and muzzle flip, it also works great as a flame suppressor.

The multifunctional flashlight SUREFIRE M720V has modes: full power, medium, remote, strobe. Moreover, all the same modes can be used in IR night vision mode. Despite its light weight, the capabilities of this flashlight are amazing. I won’t write about lumens, but at night in the field, in maximum mode, I easily illuminated a car 400 meters away, and in night IR mode even further.

Having tried a bunch of front handles, both vertical and inclined, I came to the conclusion that, given the characteristics of the grip, this one is the most convenient. Magpul AFG2…. If picatinny is standardly present on the lower part of the forend, my choice is X src=»https://lastday.club/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Oruzhejnoe-IMHO.-CHast-1-AR-protiv-AK. -Obzor-i-tyuning-AR-15-na-primere-HK416-Last-Day-Club-18.jpg" class=»aligncenter» width=»800″ height=»600″[/img] Magazines from Magpul, E-MAG and P-MAG GEN2 are perfect for CC. It was they who finally convinced me that stores are consumable raw materials. They work great, practically do not need maintenance and you don’t feel sorry for them)))) You have to pay for everything... and the main payment, besides money))), is weight. A naked carbine weighs 4 kg, I think if the barrel is lightened, it can easily fit into 3.5 kg, however - optics, magazine, batteries in the handle, laser sight, flashlight, DTK, front handle, auxiliary sighting and 3Z reset handle bring the weight of the carbine to 5 .6 kg. Not critical, especially if I use the right belt. Magpul MS2 allows you to use it as a single-point, which is convenient for patrolling and direct shooting, and in a two-point version, which is convenient when carrying weapons for a long time.

You can also watch a video on shooting on my YOUTUBE channel

Alexander Ten

Unusual design

The AR-15 rifle (photo below) was made from ultra-light alloys. A special feature of the design was the presence of an “ear” for carrying weapons above the bolt mechanism. It also contained devices for aiming. The butt is located in line with the barrel.

In mid-1958, tests were carried out, during which errors were identified: low shooting accuracy, as well as frequent misfires.

As a result, it was decided to send the sample for revision, but to another design bureau - Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, which, in turn, completely took over the aforementioned Armalite Division in the future.

Description

The first Armalite AR-15 design was produced for the US Army. Development began in the late fifties of the last century, and a year later prototypes were sent for testing.

The first civilian models were released in the early sixties. The key difference from the army ones is that such variants are self-loading. The possibility of continuous shooting is excluded.

At first, AR-15 carbines and rifles were not in demand among buyers. The turning point came in the mid-1980s. At that time, the range of functional capabilities of product production expanded significantly. Any enterprise can manufacture it, since the American government bought the license. Now weapons are freely distributed.

The appearance is reminiscent of the M16 model. The caliber of the cartridges does not differ from military ones and is 5.56 millimeters. They are designed for lethal action at short and medium distances. Some are suitable for game hunting. The mass of bullets reaches 25 grams with an energy above 3000 kJ.

Design

Standard rifles based on the AR-15 are fully self-loading. The shot occurs when the trigger is pressed. The possibility of firing machine gun bursts has been eliminated.

The drive is equipped with a system for removing gases from the main channel into the bolt frame body. The gunpowder exits through a special tube into a box that is placed above the barrel. Due to this structure, carbon deposits gradually accumulate inside. As an alternative, it is better to use other models of AR-15 assault rifles with modifications.

The handle is located at the rear and allows you to remove the bolt. She is motionless when the shot is fired.

The AR-15 is a rifle with a two-piece barrel. Both halves consist of high-quality aluminum alloy coated with an impact-resistant polymer layer. They are arranged in such a way that they can be connected using pins. Most models have the same size parts.

The fittings are made of plastic. There are sliding and fixed stocks. There are many different items on the market: sights, laser pointers, grips.

Automatic rifles like AR-15 are equipped with sighting mechanisms that are manufactured to military standards. They include a front sight, rear sight, and a built-in handle for moving the weapon.

Performance characteristics

Features of a Traditional AR-15 Rifle:

• caliber - 7.62 millimeters;
• the length of the product body is 1040 mm;
• the weight of the structure, excluding cartridges, is 3.8 kilograms;
• number of cartridges in the magazine – up to 20;
• the bullet accelerates at a speed of 850 m/s;
• target reaching range – 600 meters;
• it is possible to fire an average of 700 shots in one minute.

Advantages of the weapon:

• design modifications to suit needs and budget;
• potential for accuracy;
• ergonomic body and handle;
• little return.

Vietnam

Thousands of AR-15 small-caliber rifles were purchased from Colt and exported to southern Vietnam in 1962. The purpose of the purchase was one: to test the new model in real combat conditions.

By the way, the same Eugene Stoner, who left the Armalite Division and went over to the Colts, worked on refining the weapon.

The results were quite disastrous. In combat conditions, the rifle behaved very finicky. Poorly selected gunpowder emitted too many gases during combustion. They, in turn, formed a mass of burning that accumulated inside, which led to the cartridges getting stuck in the chamber. They had to be removed using a cleaning rod. At the same time, the Vietnamese, armed with Kalash, did not experience such difficulties. And the AR-15 rifle, which periodically failed, led to a rupture of the barrel and deaths on the battlefield.

A Brief History of the AR-15 Rifle and Its Current Use

The AR-15 rifle was originally designed by Armalite for the US Army. The development of this weapon began in 1957 at the suggestion of the United States government, and in 1958 its first prototypes were submitted for testing. But due to a number of problems with the reliability and accuracy of Armalite, Fairchild Co sold s Manufacturing Co, Inc. in 1959. This designation can only be used by the Colt company; all other rifles and carbines developed and produced based on the AR-15 design in the West are called “AR-15 type” or “AR-15 style”, which means “rifle of AR-15 type” " or "AR-15 style rifle." Similar assault rifles (machine guns) Armalite AR-15 / Colt M16 are also called “AR-15/M16 type” or “M16 type”. However, they can either differ in the design of various units, or be almost identical. The manufacturer typically assigns such weapons a designation that is somehow similar to the AR-15 brand name, such as M&P15 and XPR15. In Russia, rifles of the AR-15 type are often called “AR-ka” or “M-ka”.

Self-loading rifle Colt AR-15 Sporter SP1, copying the design of the early XM16E1 assault rifle

In 1962, the US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) purchased 1000 AR-15 rifles from Colt, which were transferred to South Vietnam for testing in combat conditions. At first, AR-15 rifles were used there quite successfully, replacing the heavy and bulky M14 and completely outdated Thompson submachine guns. The following year, Colt delivered 85,000 rifles to the US Army under the designation XM16E1, and to the US Air Force - 19,000 units under the designation M16. At the same time, the M16 did not differ from the AR-15, and the XM16E1 received a bolt rammer. In 1964, the M16 rifle was adopted by the US Air Force; the XM16E1 was adopted by the Army as a limited standard weapon.

On February 28, 1967, the 5.56 mm XM16E1 assault rifle was officially adopted by the US Army under the designation "US Rifle M16A1 Caliber 5.56mm". The AR-15/M16 has had a rocky road in the military due to reliability issues. To load cartridges supplied to the armed forces, they began to use cheap gunpowder, which produced a large amount of soot that settled in the gas exhaust system, bolt group and receiver of the weapon. In addition, also in order to save money, they abandoned the chrome plating of the barrel bore and bolt group. The Colt company stated that the M16 rifle requires virtually no cleaning or maintenance. As a result, soldiers did not receive adequate training to care for these weapons. All these factors, combined with the humid climate of Vietnam, led to frequent delays in firing in combat conditions and significant losses to the American army in manpower. The situation was corrected by an investigation by a commission under the US Congress.

Colt AR-15A2 Match Target Heavy Barrel self-loading rifle, copying the M16A2 army assault rifle in appearance

M16 rifle diagram

From 1967 to 1970 the following measures are being taken: cheap gunpowder is replaced with a “clean” one; Weapon cleaning kits were urgently purchased; the barrel bore, chamber and bolt group began to be chrome-plated; The troops began to implement a program to train soldiers in the maintenance and care of M16 rifles with instructions in the form of colorful comics. As a result of eliminated operational errors in the army and improvements in design, in the early 1970s. The M16 rifle was already a completely reliable, with the proper level of care, and effective military weapon. Today, AR-15/M16-based rifles and carbines have a high degree of reliability, in addition to excellent accuracy, convenience, light weight and modularity. However, owners of AR-15 rifles should not forget about the need for regular cleaning and the use of only quality ammunition and magazines.

Colt first introduced AR-15/M16 rifles to the civilian weapons market in 1963. This weapon differed externally from the army M16 only in markings, and the main difference was the inability to fire in bursts. However, this rifle was not popular in the civilian arms market until the second half of the 1980s, when its new modification M16A2 was adopted by the US Army, which almost immediately began to be produced in a civilian version by both the Colt company and other weapons manufacturers. Over time, the range offered by manufacturers has steadily expanded and continues to expand at the present time. Moreover, any manufacturer can produce rifles of the AR-15/M16 type, due to the fact that the rights to the design of these weapons were purchased by the US government from the Colt company and are not protected by patents, unlike the trademark itself.

Colt Sporter 9mm Parabellum self-loading carbine

Barrett REC7 self-loading carbine in 6.8 Remington SPC caliber

The first civilian versions of the M16 rifles were practically no different from those supplied to the armed forces. These rifles had the same caliber 5.56x45 (.223 Remington). Then, in the 1980s. began to produce versions chambered for the small-caliber 5.6 mm .22LR rimfire cartridge. The use of this cartridge is permissible with the help of special adapters inserted into the magazine and chamber. Versions also appeared for pistol cartridges 9x19 (9mm Parabellum) and 11.43x23 (.45 ACP), which required not only adapters to magazines, but also replacement of the upper receiver. Currently, there are versions chambered for FN 5.7x28 and 7.62x25 TT cartridges.

Later, rifles of the AR-15/M16 type began to be produced chambered for the promising 6.8 Remington SPC (6.8x43) and 6.5 Grendel (6.5x38), old Soviet machine gun cartridges 7.62x39 and similar modern .300 AAC Blackout (7.62x25) and .300 Whisper (7.8x34), as well as many other, both more and less common cartridges. Versions chambered for the 7.62x51 rifle cartridge are also produced, which are actually the successors to the original AR-10 rifle designed by Eugene Stoner, developed in 1955 to participate in the competition for a new 7.62 mm caliber rifle of the US Army and replace the old M1 Garand, which became the prototype of the AR. -15. In addition to the most common intermediate and rifle cartridges, rifles like AR-15/M16 since the late 1990s - early 2000s. are produced for large-caliber cartridges designed specifically for use in these weapons.

These are .450 Bushmaster (11.4x43), .458 SOCOM (11.6x40), .499 LWR (12.5x44) and .50 Beowulf (12.7x42) cartridges. These cartridges have significant stopping power and bullet energy at short and medium shooting distances, which makes it possible to effectively use AR-15/M16 rifles in these calibers for hunting medium game and even some types of large game. The bullet weight of such cartridges ranges from 16 to 26 grams, and in some equipment options it is even greater. Muzzle energy is approximately from 3000 to 3700 J and even higher. Rifles and carbines of the AR-15 family also have a huge range of barrel lengths, which on average can range from 406 to 600 mm.

Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf self-loading carbine

Smith & Wesson M&P15 self-loading carbine, 5.56x45 caliber

In addition, the barrels can have a standard, lightweight and heavy match profile. The upper part of the receiver can be equipped with a variety of handguard designs, both with and without Picatinny rails. The lower part of the receiver can be equipped with various buttstocks - permanent non-adjustable ones, or a telescopic buttstock adjustable in length. Currently, there are many options for stocks for rifles and carbines of the AR-15 type, not only adjustable in length, but also with a height-adjustable cheekpiece, an adjustable butt plate, from various materials, lightweight and even with a built-in battery for electronic accessories.

Conclusions and improvements

After the unsuccessful experience of the Vietnam campaign, the designers reconsidered the operating conditions of the new type of weapon. The AR-15 rifle began to be produced with a chrome-plated outside surface of the barrel, which increased resistance to rust, a different type of gunpowder was chosen for the production of ammunition, and standard gun oilers were replaced with a specially selected viscous oil designed for aggressive environmental conditions. In particular, for fighting in the tropical climate of Vietnam.

Selecting an AR-15: Questions and Answers. Part II

(Ends. Beginning in the article “Selecting an AR-15: Questions and Answers. Part I

»)

In the last part, we discussed what rifles like AR-15 are made of and what features they have - the most popular long-barreled self-loading weapon in the USA and Western countries. In continuation, we’ll talk about the difficult problem of choice, solving occasionally arising problems, and also see what the Ukrainian arms market can offer to the domestic shooter.

Body kit

All elements of carbines and AR-15 rifles that are not their main parts are called the capacious word “body kit” in the shooting community. This includes the forend and its mounting system, pistol grip, trigger bracket, buttstock, as well as all kinds of accessories - additional handles, mounts for flashlights and laser designators, devices for fixing belts, etc. and so on.

Mechanical sights are usually spare, so they are made foldable, like the Magpul MBUS. Usually they can be used without removing the main collimator (Dong-In Optical IB-32) or optical sight

Most variants of the AR-15 are sold in a basic body kit similar to the military one for the M4 carbine: a conical plastic forend with a spring-loaded delta-shaped ring fastening system, an A2 type pistol grip with an interdigital protrusion, a carrying handle with a diopter rear sight in it, and a primitive standard telescopic buttstock. However, it is not for nothing that the AR-15 is called a LEGO set for grown-up boys, and therefore most owners of such weapons with interest and enthusiasm are engaged in experiments to select, in their opinion, the optimal body kit for carbines and rifles from third-party manufacturers.

And here there is already plenty to choose from! The variety and abundance of body kits and accessories for the AR-15 is truly amazing. What of all this is worth purchasing?

Firstly, to improve the accuracy and accuracy of shooting, many shooters replace the standard forend with a so-called cantilever one, in which the barrel of the weapon is suspended - that is, along the entire length from the receiver to the muzzle itself, it is no longer in contact with the forend. In this case, replacement or modification of the gas block is often required.

The standard forend for M4 carbines consists of two plastic halves (above). When replacing it with a long cantilever forend, it may be necessary to replace the gas block with the front sight

A cantilever handguard with Picatinny rails for attaching possible accessories is called a “rail” RIS handguard (Rail Integrated System), or a Quad Rail handguard (if it carries four long rails - top, bottom, right and left). The latest in fashion in this area are lightweight aluminum or carbon (carbon composite) handguards with the KeyMod system, which allows for quick installation of removable Picatinny rails of any size in exactly the places where they are needed for attaching accessories. Moreover, if the standard M16 and M4 forends are usually short and leave the gas block open (since it is made integral with the base of the front sight), then modern cantilever forend systems include options that reach almost to the very muzzle. This is convenient for holding a weapon with a sporting “long” grip - when the left hand holding the fore-end is almost fully extended and is used to quickly point the weapon at the target.

If the cantilever forend and suspended barrel are not priorities, you can replace the standard forend with an alternative one, also consisting of two halves. At the same time, the method of its installation and the configuration of the gas block remain unchanged, but the shooter gets the opportunity to install additional accessories on the forend.

A good addition to the long cantilever forend will be the front handle, which will make holding the weapon more comfortable. They come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes - from simple finger rests and angled handles to fairly long models with an integrated bipod, flashlight, laser pointer and other useful items.

Stock AR-15 stocks and pistol grips are not particularly comfortable, and most shooters first replace them with improved ones, such as those made by Magpul

Standard pistol grips also suit few people, and they are being replaced by alternatives of various shapes and materials. For example, rubberized models like Magpul MOE or analogues from CAA, FAB Defense, TAPCO are very comfortable. Some companies make prefabricated handles that can be configured to fit the anatomical features of your own palm. Most handles also make it possible to put their internal cavity to good use - for storing grease fittings, keys, batteries, spare parts and other small items.

Finally, the butts. More often than not, alternative models - such as the popular Magpul CTR - immediately eliminate the annoying play of basic stock models. Some stocks have additional internal cavities and are equipped with slots for a quick-release sling, while others can be equipped with adjustable cheek rests or spare magazine holders. There are also stocks for high-precision tasks - with adjustable cheek height and overall length (Magpul PRS), or even with a built-in rear monopod (CAA ARS). There are also ultra-compact options for short-range shooting - the so-called CQB models. In a word, choose - I don’t want to. We wrote about Magpul accessories in “World of Hobbies: Hunting and Weapons” No. 1/2014; we also recommend paying attention to FAB and CAA products.

Most shooters use red dot sights or optical sights as their primary sights for the AR-15. In both cases, it is necessary to monitor the height of their installation so as not to complicate the cocking of the carbine bolt. Most shooters also prefer to install the collimator in such a way that, if necessary, they can see through the iron sights (this is called co-witnessing). Among the popular collimators in our latitudes are the Swedish Aimpoint of the Micro and Comp lines, the British Shield SMS and CQS, as well as other models - for example, the Korean Dong In Optical IB-32, DT323. Sometimes collimators are used in conjunction with a folding 3x/4x magnifier to simplify targeted shooting at small targets at distances over 50 m.

Medium and high magnification optical sights will require a special forward mount for proper installation. The choice here is very rich, and if fans of practical and tactical shooting are most often satisfied with magnifications of 1-6x, then for high-precision models maximum values ​​of 10x, 16x, 20x and more are not uncommon. Special models of sights are also produced with ballistic reticles marked for the trajectory of an average .223 Rem/5.56 NATO cartridge at various distances. They can be effectively used for shooting at ranges up to 500 m at a chest target, and sometimes further.

Mechanical sights most often act as backup, so they try to make them foldable (Magpul MBUS), or install them at an angle of 45 degrees so as not to interfere with the optics. In this case, the carbine has to be tilted on its side, but shooters usually master this technique quite quickly. Underbarrel lights and laser designators also often accompany tactical weapons, and there are simply an endless number of systems and mounts for them available for the AR-15. But whether you need it or not and in what form is up to you to choose.

The Norinco CQ-A carbine (above) is usually purchased for further independent tuning. But there are also variants of the AR-15 with factory tuning - for example, the Bushmaster M4 MOE in a body kit from Magpul (below)

Solving common problems

Like any other weapon, AR-15 rifles have a number of common problems that the owner can try to diagnose and fix on their own. We will try to help with this.

Let's start with simple cases. Load the weapon (taking all necessary precautions), then remove the magazine and eject the cartridge from the chamber without firing. Examine the bullet carefully. If there are visible traces or damage on it that it received at the stage of chambering the cartridge, then you will have to pay attention to the feed ramps.

The cartridge feed ramps are part of a “toothed” part called the barrel extension and are installed on the breech of the barrel. It also has cutouts for the bolt lugs—the AR-15 has seven of them. There are two types of feed ramps: type M16 and type M4, and it is important that the type of upper receiver matches them exactly, otherwise a “step” will appear between the groove in the receiver and the ramp, which damages the cartridge and can lead to delays and distortions during feeding. The second option - barrel extension may not be well processed after milling, and steel burrs on the edges of the feed ramps may leave marks on the bullets. In both cases, grinding and polishing problem areas using a needle file, fine sandpaper or a miniature sander will help.

Now about all sorts of delays when shooting. As always, if a carbine won't fire, the first step is to remove the magazine - after which you should inspect the weapon to understand the reason for the delay.

It happens that after inserting a loaded magazine, the shot does not fire because the chamber remains empty - this happens as a result of the magazine being inserted insufficiently tightly. This is “treated” using the already mentioned military tap-rack-bang method: smack the bottom of the magazine with your palm so that it fits securely into place, re-cock the weapon and continue shooting. Also, in the future, try to install the magazine when the rifle is on the bolt stop - in this case, it will fall into place more easily. If problems persist, adjust the magazine release force. Double feed - when two cartridges try to pass from the magazine into the chamber at the same time - in 95% of cases it turns out to be a problem with a particular magazine. Try replacing the problematic magazine with a proven model - for example, the Magpul PMAG, beloved by all shooters. That being said, some rifles work better with second generation PMAG magazines, others prefer third generation - however, the vast majority of AR-15s still do not distinguish between generations of Magpul magazines, being equally satisfied with both varieties.

The DPMS AP4 (above) and Bushmaster M4A2 Patrolmans carbines look and are made very similar, the only differences being the forend. Both models are excellent examples of the quality and reliability of American AR-15 style weapons.

Non-reloading (short stroking) - this is when, with a known good magazine, the bolt ejects the spent cartridge case, but does not send a new cartridge into the chamber - usually occurs when there is not enough energy to fully reload the carbine. The bolt frame simply does not reach the calculated rear position, which is why the next cartridge from the magazine cannot get to the feed line, where it would be picked up by the bolt, driving it into the chamber. This can be caused by loose cartridges, loose pins and a misaligned gas block on the barrel, or (very rarely) increased gas tube clogging.

The reason may also be increased friction in the rifle mechanism: sand or dirt got between the bolt frame and the receiver or between the recoil buffer, its spring and the walls of the butt tube. At a minimum, you should completely rinse the rifle and re-lubricate it. If the problem persists in a clean state and the gas block and tube have been checked, you must ensure that the correct return spring and recoil buffer are used. This concludes the possible reasons.

Biting of the cartridge case by the bolt in the ejection window (stovepipe) can be caused by both an extractor problem and excess gas pressure in the system. At the same time, the rifle is reloaded so quickly that some cartridges simply do not have time to fly out the window, and the bolt “catches” them as it moves forward. To identify this problem, observe the ejection angle of the cartridges relative to the rifle when firing. During normal operation of the automation, they should fly sideways and slightly backward (in the sector from 15:00 to 16:30 on the clock dial). If the cartridges fly to the right and noticeably forward, there is excess pressure in the gas exhaust system (the so-called “overgas”), which is corrected by using a heavier buffer, a more powerful spring, or, ideally, by replacing the gas block with an adjustable one. If the cartridges fly too backward, this means that, on the contrary, there is not enough gas pressure. In a standard rifle with a right-sided extraction window, cartridges cannot fly to the left, unless they are reflected from some obstacle already at the shooting range.

If the problem in the operation of the rifle is that the cartridge case has not been ejected from the chamber, then most likely you have problems with the extractor. Check that the extractor tooth is not worn or licked; the pressure of the extractor spring must be so powerful that the extractor reliably clings to the edge of the sleeve and does not fly off it. If there is a spare extractor, its spring or bolt assembly, install them instead of the previous ones and check the operation of the weapon.

Finally, sometimes there is such a problem of non-ejection of the cartridge case (aka the “wedge” of the weapon), which is most unpleasant and dangerous for an AR-15 shooter. It was the jamming of cartridges in the chambers of M16 rifles that was the main reason for the increased losses of American soldiers in Vietnam. The “wedges” were then caused by the “dirty” gunpowder of the first batches of new cartridges, the non-chromed chambers of the first modifications of the M16, as well as the lack of means and instructions for cleaning the new rifle. Moreover, the soldiers were convinced that the new rifle was “self-cleaning” and that the M16 “doesn’t need to be cleaned at all.” However, much water has passed under the bridge since then, and now the official position of the US Armed Forces is formulated differently: “There is no such thing as a weapon too clean!” And all necessary measures were taken to eliminate such problems, so today this is already a rarity.

You can try to solve the problem of a cartridge case jamming in the field using the military method - hitting the weapon with the butt on the ground and at the same time trying to pull the bolt back using the cocking handle. Most often, this helps to throw out the cartridge case, after which you need to figure out the reasons for its jamming - usually it is an overly dirty chamber. It must be thoroughly cleaned and, if necessary, polished in a workshop.

It’s worse when the case is stuck so seriously that the extractor tore out part of its rim, but was unable to remove the case from the chamber. Now, to restore the weapon’s functionality, you will have to knock it out with a ramrod, which, unfortunately, is not a standard accessory for M16 rifles and M4 carbines in American troops. Civilians have much more freedom in this regard, so we recommend storing the cleaning rod directly in the weapon case. When knocking out a cartridge case, you should use a solid steel cleaning rod in a plastic braid so as not to damage the rifling, muzzle and bore. Just make sure first that you are dealing with a spent cartridge case, and not with an unfired cartridge! After the cartridge case is knocked out, you need to completely clean the weapon, paying special attention to the chamber and the cutouts for the bolt lugs. In some cases, if the chamber is not chrome-plated, additional polishing in a workshop helps. But the main thing is that you should definitely change the brand or at least the batch of cartridges used, since most often problems arise with budget cartridges with steel sleeves. For example, the varnish on the case body of such a cartridge can simply stick to the surface of the chamber, which is hot from intense shooting, and prevent it from being ejected after the shot. Also, jamming of the cartridge case is possible due to excess pressure of the powder gases - in case of exceeding the weight or erroneous use of gunpowder with a higher combustion rate. All of the problems described above occur with AR-15s only in isolated cases, and high-quality factory weapons simply should not have them. But the owner’s experiments in tuning and modifying it are a completely different matter. That being said, your results may vary. Be that as it may, we hope that our tips will help you effectively solve problems and eliminate their causes as soon as possible.

In the meantime, let's move on to the next part and see what interesting things the Ukrainian arms market can offer to those who want to join the community of AR-15 owners.

DPMS PCAR (below) and DPMS Oracle are the most affordable American self-loading carbines in .223 Rem and .308 Win calibers

The most popular models of the second generation of the AR-10 platform from DPMS: the G2 AP4 (above) and G2 Recon carbines look and feel like a regular AR-15, but are chambered for .308 caliber

Problem of choice

The entire variety of AR-15 models on our market can be divided into two groups: basic carbines a la the standard M4 and more advanced weapons, distinguished by improvements provided from the factory. In gun stores you can find both one and the other, and the difference in cost can reach 5 times. Let's look at these samples by manufacturer and try to understand their features.

The Colt Competition PRO CRP (above) is a complete, sport-tuned rifle for demanding shooters. For comparison - next to a typical AR-15 carbine in a basic body kit manufactured by DPMS

Norinco CQ-A

The Norinco CQ-A self-loading carbine is manufactured in the People's Republic of China by the China North Industries Corporation defense factory and is a copy of the M4A1 military carbine, adapted for civilian use. According to the owners, with all its budget, as well as the mass nature and geographical features of production, the Norinco CQ-A is a completely problem-free weapon. Its advantages include MilSpec receivers, a chrome-plated 14.5-inch barrel with a rifling pitch of 1:9″, a chrome-plated free chamber that provides the carbine with “omnivorousness,” ambidextrous control, and most importantly, a very affordable price. There are also disadvantages: weapon receivers are made of aluminum alloy 6060-T4 by casting and are characterized by low quality workmanship and finishing, as well as noticeable play. Standard “cut” metal magazines should also be immediately replaced with more reliable ones.

Most shooters purchase the Norinco CQ-A as a base for further modifications and tuning. In this case, the standard carbine body kit is usually immediately sent to the trash bin, and in its place, high-quality accessories from well-known manufacturers are purchased. After such a disguise, the modest “Chinese” is most often unrecognizable, and thanks to its reliable operation, these carbines can often be seen among athletes during training and practical shooting competitions.

The typical accuracy of this carbine when firing Mesko cartridges with a 55 grain FMJ bullet is about 3-4 MOA.

Bushmaster

Bushmaster is named after a large snake found in Central and South America, which is reflected in its logo. It is located in the USA, where it is known primarily as the largest manufacturer of civilian AR-15/M4. The main features of the company's rifles are forged MilSpec receivers made of high-strength alloy 7075-T6, chrome-plated barrels made of 4150 weapon steel with a rifling pitch of 1:9'' and chrome-plated 5.56 NATO chambers. The company uses MilSpec anodizing on receivers with Teflon pore filling to reduce friction, and all of its products are examples of high-quality, purely American-made weapons.

At the time of publication, two types of Bushmaster carbines were found in Ukrainian stores. The Bushmaster M4A2 Patrolmans XM15 is an almost complete analogue of the M4 military carbine, adapted for the civilian market. The main differences are a 16″ long barrel with a rifling pitch of 1:9″ and, of course, the absence of a firing mode in bursts or in series of three rounds. Otherwise, almost complete compliance with the army standard is achieved. This carbine is equipped with a standard forend with a heat shield, which made it possible to make it a little narrower - making it easier for people with small hands to hold the weapon.

The second model, the Bushmaster M4 MOE, is an example of a basic tuning of an M4 carbine, in which the standard body kit is replaced directly from the factory with an improved one made by Magpul. It features a Magpul MOE handguard with an optional Magpul MOE MVG vertical grip, a Magpul MOE pistol grip with accessory storage, a Magpul CTR telescoping stock and a Magpul MBUS folding rear sight in place of the carry handle, and a complete Magpul PMAG Gen.2 30-round magazine. This model is suitable for those shooters who would not like to spend money and time buying a weapon with a standard body kit, and then purchase and install a better one - here the lion's share of the tuning work has already been done at the Bushmaster factory. In both of the above models, Bushmaster uses a commercial style recoil buffer tube.

Bushmaster carbines rarely shoot below 2-3 MOA. It is also worth recalling that it is Bushmaster that produces the legendary ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle) rifle, which we wrote about in the magazine “World of Hobbies: Hunting and Weapons,” No. 5/2014. This futuristic rifle, developed jointly by Magpul, Bushmaster and Remington, is also available for purchase by Ukrainian shooters.

DPMS Panther Arms

The American company, whose logo looks like the grinning mouth of a panther, initially acted as a manufacturer of spare parts for the AR-15/M4, but quickly developed into assembling ready-made systems and developing its own modifications. In the new millennium, DPMS captured the attention of the shooting public with the release of the Panther LR-308 AR-10 style rifle in 7.62x51 caliber (.308 Winchester), which is available for sale in the Oracle modification and is the most affordable offering of a semi-automatic weapon in the .308 caliber. Over the past year, the company has distinguished itself by successfully developing this concept in the form of the DPMS GII platform, which was highly appreciated by shooters who prefer a more powerful caliber (for more details, see “World of Hobbies: Hunting and Weapons,” No. 6/2014). Of the new models in this series, we note the DPMS G2 Recon with a suspended 16-inch stainless steel match barrel and the DPMS G2 SASS - a high-precision self-loading system based on the G2 platform.

At the same time, DPMS has many varieties of AR-15 carbines in its arsenal, most of which have the same features as Bushmaster products: forged MilSpec 7075-T6 receivers with Teflon finish, chrome-plated barrels with a 1:9″ twist pitch, chrome plated chambers and bolt carrier cavities, carbine gas systems, commercial stock tubes.

The DPMS AP4 has become this manufacturer's most popular AR-15 model. It differs from the M4A1 military carbine with a barrel length of 16.5″ and a rifling pitch of 1:9″, as well as the absence of an automatic firing mode. The use of basic accessories leaves the owner plenty of scope for tuning and upgrading the weapon to suit his own tastes and needs.

The DPMS PCAR carbine has a shorter length and a thicker barrel profile: 11.5″ HBAR. To comply with US regulations, its short barrel was extended with a 5.5-inch flash suppressor, pinned and welded to the barrel. This makes it difficult to use alternative DTK or other muzzle devices. In all other respects, this model is almost identical to the DPMS AP4, with the exception of the price - the DPMS PCAR is much more affordable.

The DPMS and Bushmaster models clearly demonstrate how basic-level American MilSpec weapons differ from products from companies in other countries. Excellent workmanship and finishing, maximum compliance with military specifications (which ensures full compatibility with accessories for tuning and upgrades), excellent reliability - these are their main advantages.

The high-precision DPMS G2 SASS complex is a self-loading rifle in .308 caliber, a weapon for police special forces SWAT units

Colt Competition Rifles

We have already written about the extraordinary rifles produced by the oldest and most respected company on the American arms market - Colt Firearms - in the magazine "World of Hobbies: Hunting and Weapons", No. 6/2014. Colt Competition Rifles is a separate division of the Colt company specializing in the manufacture of sporting rifles.

Key components of the Colt Competition Pro rifles are optimized to increase accuracy, accuracy and speed of aimed fire. The manufacturer guarantees an accuracy of less than 1 MOA - and a test target confirming this is supplied with the rifle. The main advantages of Colt Competition Pro are:

• free-floating 416 stainless steel match barrel, air gauged;
• barrel length 16″, 18″ or 20″;
• 6 right-hand rifling, made by burnishing followed by polishing;
• rifling pitch 1:8”, optimal for bullets weighing from 50 to 80 grains;
• the chamber allows the use of .223 Rem and 5.56x45 NATO cartridges;
• Colt Triple-Port sporting muzzle brake;
• Colt Competition aluminum lightweight modular cantilever handguard;
• upper and lower receivers forged and selected in pairs with minimal tolerances (MilSpec, 7075-T6);
• Colt Competition Oversized Tactical Latch Cocking Handle;
• sports match two-stage trigger Geissele SSA-E with a trigger force of 1.5 kg;
• buttstock and enlarged trigger bracket from Magpul, Hogue pistol grip;
• the original automatic gas exhaust system designed by Eugene Stoner with direct gas exhaust (Direct Impingement) to ensure the highest potential accuracy;
• Colt Competition low-profile gas block, adjustable without the use of any additional tools;
• bolt and bolt carrier selected according to tolerances;
• rifle gas system to soften recoil and increase operational reliability;
• a heavy rifle recoil buffer and a full-size, comfortable-shooting Magpul rifle stock.

Colt Competition Pro rifles differ from the entry-level rifles discussed above in about the same degree that racing cars are superior to regular production cars. It is recommended to purchase such a weapon for shooters who are able to appreciate all the improvements provided by the manufacturer to achieve high sporting results, or for fans of truly high-precision shooting from .223 Remington caliber weapons.

North Eastern Arms NEA-15

North Eastern Arms is a Canadian company that produces AR-15 carbines for law enforcement and special forces in Canada. Civilian versions of weapons are equipped with barrels ranging from 7.5″ to 18″ in length. Characteristic features of the NEA-15 rifles are receivers milled from forgings of 6061-T6 alloy, barrels of various lengths with polygonal rifling and a “military” twist of 1:7″. The company uses proprietary aluminum cantilever forends with Picatinny rails and slots for quick-release sling attachment, as well as low-profile gas blocks. Moreover, NEA has a choice of weapon calibers - from the standard 5.56x45 to the specific .300 Blackout and even our dear 7.62x39! When using match cartridges, rifles are capable of achieving accuracy of about 1 MOA, with mass-produced ammunition of 2-3 MOA. It is worth noting that the accuracy shown by the NEA-15 in 7.62x39 caliber with the Mesko gross cartridge is almost impossible to obtain from Soviet-style weapons.

A feature of Canadian rifles is the replacement of the chrome-plated protective coating of the bore and chamber with the proprietary ARC+ technical process, which is a type of carbonitriding of steel. The same process is used for the bolt groups, and the inside of the receiver is coated with a friction-reducing layer. It is curious that the rifles use a bolt group of the M16 full auto type (but the trigger, of course, is “civilian”). The recoil buffer tube is MilSpec type. In short carbines it is pinned in order to comply with the requirements of Ukrainian legislation on the total length of firearms (at least 800 mm). Also, carbines with a barrel length of 10.5″ are equipped with unique muzzle attachments that reduce the acoustic shock from a shot for the shooter and at the same time supplement the overall length of the weapon to the required value.

The manufacturer claims to test weapons under high pressure, as well as special quality control of the manufacture of main parts using magnetic resonance flaw detection on equipment used in the aerospace industry. By the way, the roots of Northeastern Arms lie in this area. Overall, the NEA-15 is an outstanding member of the AR-15 family - and we will definitely return to examining the features of Canadian rifles in a future issue of the magazine.

Canadian North Eastern Arms NEA-15 carbines provide a choice of barrel lengths (from 10.5 inches, bottom) and calibers (from 5.56 NATO to 7.62x39)

Instead of a conclusion

We can continue our story about AR-15-type rifles and carbines for a long time. For example, we could include features from .308-caliber weapons such as AR-10-style systems or more advanced second-generation platforms from DPMS and Colt Competition. But the main thing in our business is to stop in time. As we warned from the very beginning, there is enough material here for a dissertation, but this is not part of our plans. So we hope that this short excursion into the world of the most popular American self-loading weapon will be useful to you, both when choosing and using a rifle. And weapons of this type will be discussed in detail more than once on the pages of our publication.

Taras Oleynik

TTX AR-15

In 1958, weapons began to be classified as civilian weapons in the United States. This is exactly the status that the AR-15 rifle received. The characteristics were as follows:

• weight varied from 2.27 to 3.9 kg depending on the number of cartridges in the magazine;
• the length of the product reached 991 mm;
• while the barrel length was 508 millimeters according to the standard;
• cartridge caliber 5.56 mm or .338 Specter according to NATO classification;
• the assault rifle's rate of fire varied from 700 to 950 rounds per minute;
• initial bullet speed - 975 m/s;
• the target range of the weapon is 400-600 meters.

False start with small caliber. History of the AR-15 System.

The 1960s saw the difficult birth of the American small-bore weapon system based on the .223-caliber AR-15 rifle. We present its development to the M16A1 model.

In 1953, NATO standardized a new cartridge from the United States, 7.62x51, and in 1957, the American military adopted the relatively heavy M14 rifle for service with this new cartridge. From the very beginning, neither the US Air Force nor the US Army special forces were happy with this decision. In their opinion, this weapon system was not suitable for their conditions of use. Therefore, the US Continental Army Command Infantry Board, back in 1955, organized research work on the Small Caliber Concept of a new Light Weight Rifle (LWR) with the following idealized basic requirements: maximum weight of 2.7 kg with a full magazine holding 20 rounds, .22 caliber cartridge with high bullet velocity, single and automatic fire firing modes, bullet impact on an unprotected living target (“soft target”) not lower, than the .30 Garand cartridge, penetrating a US Army steel helmet or standard body armor at a minimum firing range of 450 m.

Rifle from the USA AR-15 - first prototype 1956

Two companies competed for this LWR research: Fairchield Aircraft with its ArmeLite concept for the AR-10 rifle chambered in 7.62x51 caliber, and Winchester with a modified M1 carbine.

Experienced designer Eugene Stoner built a much lighter .222 AR-15 based on the AR-10, but still needed to develop a highly effective and well-functioning cartridge. In 1957, Eugene Stoner turned to Robert Hutton, a specialist at the US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, for technical support. The result was the new .222 Special, later the .223 Remington, with a full jacket bullet weighing 55 grains (3.56 g), a muzzle velocity of 990 m/s and a maximum gas pressure of 3560 bar.

AR-15, first prototype 1956 - left view.

Winchester, as part of its Light Weight Rifle work, proposed a modified M1 carbine with a .224 E2 caliber cartridge, the case dimensions of which were almost identical to the dimensions of the .223 Remington cartridge case, but it was equipped with a slightly lighter bullet weighing 52 grains (3.37 g), having a solid shell and a flat bottom.

The Army Combat Development Experimentation Center at Fort Ord, California, conducted comparative tests of these two LWR rifles with the M14 rifle under simulated combat conditions from late 1958 to March 1959. In terms of automatic operation reliability and operational reliability, the AR-15 model received significantly better ratings than Winchester weapons. Influential American military experts were satisfied with the concept of the weapon and cartridge of the AR-15 model, since it came quite close to the requirements (Small Caliber Concept).

Vietnam War: In 1962, South Vietnamese and American soldiers received the XM16E1.

Thanks to this, in the wake of a positive assessment of a new promising weapon for the US armed forces, in 1959, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturer Company received from Fairchield Aircraft the rights to manufacture, patent, sell the AR-15 model and a license fee of 4.5% for each weapon sold at a “very low price” of $75,000.

In 1959, the United States Air Force became an active and influential backer of the AR-15 weapon system. In September 1960, another demonstration took place at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in front of the Air Force Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Curtis E. LeMay. A resourceful Colt Industry distributor placed watermelons at 50, 100, and 150 yards, and LeMay personally shot at these unusual “soft targets,” which exploded quite spectacularly when hit.

Cross section of the cartridge (left) 5.56x45 (.223 Remington). AR-15, first prototype, with pre-production number on the magazine receiver (right).

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force was so delighted that in 1962 the US Air Force ordered 8,500 AR-15 rifles from Colt, which were delivered in 1963 for extensive military testing. To achieve this, Remington produced 8.5 million rounds of 55-grain jacketed bullets. Technical requirements prescribed the continued use of pyroxylin tubular powder IMR 4475 from DuPont. Ballistic performance met the Aberdeen Proving Ground requirements of 1957.

By this time, the US Department of Defense had authorized the purchase of 1,000 AR-15 rifles for military trials in Vietnam, which took place between February and July 1962 and were important for arming the short South Vietnamese soldiers in combat use. The overall result largely complied with the requirements of the new weapon concept under all conditions of combat use in terms of compactness, weapon operation, durability, target effectiveness and hit probability, and at the same time exceeded the properties of comparable weapons already adopted for service. In October of the same year, the army services responsible for Vietnam, as well as the Ministry of Defense, demanded that troops in Vietnam be equipped with new weapons systems. Secretary of Defense McNamara approved the decision.

American AR-15 Rifle Operating Manual.

Changes to AR-15 weapons

During numerous tests of the AR-15 model conducted in the early 1960s, the need for some permanent improvements to this weapon became apparent. The rifling pitch of 14 inches (355.6 mm) was too large, which caused large deflections of the bullet and, in turn, shooting accuracy turned out to be poor at ranges less than 100 m. On the other hand, due to the rapid onset of loss of stability in " soft targets" this "understabilized" bullet had the large wound effect that some experts desired. But supporters of optimal hit accuracy finally prevailed and the rifling pitch for all weapon models was reduced to 12 inches (305 mm).

Weapon defects appeared mainly when firing in continuous fire mode. Photo: Picture-Alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com

The bolt of the AR-15 rifle, when rolling, was prone to not being fully forward, so it did not lock and the next shot could not be fired. Therefore, a device for manually closing the bolt was attached to the weapon for the ground forces. In addition, the firing pin was made lighter to prevent accidental premature ignition of the cartridge primer when the bolt rolled. The rifles, which were made with these changes at the request of the US Army, received the model designation XM16E1 in 1963. From here, in 1967, the M16A1 model arose. However, the Air Force rejected the manual bolt release device as it was unnecessary, and the service finally changed the designation of the weapon from AR-15 to M16. For the ground forces and for the air force

On March 11, 1963, Secretary of Defense McNamara issued a directive to acquire only the new small-caliber weapon system for both branches beginning in fiscal year 1964. The planned budget was US$13.5 million for a total of 104,000 rifles, with 85,000 XM16E1s for the Army and 19,000 M16s for the Air Force. Since March 1964, large-scale production of both weapon models began.

Compared to the AR-15 model (photo 3), the cocking handle of the M16A1 rifle has been moved. In addition, a device for manually closing the bolt has been introduced.

Since 1966, due to the Vietnam War, the number of rifles produced has increased sharply, while Colt increased their production to 25,000 weapons per month.

In 1967, the US Department of Defense renamed the XM16E1 rifle to M16A1, which from that time began to be manufactured as a single model for all branches of the US armed forces. In 1968, GM Hydramatic Division, as well as Harrington & Richardson, received so-called alternative (Second-Sours is the second manufacturer) orders for the production of M16A1 rifles. In total, from 1961 to the end of 1968, the enterprises produced more than 1.1 million M16 rifles, respectively, models XM16E1 / M16A1. Performance Issues and Powder Selection

The first technical data package (Technical Data Package) for the 5.56 mm cartridge prescribed the use of extruded nitrocellulose tubular powder NC IMR (Improved Military Rifle Tubular Propellant) 4475 from DuPont, providing an initial bullet speed of 990 m/s with a maximum gas pressure of 3560 bar. In 1963, Remington began producing the M193 Ball cartridge with this powder. Already in January 1964 it could be stated that the required initial speed (V0) can often only be achieved with overpressure. Based on this, DuPont stopped producing this type of gunpowder and began intensive work on its modification, since the US defense budget for 1964 already planned for the production of 150 million cartridges.

M16A1 rifle in a section with the presented barrel bore profile.

Finally, DuPont introduced pyroxylin powder (NC) with an armored grain surface under the designation CR 8136. Hercules supplied nitroglycerin powder with similar grain sizes, but it also created too high a pressure. At the beginning of 1964, for comparison with the new CR 8136 gunpowder, Winchester Olin nitroglycerin rolled spherical gunpowder WC 846, which was already loaded with 7.62x51 cartridges, was tested. Both received approval, but in relation to spherical gunpowder, unfortunately, it was reckless.

As a result, mass production of M193 cartridges with new gunpowders of both types began. Remington chose DuPont CR 8136 gunpowder, Winchester-Western and Federal loaded cartridges with WC 846 spherical powder. But at the end of 1964, DuPont again had to stop making new gunpowder due to too much pressure deviation. After this, DuPont developed pyroxylin powder IMR 8208M, which satisfied all ballistic requirements. But for unnamed reasons, and to this day it is used only for the M196 cartridge with a tracer bullet, which is completely incomprehensible.

M16A1 rifle (1967) with a device for manually closing the bolt, which was first introduced in 1963 for the XM16E1 model.

Beginning in 1965, at the outbreak of the Vietnam War, the government transferred ammunition production to the state-owned Lake City and Twin Cities ammunition factories. However, both companies loaded M193 Ball cartridges in very large quantities with unsuitable WC 846 spherical powder. In September 1965, Colt first made complaints about the high rates of fire when firing M193 cartridges that were loaded with WC 846 spherical powder, and pointed out that that the strength of the shutter parts may be affected. In addition, due to the increased pressure in the gas exhaust system, gas with a large number of incompletely burned powder particles began to flow into the receiver and bolt of the weapon. Since almost all cartridges were produced with the criticized spherical powder, Colt was subsequently forced to conduct acceptance tests on weapons of the M16 and M16A1 models with ideal “working cartridges that reduce the rate of fire”, which were equipped with IMR 4475 gunpowder, for which they then had to pay.

Another study

From 1965 to 1966, the Development and Proof Services (D&PS) conducted SAWS research work to evaluate small arms adopted for service. The functioning of the mechanisms, ergonomics and strength of components and parts were checked. The XM16E1 rifle with M193 Ball and M196 Tracer cartridges took part in these research works. Both ammunition was filled with WC 846 propellant.

During SAWS tests using spherical powder cartridges, experts obtained an extremely high rate of fire - even above 1000 rounds per minute. The maximum allowed value was 850 rounds per minute. The number of failures during operation (the bolt delay after the last shot does not lock the bolt) reached a high value of 11.5%. In January 1966, Colt offered a new buffer with increased mass and from different materials. However, this important improvement was only realized after an extensive reliability test, which took place eleven months later in December 1966. Due to this, the shutter speed and therefore the rate of fire were reduced, which also significantly reduced the frequency of lags. rude awakening

Along with the massive use of the M16 rifle in Vietnam, starting in 1966, by the end of the year, complaints about serious problems with its functioning began to accumulate. More often they appeared in automatic firing mode. The M193 cartridges used were 90% loaded with unsuitable nitroglycerin spherical powder WC 846. Due to many complaints, in October 1966, the US Army ordered the establishment of a technical support service to eliminate the problems encountered by troops in Vietnam. It was to be carried out by the US Army Weapons Command and Colt, which determined that most of the delays were caused by extremely heavy contamination of the weapons. This was due to insufficient training of soldiers, inadequate care and the use of inappropriate lubricants. Many types of weapons had a corroded chamber, which is why the cartridges were often not removed, which also extremely increased the wear of the ejector and its spring. What was particularly critical was not the removal of the cartridge case after the shot; they were jammed in the chamber, and they could only be knocked out from the muzzle using a cleaning rod. But in battle, the shooter did not have such a ramrod at his disposal, the weapon became unusable, and the soldier found himself defenseless against the enemy. Congressional Investigation and Ichord Report

In early 1967, the flow of complaints from Vietnam about the M16 rifle increased so much that the US Congressional Armed Services Commission in May 1967 was forced to launch an investigative commission on the M16 rifle, chaired by Richard H. Ichord.

Bullet of the M193 cartridge with a solid jacket weighing 3.55 g in cross section and the behavior of the bullet in a ballistic gelatin block (six consecutive frames from video): video camera with a shooting speed of 15,000 frames per second, barrel for testing cartridges 510 mm long with a rifling pitch of 305 mm, firing range 100 m, bullet speed at the target 855 m/s, gelatin block dimensions 15x15x35 cm, bullet penetration time 0.5 s.

In Ichord's report, the commission members, first of all, noted that the cartridges were not removed. A significant reduction in the force of removing the cartridge case could be achieved by changing the design of the chamber, which received a conical shape and chrome plating. Also, cartridges with reduced rigidity led to jamming in the chamber. But detailed technical specifications for the manufacture of the cartridge case, taking into account metallurgical restrictions and requirements for the rigidity and strength of the cartridge case, were developed for ammunition manufacturers only in 1967.

Cartridge characteristics and ballistic data

In addition, it was found that longer tracer bullets often broke up before the muzzle, due to the swelling of the tail of the bullet due to the high muzzle pressure of the WC 846 powder. Since 1967, only modified NC IMR powder was allowed for tracer cartridges. 8208M from DuPont. However, the problem of contamination of weapons remained relevant. To solve this problem, effective lubricants were purchased, shorter cleaning cycles were prescribed, and measures were taken to improve the training of soldiers.

Delays in dispensing cartridges were more often due to defects in the magazines, so it was ordered that the magazine be modified. Defective primers led to misfires or premature ignition. But it was only in 1963, or even more likely by 1967, that technical specifications for cartridge components were developed. M16 Expert Group

Ichord's final report contained many questions and proposals aimed at eliminating the unsatisfactory situation. Therefore, in 1968, the Office of the Director of Weapons Systems created a group of experts on the M16 rifle (M16 Rifle Review Panel), which provided the US Army Chief of Staff with a detailed and very critical report on the general problems of the M16 rifles. The expert group's report blamed technical departments for failing to carry out engineering design work on ammunition and weapons. This was necessary to do in order to understand in detail the features of the new small-caliber system, identify the need for effective measures to solve the detected problems, and later provide them with statistical processing. Instead, only empirical tests were carried out, after which changes were immediately introduced into the design that were not technically justified. In particular, the report criticized the fact that no research was carried out on the kinematics of the weapon or shooting with a high-speed movie camera, no intra-ballistic studies were undertaken, or testing of cartridges in tropical conditions.

American soldiers during the Vietnam War complained about weapon failures. Photo: Picture-Alliance / ZUMAPRESS.com

Results of the report

The technical condition achieved since 1967 of the M16A1 model with a new buffer system and a chrome-plated chamber was satisfactory if the weapon, magazine and cartridges were clean and the main parts were well lubricated. Since 1970, the M193 cartridge began to be equipped with improved WC 844 spherical powder from Olin Winchester. After a ten-year maturation phase, the M16A1 model with M193-Ball and M196-Tracer cartridges finally received the technical condition that can be called “suitable for use in the military.” Juergen Knappworst Translation by Nikolai Ezhov

XM16E1, or the rebirth of the M-16

Further, there were all sorts of changes in the US arms industry from 1963 to 1967. At first, Colt received an order for a large batch of M-16s and a small batch of XM16E1s, then the XMs were abandoned, passing them through technical documentation as a means to fill the gaps between models that had been withdrawn from service and new ones that had not yet been accepted.

Technically, the XM16E1 included positive features from both the M-16 and AR-15. As a result, in 1967 this model of rifle was put into service, but under the marking M16A1 with a 5.56 caliber cartridge.

In addition, weapons based on the Eugene Stoner model began to be mass-produced around the world under different names. In fact, they are all clones of the AR-15.

History of the AR-15

The history of the AR-15 began at the ArmaLite design bureau, a subsidiary of aviation giants Fairchild and Lockheed. As the company's general designer, Eugene Stoner, a self-taught inventor, developed the AR-10 rifle chambered for 7.62x51mm. In 1956, its adaptation to 5.56x45mm was called AR-15. The rifle, developed for the needs of the army, had an excellent set of qualities - an intermediate cartridge that ensures light weight of both the weapon and the ammunition, a well-thought-out layout that reduces recoil, and many other features that later allowed the model to become the fourth most popular in history. But more about them a little later.

AR-15 rifle today

At the moment, the AR-15 is more likely not an assault rifle, but a platform - a general style of weapon that fits hundreds, if not thousands of different models for all sorts of needs and ideas. The only similar platform is the AK; no other models fit the definition. This idea is due not only to the popularity of the rifle, but also to its aforementioned layout. All connections of the rifle parts are detachable, which allows you to change the barrel - and, therefore, the caliber - to the desired one, unlike, for example, an AK, where the barrel is tightly pressed into the receiver. In an AR, the receiver, if it can still be called that, is divided into two parts, the literal translation of which is the lower and upper receivers. Many, without bothering with translation, call them lower and upper, respectively.

The lower half of the receiver includes:

• store shaft,
• magazine release and slide stop buttons,
• trigger mechanism with safety switch,
• fastening the recoil buffer, butt and handle.

Top half design:

The upper half is the main mount for all other parts of the weapon - sighting devices are attached to it, the bolt runs along its guides, and most importantly, it contains the barrel with the chamber. Since the halves are fastened together by two pins, the rifle's layout has an obvious advantage - modularity.

This does not mean that by replacing two spare parts it is possible to turn a submachine gun into a large-caliber rifle. However, it is precisely this feature, which successfully coincides with US weapons legislation, that has allowed the AR system to achieve such popularity.

Rifle "Hammer". Russia

Domestic hunting enthusiasts have long preferred to use Western models for their hobby rather than Saiga-type carbines. They are based on the AR-15 rifle. Russia produces carbines called "Vepr-15", which are also called "Molot" in honor of the manufacturing plant in Vyatka.

The weapon has gained popularity due to its low cost compared to competitor models. However, thanks to the design, similar to the AR-15, it is possible to install an additional body kit.

Domestic designers do not disclose details of the ratio of foreign parts in the Vepr to domestic ones, but it is known that the barrel is chrome-plated, as originally installed. On the one hand, this is good, on the other hand, it’s not very good, since it is problematic to replace such a part.

The model also won the sympathy of hunters due to its more optimal balance and weight compared to models based on the Kalashnikov assault rifle. And the world market is simply overflowing with samples of weapon body kits based on the AR-15.

AR-15 in Russia

Currently, countless people and companies are developing and releasing something new for an easily upgradeable platform. Such a popular rifle reached Russia, slightly displacing the generally accepted AK platform, especially in sports. Due to the relatively low prevalence compared to civilian AK variants, almost all representatives of the system available on the market are noticeably more expensive than domestic competitors, and the notorious modularity runs into expensive components and difficulties with domestic legislation.

Advantages of the machine

Modularity is not the only advantage of the rifle. Two more advantages of the layout deserve special mention.

1. The first is successful ergonomics, ideal for sports shooting - the mentioned fire safety switch is controlled by the hand resting on the handle, and the magazine shaft with right-hand release simplifies all manipulations with the weapon.
2. The second plus is the automation system. The system for removing gases from the barrel through a thin channel without a piston allows the installation of thin forends, which also has a positive effect on ergonomics. The design delay of the shutter in the rear position after firing the last cartridge in the magazine serves both as an indicator of the end of ammunition and as an acceleration of reloading. And most importantly, the barrel and the recoil buffer are on the same line, and the recoil buffer, in turn, is in the butt. This layout of the weapon makes it much more comfortable to perceive the recoil of both intermediate calibers and rifles - of course, the idea of ​​the AR-10 did not die, but picked up some of the popularity of the AR-15.

Flaws

However, there is also another side to the coin. The aforementioned recoil buffer completely kills the ability to fold the stock - or at least fold it while still being able to fire. The store shaft has a dubious reputation for working in mud. The scheme for venting gases into the receiver increases contamination of the bolt, which itself has a strange shape - seven small lugs that lock the bolt, instead of two large and durable ones, like the AK - the very idea of ​​​​such lugs, by the way, was borrowed by Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov from John Garand, whose work I was impressed with. Consequently, the bolt is made of stronger alloys, which increases the cost of manufacturing the rifle.

There are many similar design features and nuances - the cocking handle, for example, is surprisingly poorly located in comparison with other controls, and according to the requirements of the US Armed Forces, it even required the introduction of an additional element - a lever, which allows you to forcefully push the cartridge forward. It is required because the standard cocking handle is disconnected from the bolt - during shooting it remains in its place, regardless of the movement of the bolt. The meaning of such an action - instead of chambering a new cartridge, try to shoot the one that has already issued a delay - is not clear to many people, including, in fact, the US Armed Forces.

conclusions

However, most of these nuances complicate the use of the rifle for military purposes, and not for sporting or recreational purposes. In practical shooting, the possibility of shooting with a folded butt is not used in any way, the weapon is cleaned often and, as a rule, does not lie in the dirt, the cocking handle is used without problems, and the bolt stop, as well as the low weight of the weapon, is highly demanded. Due to this coincidence of purposes and features of the rifle, it is not surprising that its variants for pistol and intermediate, and to a lesser extent, rifle cartridges have firmly occupied the niche of the premium class of sporting weapons.

The Custom Guns online store has everything you need to customize your AR-15 rifle.

AR-15 "Schmeisser" rifle. Germany.

Many people associate the term “Schmeisser” with the MP-40 submachine gun from World War II. But this weapon has its own history and its own design subtleties.

However, weapons innovator Hugo Schmeisser has earned the title of one of the most ingenious weapons designers of the 20th century. The company that bears his name produces semi-automatic rifles labeled AR-15 for sporting purposes as well as for hunting.

The company is famous for the fact that all components are produced exclusively in Germany, which guarantees the renowned German quality of products. And our own quality assessment system facilitates rapid interaction with a potential buyer.

Options [edit]

The standard XM-15 has an upper and lower receiver made from forged 7075T6 aircraft grade aluminum. XM-15 firearm barrels have a heavy profile and are constructed from either 4150 hard chrome alloy steel or 416 stainless steel. [2] [4] In Bushmaster's 2016 sales brochure, all new XM-15s come with a 4150 steel barrel. [5] The standard barrel is rifled 1 turn per 9 inches [3].

• E2S Series: The basic E2S model is equipped with a 16-inch carbine-style barrel. The E2S Target [6] is a 20" heavy barrel rifle with an A2 stock and top carry handle, also available in 24" and 26" barrels.
• E2S Shorty [7] - 16-inch version with a “short” handguard. [6]
• E2S Shorty AK [7] - A variant of the Shorty with a 14.5-inch SBR carbine barrel and an AK-74 style muzzle brake permanently welded to the end to increase the overall length to 16 inches.
• The E2S Dissipator [7] is a variant with the 16-inch Dissipator barrel developed by Bushmaster. This sets the dummy gas block with the front sight at the 20" position, while the real gas block is in the carbine position and hidden under the rifle's 12" handguard.

• QRC Series: Formerly known as the ORC ("Opticized Carbine"), but now stylized as the QRC ("Optic Response Carbine"), is a flat-top rifle without a scope equipped with a simple 1x20 red dot optic. The QRC measures 5.56x45mm with a 1:8 Melonite coated barrel, M16 bolt carrier, and mil-spec buffer tube.

• Patrolman Series: [6] - “pistol” version with a 7-inch or 10.5-inch barrel with a free-floating forend and without a stock. Also available in both military and LE select-fire versions.

• Bushmaster M4 Carbine

Main article: Bushmaster M4-type carbine

• Carbon 15

Main article: Carbon 15

Heckler & Koch

Another arms company in Germany, whose products are based on the AR-15 rifle. The model is marked HK416. The name reflects the transitional principle of compatibility with NATO standards such as M-16 and M-14. The assault rifle is similar to the AR-15 only in appearance. Functionally, it is closer to German models like G36.

The undoubted advantages of the product are:

• Versatility: there are many options for attaching the body kit, which allows you to adapt the weapon to any combat conditions.
• High shooting accuracy, as well as accuracy - thanks to these indicators, it can be used as a sniper rifle, the main thing is to install an optical sight.
• Soft recoil - thanks to the design of the stock, borrowed from the M-16, there is a comfortable grip that allows the weapon to sit comfortably in the hand.
• High resistance to corrosion.

Flaws:

• the rifle has an excessive rate of fire (850 rounds per minute), because of this the ammunition runs out very quickly (which forces the soldier to carry a large supply of it), it quickly overheats, and it is difficult to fire in bursts - the barrel is pulled to the side (especially with short-barreled models).

Design and operation of rifles of the AR-15/M16 family

AR-15/M16 rifles have an automatic system designed by Eugene Stoner, which works according to the scheme of removing part of the powder gases from the barrel bore into the receiver, through a hole in the barrel wall through a gas tube. During a shot, part of the powder gases is diverted from the barrel through a transverse hole into the gas block, which in most cases is also the base of the front sight. Next, the powder gases enter the gas outlet tube, made of stainless steel, which is located above the barrel. This tube goes directly into the receiver. In the receiver itself, the back of the gas tube fits into a nozzle located at the top of the bolt frame. From the gas outlet tube, powder gases pass through the channel of the nozzle into the internal cavity of the bolt frame. Powder gases expand inside this cavity and push the bolt frame back, but the bolt is pressed against the breech of the barrel, thereby somewhat weakening the load on the lugs, with the help of which the bolt engages with the breech of the barrel and locks its channel.

As the bolt carrier moves rearward, the interaction of its spiral groove with the cross pin rotates the bolt. When the bolt rotates, its lugs disengage with the barrel breech. Next, the bolt together with the bolt frame moves back, during the movement the spent cartridge is removed from the chamber and thrown out through the window in the receiver. At this time, the hammer is cocked and the return spring is compressed. After the bolt group reaches the rearmost position, if there are still cartridges in the magazine, under the action of the return spring it goes back forward, in the process sending the next cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. Closer to the extreme forward position, the bolt frame rotates the bolt, locking the barrel bore and stops in the extreme forward position until the next shot. Since the barrel bore is locked behind its breech, the receiver is not subject to loads during shooting and is therefore made of a light alloy based on aluminum that is less durable than steel, but has a lower mass.

The first rifles of the AR-15/M16 family and many modern variants have a black plastic forend, stock and pistol grip, which is why this weapon received the nickname “Black rifle” in the United States. However, today in the civilian arms market there is a wide selection of accessories for AR-15 type rifles with a huge number of options in size, configuration and color, which can be camouflage, dark green or sand. An aluminum forend with one, two, three or four Mil-Std 1913 Picatinny rails is becoming increasingly popular. Using these guides, a variety of accessories can be attached to the forend - tactical flashlights, bipods, front hold handles , laser target designators, various sights. There are two main types of stock - a permanent non-adjustable stock and a telescopic stock that is adjustable in length. Rifles with long barrels are mostly equipped with non-adjustable stocks, while carbines are equipped with adjustable stocks. The stocks themselves are also produced in a wide range of different designs.

The cocking handle has a T-shaped cross-section and is located in the rear of the receiver, above the butt. During firing, the cocking handle remains motionless. On the right side of the receiver there is a bolt rammer (forward assist), designed to manually close it if the force of the return spring is insufficient. The window for ejecting spent cartridges is closed by a spring-loaded dust curtain, which opens automatically when the shutter is cocked. Civilian versions of AR-15-style rifles are self-loading small arms that can only fire single shots and do not have the ability to fire in bursts.

A set of PWS upper receivers with gas piston gas systems for installation on any standard AR-15 rifle or carbine lower receiver.

A number of gun manufacturers now offer AR-15/M16 family rifles and carbines and separately sold upper receivers with a gas piston instead of a gas tube. This solution eliminates the most well-known drawback of the AR-15 family, which is the accumulation of carbon deposits in the bolt group and receiver due to direct gas exhaust when firing cheap, low-quality cartridges. The piston can have both a long and short stroke, and is located inside the forend above the barrel. When fired, the piston pushes the bolt frame back, acting on it with the help of a long rod. These designs are advertised by manufacturers as improved versions of the AR-15, which have significantly greater operational reliability, and in addition require less effort to clean and heat up less when firing. But there is a downside to this solution, which is that when using some conversion kits that have bolt carriers of the usual standard AR-15 family, increased loads begin to affect the receiver due to asymmetrical forces applied to the bolt carrier, and the tendency the bolt group to misalignment, which leads to accelerated wear of the receiver. The solution to this problem is the comprehensive use of components for converting a standard rifle into a “piston” rifle, for example, purchasing the upper part of the receiver complete with barrel, gas outlet assembly with gas piston and bolt group.

The trigger mechanism (trigger mechanism) of serial rifles of the AR-15 type is hammer-type, has a release without warning. Currently on the market there are match triggers for high-precision shooting, which have a trigger with warning and adjustment of its stroke and force. The manually operated safety lever is located on the left side of the lower part of the receiver. The safety positions are indicated as Fire (fire) and Safe (safety) - the safety is on. AR-15/M16 style rifles can be equipped with ambidextrous safety levers.

The receiver of rifles and carbines of the AR-15/M16 family consists of an upper and lower part, which in English-speaking countries are called “upper receiver” and “lower receiver”, respectively, and in Russian-speaking countries - “upper receiver” (“upper” or “upper receiver” ") and "lower receiver" ("lover" or "lower receiver"). In original AR-15 style rifles, these parts are forged from 7075-T6 lightweight aluminum alloy and then machined and anodized. There are also receivers made from aluminum billets on computer numerical control (CNC) machines, and those made from plastic. The upper and lower receivers are connected using two transverse steel pins located at the rear and front of the lower receiver. When disassembling the weapon, these pins remain in the receiver to eliminate the risk of their loss. Almost all of the currently produced upper and lower receiver parts of AR-15 type rifles, for the purpose of unification, have standard mounting dimensions, due to which they are interchangeable within the whole family of rifles and carbines of this type. The upper part of the receiver contains the barrel, bolt group, cocking handle, and also contains the front sight and rear sight base mount. The lower part of the receiver combines the magazine receiver, the trigger mechanism with a safety lock, the anti-rebound buffer tube mount, the bolt stop assembly, the stock, the pistol grip fire control and the trigger guard.

Rifle Knights SR-M110 SASS

Most manufacturers of quality AR-15 rifles make barrels with a chrome-plated chamber and bore, but high-precision rifles for long-range shooting may have non-chrome-bore barrels made from stainless or regular steel, which have relatively shorter service life but greater accuracy shooting. In the AR-15 family of weapons, the barrel is attached to the upper part of the receiver using a threaded coupling. The design allows you to relatively quickly and easily replace the barrel yourself, with little skill and the availability of the necessary tools. This allows the owner to convert his rifle for specific tasks by installing, for example, a heavy match barrel, a short barrel, or a barrel with a different pitch and rifling profile.

AR-15 type rifles are fed with ammunition from detachable, double-stack box magazines. Early magazines from the Vietnam War were straight and held 20 rounds, but for greater reliability in difficult operating conditions it was recommended to be loaded with no more than 18 rounds. Later, by 1970, they began to produce elongated and curved magazines with a capacity of 30 rounds, however, it was recommended to equip these magazines with 28 rounds. Currently, the civilian weapons market offers magazines for rifles and carbines of the AR-15/M16 type with a capacity of 5 to 150 rounds. The most popular are 30-round magazines. Modern stores are made of impact-resistant plastic, but are also available in steel and light alloy based on aluminum. Plastic and steel body magazines are the most preferred, but in any case, only high-quality magazines must be used with rifles of the AR-15/M16 family for the smooth functioning of the weapon. On the right side of the lower part of the receiver, behind the magazine receiver, is a push-button magazine release. As with the safety, there are options on the market with magazine release buttons on both sides of the receiver. When you press the latch button, the magazine falls down from the receiver magazine receiver under its own weight. Free-falling of the magazine speeds up the reloading of the weapon in combat conditions, but using this method during training shooting is unacceptable, since the magazine may receive damage that will cause delays in shooting.

Civilian versions of the AR-15/M16 family rifles are equipped as standard with mechanical sighting devices identical to the M16A1 or M16A2 military automatic assault rifles. The front sight is attached to the base, which is a gas block. The rear sight is reversible, diopter, installed inside the carrying handle, which in the basic versions is integral with the body of the upper part of the receiver. But by the beginning of the 2000s. such carrying handles were practically forced out of the market by receivers with the so-called flat top “flat top upper receiver”, on the upper edges of which there is a Picatinny rail, with which the owner can attach a variety of types of sights and other accessories to the weapon based on his own requirements and tasks. Collimator sights (for example, Aimpoint or EOTech), various optical sights (including low magnification sights, such as Trijicon or ACOG) and night sights, laser rangefinders and target designators, or their combined assemblies can be attached to such an “upper.” In addition to Picatinny rails on the receiver, AR-15 style rifles can be equipped with the same standard rails located on the gas block instead of the front sight. Using guides on the "upper receiver" and on the forend or on the gas block, detachable iron sights can be attached to the weapon, which can be folding. They can be replaced with a collimator or optical sight in a very short period of time. A carrying handle of the M16A2 type can also be installed on the “upper” guides.

"Orsis"

Another domestic model of weapon, which is based on the Western AR-15, is the ORSIS AS-15 self-loading hunting carbine.

First of all, it is worth noting that initially Y. Stoner himself did not pay due attention to the removal of gases. They were thrown out only through a hole in the barrel. Such measures led to the formation of powder smoke and jamming of the cartridge case in the chamber.

Therefore, many companies that decide to clone the AR-15 produce products with a gas piston, due to the fact that this method of removing powder gases is more reliable and cost-effective.

Moskovskaya developed this carbine on the same basis, using the 5.56 caliber. It is noteworthy that the barrel of the weapon is manufactured by the company itself, and is not supplied from abroad.

In addition, the barrel is threaded in increments of 203 millimeters, which allows the use of weighted bullets. The design provides for the use of a telescopic stock, standard by modern standards, to allow the weapon to be adjusted based on the hunter’s build.

The length of the weapon is 870 mm, and the weight is almost 4 kg (3.95 to be precise).

Thanks to the presence of Picattini rails, installation of tactical body kit and optical sights of various types is provided.

Self-loading rifles Ar-15 for civilian use

Text © 2012 Maxim Popenker

photo — Oleg Volk

Strictly speaking, the name of the rifle “AR-15” has been the property (registered trademark) of the American company Colt's Manufacturing Co, Inc. since 1959. Accordingly, only rifles manufactured by Colt (or companies licensed by Colt) can legally bear the appropriate markings. All other rifles and carbines made according to the AR-15 type are correctly called “AR-15 type” or “AR-15 style” in English weapons jargon, i.e. "AR-15 style rifle." Often these rifles have manufacturer's markings that remind of their origin, for example XM-15, Z-15, SR-16, etc. In domestic weapons jargon, the unofficial “Russified” terms “AR-ka” or “Ar-15” are sometimes used to describe such rifles.

Colt AR-15 logo on the M16A1 military rifle

Currently, the family of civilian and police rifles and carbines based on the original design of the Armalite Ar-15 / Colt M16 rifles (machine guns) is one of the largest in the world. Ar-15 style rifles, created on the basis of specifications developed by Colt and approved by the US government (Military Specifications, Mil-Spec) are available in hundreds of options and dozens of calibers. The main producer and consumer of such rifles, of course, is the United States, but their production (both for export and for the domestic market) is also established in many other countries of the world. Countries where “Ar-15 type” rifles are produced include Germany, Italy, China, Canada, Turkey, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and even Russia.

These rifles are popular for hunting, recreational shooting, practical sports shooting (according to the rules of IPSC and other shooting associations), and home defense. In a number of countries, including the United States, self-loading rifles and carbines based on the Ar-15 are widely used by police and other security and law enforcement services.

Ar-15 - history and modernity.

The original Ar-15 automatic rifle was developed for the US Army in the second half of the 1950s by Armalite, a division of the Fairchild Republic aviation corporation, and in 1959 Colt acquired the rights to the rifle design. More details about the appearance of this rifle and its transformation into the M16 assault rifle can be read in the corresponding article.

The first civilian versions of the Ar-15 rifle were released by Colt in 1963. Externally, they were completely identical to the M16 army assault rifle, with the exception of markings. The fundamental difference between civilian rifles and army ones was that the civilian versions were self-loading, that is, they did not allow automatic fire (bursts). Until the 1980s, these rifles did not enjoy any noticeable popularity. The turning point came in the second half of the 1980s, after the M16A2 military rifle (machine gun) was adopted into service in the United States. The Colt company, and after it several other companies, began to produce civilian and police versions of this rifle, gradually expanding the range of models and options. At the same time, almost anyone can produce an “Ar-15 type” weapon, since the rights to the basic design and specifications of the rifle were purchased from the Colt company by the US government, and are freely available, outside of patent protection.

self-loading rifle Colt AR-15 Sporter SP1, repeating the configuration of early army rifles XM16E1

self-loading rifle Colt AR-15A2 Match Target Heavy Barrel, repeating the configuration of military M16A2 rifles

Early versions of the Ar-15-style civilian rifles differed little from the basic military system, and were usually chambered in the same .223/5.56mm caliber. In the eighties, a small-caliber .22LR cartridge (5.6mm rimfire) appeared in the line of calibers, for the use of which special adapters were placed in the chamber and magazine of a regular rifle, as well as pistol cartridges of 9mm and .45ACP calibers, for the use of which separate upper receiver modules were produced (upper receiver) and adapters for stores. Subsequently, the line of calibers available in “Ar-15 type” weapons added such cartridges as the Soviet 7.62x39 and its modern Western analogue .300 AAC Blackout / .300 Whisper, improved intermediate cartridges 6.8 Remington SPC and 6.5 Grendel, and a whole range of others more or less common calibers. In addition, in the late 1990s and early 21st century, several specially designed large-bore cartridges (calibers greater than 11mm) were added to this line of calibers, such as .450 Bushmaster, .458 SOCOM, .499 LWR or .50 Beowulf. These cartridges are designed to increase the stopping and lethal effect of a rifle at short and medium ranges, and in appropriate equipment suitable for hunting medium and some large game. Cartridges of this type usually have bullets weighing 20-25 grams and sometimes even more, with a muzzle energy of over 3,000 J.

Some of the most popular cartridge options used in AR-15 family weapons

In addition to a large selection of cartridges, "Ar-15-type" rifles can have a wide range of barrel lengths (usually from 16 to 24 inches - from 40 to 60 cm) and barrel profiles (light, medium, heavy match and etc.), accessories, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages of Ar-15 type rifles

Like any other system, “Ar-15-type” weapons have their advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of weapons of this family primarily include the modularity of the design, which allows, with a very wide selection of components and accessories, to assemble rifles and carbines for almost any need and budget. "Ar-15-style" rifles can be configured into a variety of options, from compact carbines for recreational shooting, police use or home defense, to high-precision "Varminter" hunting rifles with a heavy long barrel, police sniper rifles or sophisticated sporting carbines for "hands-on" shooting. .

Another advantage of these rifles is the good potential for achieving high shooting accuracy inherent in the design and overall configuration of the rifle. With proper manufacturing quality and appropriate cartridges, “Ar-15-type” rifles can show stable accuracy of less than 1 MOA (minute of arc).

Rifles “Ar-15 type” also have good ergonomics (usually the only thing that displeases domestic shooters is the bolt cocking handle, which requires some getting used to). In addition, ergonomics can be significantly improved by using additionally available accessories, such as double-sided safety levers, handles and butts with more comfortable shapes and adjustable sizes, etc.

Another advantage of rifles of this family, at least in the basic caliber 5.56mm / .223, is insignificant recoil with minimal barrel bounce (due to the “linear” layout), which simplifies not only initial shooting training, but also high-speed aimed shooting.

The shortcomings of the Ar-15 family of weapons are also well known, although they have been greatly exaggerated by the forces of domestic propaganda. The main complaint about rifles of this family is the design of the automatic gas drive unit, in which powder gases enter the bolt group and from it into the receiver. When using low-quality gunpowder in combination with the refusal (to reduce cost) from chrome plating of the bolt group, bore and bolt, carbon begins to quickly accumulate inside the bolt group, which over time leads to delays in shooting. In addition, even with high-quality cartridges and chrome-plated parts, the rifle is still somewhat more demanding in terms of care and cleaning than its main competitor - the Kalashnikov assault rifle and self-loading rifles based on it. However, you need to keep in mind that high-quality rifles “Ar-15 type”, when using high-quality cartridges, are capable of firing a thousand or more rounds without cleaning, and cleaning such rifles itself is not much more difficult than cleaning a Kalashnikov assault rifle. But if you plan to shoot a lot with the cheapest cartridges and do not like to regularly maintain your weapon, then an “Ar-15-type” rifle is most likely not for you.

Another weak point of “Ar-15 type” rifles is the design of the magazines. Early aluminum magazines had a rather fragile design and were easily damaged, and in general, poor-quality or damaged magazines are one of the most common reasons for delays in firing with rifles of the Ar-15 family. Again, if you have chosen a rifle of this type, take care not only of good cartridges, but also of high-quality magazines, and monitor their serviceability.

From an ergonomic point of view, “Ar-15 type” rifles are usually criticized for the location of the cocking handle. However, it must be borne in mind that during normal shooting you will only have to reach for this handle twice: before the first shot to chamber the cartridge and after the last one to make sure that the chamber is empty. During shooting, thanks to the presence of the bolt stop, you will not need to pull the bolt handle after each magazine change. Another design flaw with these rifles is the bolt buffer tube that protrudes rearward from the receiver and makes it impossible (at least without major modifications) to use a full folding stock.

Design of "Ar-15 type" rifles

The typical civilian "Ar-15 style" rifle is a self-loading weapon that is capable of firing only one shot after each pull of the trigger. Therefore, by definition, it is not an “assault rifle” (machine gun).

The automation of the original Ar-15 rifles uses to drive the mechanisms the removal of powder gases from the barrel bore into the body of the bolt frame, developed by Eugene Stoner. Powder gases are diverted through a transverse hole in the barrel into a gas block, usually serving as the base of the front sight, and from there into a stainless steel tube passing above the barrel and entering the receiver. Inside the receiver, the rear end of the gas tube fits into a nozzle located on the top surface of the bolt frame. Through the nozzle channel, the powder gases from the tube enter the cavity inside the bolt frame body, formed by the bolt frame itself and the bolt. Expanding inside this cavity, the gases push the bolt frame back and the bolt forward, pressing it towards the breech of the barrel and thereby slightly unloading the radial lugs with which the bolt engages the barrel shank. Rearward movement of the bolt carrier causes the bolt to rotate due to the interaction of the cross pin with a spiral groove in the bolt carrier. When the bolt is turned, its seven radial lugs disengage with the barrel shank, after which the bolt frame and the bolt move back, extracting and ejecting the spent cartridge case, compressing the return spring and cocking the hammer. If there are still cartridges left in the magazine, then after the bolt group reaches the rear position, it returns forward under the action of a spring, sending a new cartridge into the barrel, and at the end of the roll, locking the barrel by turning the bolt. Due to the fact that the bolt is locked directly behind the barrel shank, the receiver of the weapon does not bear significant loads when firing.

As mentioned above, such a system leads to the gradual accumulation of powder carbon deposits inside the bolt group and receiver (in parentheses, we note that the gas tube practically does not become clogged during normal operation, since all carbon deposits are “blown out” from it after each shot by the high pressure of passing powder gases). As a solution to the problems of direct gas exhaust, several companies in the United States and other countries (for example, Heckler-Koch of Germany) have developed and offer users a modification of the Ar-15 system in which the gas tube is replaced by a more or less traditional gas piston, with a long or short stroke. In this case, the piston is located above the barrel, inside the forend, and acts on the bolt frame through a long rod. These systems are typically touted as being "more reliable, cleaner and cooler" than traditional systems, but they have their own problems. In particular, a number of conversion kits using standard bolt carriers can lead to increased wear on the receiver due to the asymmetry of the forces applied to the bolt carrier and the resulting misalignment of the bolt group. Therefore, those wishing to purchase a “piston Ar-15” can be recommended to pay attention to the fact that the conversion solution is comprehensive and takes into account not only the gas outlet, but also the peculiarities of the movement of the bolt group in the receiver.

Comparison of receivers, gas systems and bolt groups of a “standard” AR-15 carbine with direct gas exhaust (below) and with an installed gas piston (above)

The cocking handle is located at the rear of the receiver, above the ridge of the butt, and has a T-shape. When shooting, the handle remains motionless.

Let's move on to the receiver of the weapon. In traditional Ar-15 type rifles, the receiver consists of two parts - upper and lower (in English terminology “upper receiver” and “lower receiver”, respectively; in Russian slang, tracings from English “upper receiver” and “lower receiver” are often used "). According to the original specifications, both halves are forged from 7075-T6 aluminum alloy, followed by machining and anodizing of the surfaces. Less common are receivers made by milling from aluminum blanks on CNC machines, as well as receivers made of impact-resistant polymer. Both halves of the receiver are connected by two steel cross pins located in the front and rear of the lower half and remain there during disassembly to prevent loss. It must be said that for most manufacturers, the halves of the receivers have the same mounting dimensions and are interchangeable within almost the entire family of weapons “Ar-15 type”.

carbine with lower receiver made of transparent plastic manufactured by Cavalry Arms

a set of interchangeable upper receivers of different configurations and calibers from the Vulcan arms company

The upper half of the receiver (“upper”) is used to install the barrel, guide the bolt group, cocking handle and attach the base of the rear sight. The lower half of the receiver (“lower”) contains the trigger and safety mechanisms, the magazine shaft, the bolt stop mechanism and the mount for the return spring tube, which also serves to install the butt.

The barrels are attached to the upper half of the receiver using a threaded coupling and, if necessary, can be replaced even by the user himself, with some experience and the necessary tools, or in a weapons workshop. As stated above, barrels in “Ar-15 type” weapons can have very different lengths, profiles, calibers, rifling pitches, and be equipped with various muzzle devices. Most manufacturers of quality "Ar-15 type" rifles have barrels that are chrome-plated on the bore and chamber. A number of high-precision variants of such rifles may have non-chromed barrels made of ordinary or stainless steel, which have a slightly shorter service life, but greater potential for accuracy of fire.

A typical trigger mechanism (Trigger Mechanism) is a hammer-operated one, with a silent release and a manual safety located on the left side of the receiver, marked “Safe” and “Fire”. Modified versions of rifles may have double-sided safety levers and markings in the form of pictograms. For fans of high-precision shooting, match triggers are produced with a trigger with a warning and/or with adjustment of the trigger force and trigger travel, installed instead of the standard one.

The cartridges are fed from detachable box magazines. Standard military magazines are double-stack, aluminum alloy, and hold 30 rounds (20 for early Vietnam War magazines). Magazines sold commercially can have capacities ranging from 5 to 100 and even 150 rounds, although 30 and 20 rounds are the most common options. Commercial stores can be made of plastic, aluminum or steel. As already written above, high-quality magazines are the key to reliable operation of weapons “like Ar-15”. The magazine latch is traditionally located on the right side of the magazine shaft and looks like a button. Some manufacturers also offer options with magazine release buttons on both sides of the weapon. The magazine is inserted vertically upward into the magazine, and when the latch button is pressed, it usually falls down from the magazine under its own weight, which allows for faster reloading in critical conditions (under normal conditions, dropping empty magazines to the ground under your feet is, of course, not recommended).

Standard fittings for “Ar-15 type” rifles are made of black plastic, due to which in the USA this family received the nickname “Black rifle”. A very wide selection of accessories (handguard, pistol grip and stock) are available on the commercial market in a wide range of configurations and sizes, with alternative color options (sand, dark green, camouflage, etc.). Stocks, as a rule, have two main types - fixed (like the M16 rifle) and sliding telescopic (like the M4 carbine), with the widest range of variations. The plastic forend has recently been often replaced with aluminum, which carries from one to four Mil-Std 1913 type guides, better known as Picatinny rail. Various accessories, such as sights, tactical flashlights, laser designators, front handles, etc., are installed on these guides using special brackets.

The sighting devices of the “classic” weapons of the “Ar-15” family correspond to military prototypes - the M16A1 or M16A2 army rifles and include a front sight on a gas block and a reversible aperture (ring) rear sight built into the handle for carrying the weapon, made integral from the top half the receiver. Since the mid-1990s, integral carry handles with built-in rear sights have gradually become a thing of the past, giving way to flat top upper receivers. On the upper surface of such “appers” there is an integral Picatinny-type guide, on which the user, according to his own wishes, needs and capabilities, places sighting devices of his choice - aperture rear sights on fixed or folding bases, collimator, optical or night sights, as well as their combinations. For lovers of the “classic” look, removable handles for carrying weapons “like the M16A2” are available, mounted on the same Picatinny rail.

Attack of the Clones

It should be noted that the AR-15 rifle shares a common fate with the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Many countries around the world produce weapons based on the operating principle invented by Eugene Stoner:

• It produces a model called G5 in Georgia;
• Israel produces Gilboa 14.5 semi-automatic rifles (Silver Shadow company);
• a branch in Canada produces a pistonless version called Diemaco C7/C8 - apparently they love the classics or have found a way to deal with the fumes from used gunpowder;
• The Chinese corporation Norinco followed the same path with the Norinco CQ 5.56 model;
• The United Arab Emirates produces a weapon that has been given the name of a wild cat - Caracal CAR 816;
• even the Korean company Daewoo, a famous car manufacturer, has a sample of the Daewoo K2 in its assortment;
• in Russia, in addition to the Orsis and Vepr, there is also the Skat GM-15;
• designers from Taiwan completely christened their creation T65/T86/T91 - it’s not clear whether it’s a gun, a tank, or an airplane;
• Ukraine - a product called Zbroyar Z-15;
• but in the Philippines there are two designers and, accordingly, two samples - UDMC F5-PVAR and Ferfrans SOAR P;
• Montenegro - Tara TM4;
• Czech Republic - LUVO LA-16 from LUVO Arms;
• and Switzerland completes the list with their Astra StG4.

Family "arches". AR-15 under license

This is where ADC rifles are made
. And this is the case not only in the USA, but also, for example, in Italy, where the experienced craftsman Roberto Dallera, together with his son Christian, created a classic Italian small enterprise, where the owners themselves work not only with their heads, but also with their hands. Moreover, they don’t need to make rifles from start to finish. There is, say, a company that makes good barrels. So we will order her a batch of barrels of our size and the selected cartridges under us. We can mill the receiver ourselves, and we will mill it ourselves and will indicate this as an advantage in the advertising brochure. And the simplest thing is to put a memorable looking forend on our “arch”, so that everyone has it “this way”, but we have it “that way”. And then it’s up to the sales manager to persuade clients, from wholesalers to retail buyers, that they should buy new “arches” from them. That they have a cool assortment, and finishing, and most importantly - the design is literally polished, so that at the shooting range it is their rifle that will show the best result. Naturally, an assortment range is necessary, because people are designed in such a way that when their eyes wander, it becomes much easier to sell them something new.

This is also the case with Brescia, created in 1987. They made several samples of rifles that differed in purpose, barrel length, flash suppressor design, ventilation slots in the forend, as well as milled receivers - upper and lower, and the trigger guard on the lower one was made integral with it. There is also no bolt rammer on the right, and the charging handle is larger. The rifles also vary in color, there are red, blue, beige - in a word, beauty! You go out to the shooting range, and immediately everyone will notice you. ADC also has a beautiful emblem - an arrowhead cut in half, which, firstly, indicates that there are two partners, and secondly, the high quality of products from this brand!

Weapons and companies.

Today in the West, any citizen who has his own money or has taken it on credit can open his own production of automatic weapons and start selling them. The result of this situation was the appearance on the arms market of literally a mass of small companies, often representing family businesses, which produce what? Well, of course, an American AR-15 rifle is licensed, fortunately it costs nothing to buy the latter, or rather, it only costs money. As a rule, they are produced for sport shooting and hunting, since both types of leisure are very popular in the West. Parts of “arches” are produced today by dozens of companies, and there are also tuning studios that assemble an absolutely countless number of options, so that it is generally impossible to count all types of “arches” produced today.

M5 BASIC

At first they were engaged in upgrades, then they began to make individual parts, and since 2000 they switched to producing their own products. Today the company produces several series of rifles, differing in purpose, cost and various other indicators, since the main thing for the market is to provide choice. Here’s exactly the same one, but “without wings and with mother-of-pearl buttons not in the front, but in the back!”

The M5 series is a development to expand offerings in the competitive firearms market. This is a product for entry-level shooter training, hence the low cost of the series models. That is, this is a weapon for beginners. Well, when a person gets involved and loves the brand, they offer him new models, offer him participation in competitive programs, bonuses, in a word, all the tricks of the modern market, just to make a regular customer out of a person. Two versions of rifles are produced under the names BASIC and PLUS, and the only difference between the latter is the barrel length. The company does not sell them itself, but it has a dealer company in Italy that distributes these rifles.

Short carabiner series SPARTAN

Muzzle brake-compensator on one of the Spartans

The butt of one of the SPARTAN series rifles

And this is what it looks like in its entirety! Nothing extra. That's why SPARTAN

View of the receiver of the SPARTAN rifle on the right

Then there is the SPARTAN series, which was originally intended to be “BASIC”, but then became a separate version. The upper and lower receivers of this “arch” are fully compatible with the base model, but the quality of the coating has been improved, and a number of design changes have been made to the design, allowing us to rightfully write “Made in Italy”. Rifles are available in two calibers: .223 Rem and .300. However, you can also order a rifle in 9.5 mm caliber, which is more durable than other similar models, and which is designed to use 1912 .375 Holland & Holland Magnum cartridges for hunting large African game.

CUSTOM barrel – “high-precision” option

The CUSTOM series was designed for experienced shooters. In fact, this is just a “platform”, which the shooter himself “personifies” by selecting a variety of details to suit his exacting taste. The receivers are made from an all-metal billet on a CNC machine, a lot of attention is paid to the design, in a word - the price is oh-oh, but it’s all yours! There are also two calibers: .223 Rem and .300. What other “design” could there be here? But what an inquisitive mind there is will always find something that can be improved at least a little! For example, the proprietary ADC trigger box is milled together with the trigger guard and with a hole for the right shutter stop backup button. This is fundamentally important for sporting weapons. The front wall of the magazine receiver is profiled, that is, it has a notch, which helps to more securely hold the weapon with a short grip.

COMPETITION rifle for shooting competitions

Rifle COMPETITION. Pay attention to the modified shape of the magazine receiver and the presence of characteristic recesses on it for better retention

The same rifle in the “Match-Grade” version. And, of course, the red receiver. Impossible to resist!

One version of the muzzle brake-compensator

Another option for a muzzle brake-compensator... By the way, the barrels are black as standard, but to order they can be made from nickel or stainless steel!

Well, what a beauty! The reloading handle can be installed either on the right or on the left. The magazine release button is located on both sides. The fire selector has the shape of a branded arrowhead - a small thing, but how nice!

The COMPETITION series, according to management, is the fruit of careful research that made it possible to create the ideal weapon for sports. A lot of additions have been developed for it to make it easier to shoot with two hands, in a word, the convenience of the shooter is given first place here, because the mechanism of the rifle itself has long been debugged and brought to complete perfection.

Don't like bright red? Then what do you think of this one?

The basis of the ADC range also consists of such models as Tactical (barrel 405 mm, weight 3.37 kg), Special Forces (barrel length 370 mm, weight 3.3 kg), Marksman (with a weighted barrel length 510 mm, weight 4.08 kg) and Tactical Sport (barrel length 405 or 460 mm, weight 3.51 kg). Moreover, all of them can be modified and completed in accordance with the wishes of the customer. There are differences, but they are not fundamental. The Tactical rifle is equipped, for example, with a telescopic buttstock, while the SF model has a fixed stock, but it has an adjustable butt pad.

This is something straight out of Star Wars!

The company does not make the barrels itself. This is a complex production that needs to be staged separately. But at her service there are trunks from the famous Lothar Walther company. Take it, screw it into your own receiver, install your own aluminum forend, with , and your own “Made in...” rifle is ready. By the way, the handguard also provides a truly limitless number of options. There is a faceted “quadrail” forend, but you can also get a round one – Competition type. Moreover, you can also install a Picatinny rail on the forend, coordinating its alignment with the rail on the receiver, which will allow you to mount a variety of sighting devices on them at the same time.

Not as advanced an option as the previous one, but also... very modern

Well, now let’s dream a little... Let’s say you decide to open your own production of “arches” in Russia. It sounds funny, although there are already those who are already releasing it. But here the matter concerns you personally. Or me. I want to release “arches”! But there is no money! And I'm not much of an engineer. What to do? Hire people? But you can’t hire without money! We need machines, equipment... And yet there is a loophole. In any case, you can start with components, like many others started. After all, the market is the market. Some people need an “arch”, and others need a bolt to the “arch”, right? So this is what we can safely produce in our conditions literally on our knees, or rather, in the garage: pistol grips for the same “arches”! What does it mean? Here's what: these handles will be made of birch bark, which, as you know, does not get cold on your hands, absorbs sweat perfectly and, in general, is excellent environmental friendliness. And don’t we make set knife handles out of it! Yes, they do! But who is stopping you from making, firstly, a complete pistol grip; secondly, a tactical handle under the openwork forend, and finally, thirdly, the most difficult thing - ventilated linings under the hand on the forend, for round and multifaceted shapes. That is, they must have a metal base, be located at some distance from the forend so as not to cover the ventilation holes, and at the same time fit comfortably in the hand.

Everything for an upgrade... time!

Everything for an upgrade... two!

Everything for an upgrade... three!
Moreover, all this is just a small part of the “spare parts” for the ADC rifle. Can this be done? Yes, it is quite! A pistol grip, for example, consists of only three parts - these are two threaded rods passing through a mass of pressed bark, and a lower “plug”, which may well be “branded”. The tactical handle under the fore-end is essentially a knife handle with a mount on the fore-end. Well, and the lining... You buy two or three forends and come up with a lining for them. That's all. Moreover, you can negotiate with ADC, or you can not negotiate. “Upgrade kits” have not been cancelled. I’ll do whatever I want. In any case, although such a business will require both money and labor, it is several times cheaper than everything else. And it’s easy for him to do PR advertising. Easier than any other “crafts”. But that’s all we need, isn’t it? Plus “we work on individual orders” - “any whim for your money”, and we take care of the environment, “all bark is removed only from fallen trees.” “To the Green World”: hip-hip – hurray!

What is the reason for the high popularity of the AR-15?

The AR-15 rifle was developed and released in the United States back in the late 1950s. There are 580 thousand barrels of M4 carbines alone in the US Armed Forces alone. In addition to the M4, the US military has many other AR weapons. In addition to the military, the United States also has a population and a huge civilian arms market, which also has an incredible number of barrels of the AR-15 system, which is in great demand among the population. Moreover, the US population in most states is not limited in the choice of carbines, but most often chooses the AR-15. In addition to the United States, there are also many other countries where the AR-15 is also in service in the army and in law enforcement agencies, and is also in the hands of the population. Both in the USA and in other countries, many special forces, having a large selection of weapons, prefer AR. There are many factories and manufacturing companies around the world that produce both the AR-15 rifle itself and all kinds of accessories for it. The popularity of ARs around the world is very high; in total, more than 8 million AR-15 rifles have been produced. But at the beginning of the appearance of the AR-15, no one, including the developer Eugene Stoner himself, imagined how popular the AR-15 would gain 60 years after its introduction.

Weapon reliability

One of the main indicators of any weapon is its reliability and reliability. A weapon that does not work properly or is out of order will deprive the hunter of the prey that he has been tracking for a long time; the athlete will be deprived of his results in a match for which he has been preparing for a long time; and the law enforcement officer or military personnel will be rendered unable to continue the task, possibly even putting their life at risk. Therefore, everyone who purchases a weapon tries first to look for a reliable weapon. In the case of AR, its reliability was not immediately obvious. The AR rifle was launched into mass production for the needs of the American army, and for advertising purposes it greatly exaggerated the quality of the rifles in its statements. The new AR rifle was truly reliable; it was superior in reliability to the M14 rifle, which was then in service with the American army. But as a result of the advertising campaign, the army developed fantastic ideas about the rifle: supposedly the AR rifle does not need cleaning. One can imagine how powerful the Colt advertising campaign was if it overcame all the experience of the military people of the American army (including the generals), whose activities are closely related to weapons, convincing the army of the impossible properties of firearms. American soldiers in Vietnam, believing in these properties, stopped cleaning their AR rifles. As a result of this treatment, AR rifles began to exhibit delays after some time, the situation was aggravated by very low-quality cartridges that were supplied to the army. As a result, the initial opinion about the reliability of the new AR rifles was negative. However, these misunderstandings were soon corrected, and the rifle showed its reliability. The military began to prefer the AR-15, and they still do today, even with a wide variety of weapons to choose from. There have been many tests done on the AR-15, and the rifle passed them all. Over the past decades, the design of the AR-15 has improved, and the rifle continues to be tested today, both by the manufacturers themselves and by the departments that purchase the rifles. Moreover, curious American citizens, who have no difficulty in purchasing a new weapon, and do not mind parting with the old one, deliberately give AR-15 rifles real crash tests. Just to see what the rifle is capable of and what the limits of its strength and reliability are, and at the same time to shoot an interesting video and post it on YouTube. And the AR-15 performs excellently, continuing to perform after the most severe abuse.

The reliability of the AR-15 has been tested and proven many times, and is beyond doubt among those in the know. Modern samples demonstrate very high reliability and fault tolerance. Simplicity of the Weapon
Another significant factor is the simplicity of the weapon. The AR-15 is very simple in design and is easy to disassemble and assemble. Partial disassembly is carried out without any tools. As a result, the rifle is easy to maintain. It is also easy to use, which also contributes to its popularity.

Ergonomics

The AR-15 rifle was and remains one of the most ergonomic weapons. The layout of the weapon is selected to ensure the greatest convenience, the “turning point” disassembly scheme, the location of the controls - all this together makes the AR-15 a very convenient and ergonomic system. The butt and barrel are located in such a way that the recoil vector comes directly in the direction of the butt, due to this, the tossing of the barrel during shooting and the removal from the line of sight of the AR-15 are minimal. Thanks to the spring buffer, the recoil of the rifle is very comfortable. The length of the stock is very easy to adjust, choosing it to suit your characteristics and current tasks.

Appearance

Look at the appearance of the rifle. Americans give it loud nicknames like “black rifle” or “evil rifle”. The appearance of the AR-15 rifle is aggressive, brutal and unique! This is what attracts many people. And liberal anti-gun forces in the states are literally haunted by the AR-15 rifle, causing horror and indignation. But the AR-15 doesn't have to be mean and aggressive. This rifle and its parts are available in a huge variety of colors and designs, and anyone can purchase an AR-15 to their liking, or select the appropriate parts. If you wish, you can even build yourself a glamorous pink AR-15 with decorative elements!

Modularity
Perhaps also one of the reasons for its high popularity. The AR-15 rifle is no longer just a specific, strictly defined weapon model. Now this is a kind of constructor. The parts in the AR-15 are very consistent, and the rifle can literally be assembled like a kit. Parts for the AR-15 are currently produced by a huge number of weapons companies. Buttstocks, handles, forends, receivers, barrels, triggers, absolutely any parts are produced in huge quantities of a wide variety of colors and designs, as well as workmanship and prices. Anyone can easily assemble a suitable weapon to suit their requirements. Structurally, the rifle receiver consists of two halves - the lower is called “lower”, the upper is called “upper”. Uppers are the upper part of the receiver with the barrel and bolt, and they are available in different calibers. The design is universal in that by changing the uppers you can easily change calibers. It's simple - the upper is disconnected from the rifle, an upper of a different desired caliber is put in its place, and the magazine is changed if necessary. And now you have a rifle of a different caliber. The rifle barrels are equipped with threads for installing various muzzle devices - flash suppressors, compensators, muzzle brakes, sound moderators, etc. The use of Picattini rails also significantly expands the capabilities of the weapon. Thanks to the straps, any existing devices can be installed on the weapon. Be it collimator or optical, or night, or any other sights, laser pointers, flashlights, bipods, swivels, additional handles - anything can be easily installed on the AR-15 in any combination, which makes this rifle a truly universal system in a practical sense. Everything that will be invented for weapons in the future can also be easily installed on the AR-15. Thanks to this, the rifle can literally be assembled for any task.

No other rifle in the world has modularity brought to this level. In 1994, liberal parties gained strength in the United States, and bans on the so-called. “assault weapons”, the AR-15 rifle was primarily included in these bans. In 2004, the ban was lifted, and less than a dozen years later, the rifle gained unprecedented popularity and demand in the US arms market, despite the fact that Americans were not very limited in the choice and quantity of weapons before. Its popularity continues to grow to this day. During this time, there were several more attempts at new bans in the United States, but all of them led to the population literally sweeping away all commercially available weapons from gun stores, and the AR-15 rifle was in greatest demand. Even those who initially did not approve of its distribution among the civilian population, and even those who were initially not interested in weapons at all, began to buy the rifle! We bought it just in case, there is no ban yet. And after shooting we realized what its charm was.

In addition to the AR-15 itself, there are many modifications and weapon models based on the AR-15 design. There are also samples for high-precision shooting. There are samples of smoothbore weapons. The AR-15 is one of the best weapons, thanks to its modularity, versatility and multi-caliber capabilities, allowing it to be used not only in war, but also in hunting and sports. Apparently, the AR-15 rifle will remain popular for a long time, and will go down in the history of weapons as one of the best weapons.

Automatic (assault rifle) Armalite/Colt AR-15/M16

Automatic (assault rifle) Armalite/Colt AR-15/M16

AR-15/M16 assault rifle (circa 1965), still without a bolt rammer and with a three-slit flash hider

M16A1 assault rifle, with bolt rammer, 20-round magazine and 4-slot flash hider (1967)

M16A1 with M203 40mm grenade launcher and 30-round magazine (mid-1970s)

M16A2 assault rifle with new weighted barrel, new sights and revised fittings (circa 1985)

This is what the M16A3 “flat top” rifle receiver looks like with an integral Picatinny rail and a removable carrying handle

This is what modularity means: for one “lower” module of an AR-15 type rifle, you can select and install in half a minute dozens of different “upper” modules with barrels of not only different lengths, but also calibers...

M16A1 "breaks" for disassembly

M16A1 receiver markings as well as controls

X-ray of M16A3. Aluminum parts are blue, steel parts are black

"explosive" design of AR15-type rifles

The history of the creation and adoption of the second most common assault rifle in the world (after the Kalashnikov assault rifle) M16 deserves a separate thick book. In fact, such books have been written, but they will not be published in Russian soon, so I will give here as brief a history of this rifle as possible. So.

1948. The US Army's Operations Research Office (ORO) begins research into the effectiveness of small arms. These studies culminated in the early 1950s with the conclusion that it was desirable to move from .30 caliber (7.62 mm) weapons to .22 caliber (5.56 mm) weapons, which had automatic fire capabilities, high bullet speeds and an effective range of at least 300 meters.

1953–1957. The US Department of Defense (DoD) conducts a further research project, codenamed "Project SALVO", which produces roughly similar results. Based on the findings, the US Department of Defense is launching the SPIW (Special Purpose Infantry Weapon) program, within the framework of which promising small arms should be developed that fire small-caliber high-speed arrows and 30-40 mm grenades.

1957. Representatives of the US Army are turning to the Armalite Division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corp with a proposal to develop a .22 (5.56 mm) caliber automatic rifle, lightweight, capable of penetrating a standard army helmet at a range of 500 meters. Armalite designer Eugene Stoner begins development of a new rifle based on his earlier design, the AR-10 7.62mm rifle. At the same time, engineers from Sierra Bullets and Remington, in collaboration with Armalite, are beginning to develop a new 5.56 mm combat cartridge based on the .222 Remington and .222 Remington Magnum hunting cartridges. The new cartridge is initially called .222 Remington Special, and its final designation is .223 Remington (5.56×45 mm).

1958. The first Armalite rifles, designated AR-15, are being submitted to the US Army for testing. During the tests, a number of problems with the reliability and accuracy of shooting were revealed.

1959. At the end of the year, Armalite's parent company, Fairchild Co., dissatisfied with the progress of development of the AR-15 rifle, sold all rights to its design to Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company.

1960. Stoner leaves Armalite and goes to work for Colt. That same year, Colt demonstrated AR-15 rifles to the Deputy Chief of Staff of the US Air Force, General Curtis LeMay. Impressed by the firing demonstrations, LeMay expresses a desire to purchase 8,000 AR-15 rifles for the US AF Strategic Air Command security forces to replace the aging M1 and M2 carbines.

1962. The US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) is purchasing 1,000 AR-15 rifles from Colt and sending them to South Vietnam for testing in real combat conditions. South Vietnamese troops initially use the new weapons very successfully.

1963. Colt receives a contract to produce 85,000 rifles for the US Army (under the designation XM16E1) and another 19,000 rifles for the US Air Force (M16). The M16 rifle was nothing more than the original AR-15 with the appropriate markings (Property of US Govt, etc.). The XM16E1 rifle differed from the AR-15/M16 by the presence of a bolt rammer (“forward assist”), which looked like a large button on the right side of the receiver. This purchase was considered a “one-time” purchase and was intended for various elite units, such as the Green Berets and Rangers, as a temporary measure before the adoption of SPIW systems.

1964. The US Air Force officially adopts the M16 rifle. In the same year, the US Army adopted the XM16E1 rifle as a limited standard weapon, to fill the temporary (as was then believed) niche between the discontinued 7.62 mm M14 rifle and the upcoming weapons created under the SPIW program (this program ended in failure).

1966. Colt receives a government contract to supply 840,000 rifles, worth nearly $92 million.

1967. On February 28 of this year, the US Army officially adopted the XM16E1 rifle under the designation “US Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1”.

1965–1967. The experience of operating M16A1 rifles by American troops in Vietnam is beginning to bear its first sad fruits. The large number of rifle failures in combat conditions leads to significant casualties among American soldiers. There were several interrelated reasons for this. Firstly, when creating cartridges for the M16, Dupont IMR type gunpowder was used, but the US Army, for reasons of economy, replaced it in the production of cartridges with standard gunpowder used when loading 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges. This gunpowder, unlike IMR, produced a significantly higher percentage of soot, which was deposited in the gas system, bolt group and receiver of the M16 rifle. Combined with the refusal to chrome plating the bolt group and bore and the humid climate of Southeast Asia, this led to rapid clogging of the rifle’s mechanisms with subsequent failures, often resulting in the spent cartridge case getting stuck in the chamber. Everything would be fine if the rifles were regularly cleaned. But as a result of a cunning marketing ploy by Colt, which stated that the M16 rifle required virtually no cleaning and maintenance, the US Army did not order weapon cleaning kits during their initial purchases - again to save money. In addition, soldiers did not receive the necessary training to care for the rifle. The result of such savings was truly disastrous.

1967–1970. Based on the results of an investigation conducted by a commission under the US Congress, a number of urgent measures are being taken to correct the situation. Firstly, the type of gunpowder in the cartridges is changing to a “clean” one, which produces much less soot. Secondly, the bolt group, chamber and bore begin to be chrome-plated, which increases the corrosion resistance of the parts and makes them easier to clean. Thirdly, gun cleaning kits are urgently purchased, and the active forces begin an extensive program of training soldiers in cleaning and caring for rifles, as part of which well-known instructions on caring for weapons are published in the form of comics. Around 1970, standard 20-round aluminum magazines in the army began to be replaced with 30-round ones, in order to equalize the M16 in this indicator with Soviet and Chinese Kalashnikov assault rifles.

1977–1979

. Based on the results of comprehensive tests, an improved version of the 5.56×45mm cartridge, developed by the Belgians from Factories National (FN) under the designation SS109, becomes a single cartridge for the armies of NATO countries. This cartridge was originally created in conjunction with the FN Minimi light machine gun, and had a slightly heavier bullet with a combined steel and lead core. The muzzle velocity of the bullet decreased slightly compared to the original American M193 cartridge, but effectiveness at long ranges increased due to the higher ballistic coefficient of the bullet. The SS109 bullet required a steeper rifling pitch to stabilize it in flight - instead of a pitch of 1:12 (1 turn per 12 inches - 305 mm), the rifling pitch for the SS109 had to be reduced to 1:7 (1 turn per 7 inches - 178 mm). At the same time, it was possible to safely shoot old (light) bullets from the new barrels, with some deterioration in shooting accuracy. Firing new (heavy) bullets from old barrels led to a significant drop in accuracy and accuracy of fire.

1981. Colt is developing a variant of the M16A1 rifle, chambered for the SS109 / 5.56mm NATO cartridge, and is submitting it for testing to the US Army under the designation M16A1E1. This rifle differed from the M16A1 in a thicker and heavier barrel with a rifling pitch of 1:7, improved sights, a new fore-end and butt, as well as the replacement of the continuous fire mode (bursts) with a mode with a burst cut-off after 3 shots.

1982. The m16a1e1 rifle receives the official designation “US Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A2”.

1983. The US Marine Corps (MCC) is adopting the M16A2.

1985. The US Army is adopting the M16A2 to replace the M16A1.

1988. FN Manufacturing Co, an American division of the Belgian concern FN Herstal, becomes the main supplier of M16A2 rifles for the US Armed Forces. Colt continues to produce AR-15/M16 style rifles for the civilian and police markets only, as well as for export.

1994. The latest versions of the M16 rifle are entering service with the US Armed Forces: these are the M16A3 and M16A4 rifles, which have so-called “flat top” receivers, in which the integral carrying handle is replaced by a Picatinny-type rail, designed for mounting a wide variety of sighting devices, including a removable carrying handle with sighting devices of the M16A2 type. Otherwise, the M16A4 rifle is identical to the M16A2, while the M16A3 also differs in that instead of a 3-shot cutoff, it has a fire mode in bursts of any length (as on the M16A1). Two other variants of the M16, the M4 and M4A1 carbines, are described in a separate article on the same site.

In general, it should be recognized that by the beginning of the 1970s, the M16 rifle was a full-fledged military weapon, having a number of significant advantages (and, of course, it also had disadvantages). Compared to the main opponent of the M16 on the world stage - the Kalashnikov assault rifle (AKM), the M16 had greater accuracy and accuracy of firing with single shots, and was more comfortable and easy to handle. On the other hand, the M16 required much more careful maintenance and higher quality ammunition. In terms of reliability in particularly difficult conditions (pollution, dust), the AKM was also superior to the M16. One of the main advantages of Stoner's design, however, must be recognized as its exceptional flexibility. Thanks to the modularity of the design, which actually consists of two large modules - the “upper” (upper part of the receiver, barrel, gas outlet, forend, sighting devices, bolt group) and “lower” (lower part of the receiver, trigger mechanism, buffer with return spring, pistol grip, butt), the possibility of very quick reconfiguration of the rifle is provided. Thus, on one “lower” part that meets the standards, you can install upper parts with barrels of various lengths (from 250 to 610 mm), calibers (.22LR, 7.62?39 mm, 9?19 mm, 10 mm Auto, 50AE and many others , not counting the native 5.56×45 mm), with an integral or removable carrying handle. This is especially important for consumers in the civilian and police markets.

In addition to the US Armed Forces, military-style M16 rifles are used by the US police (for example, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) uses rifles decommissioned from the Army), and the same rifles are widely exported. They are used by many elite units in other countries, such as the British SAS or the Australian Rangers. A significant number of M16s are in service in Israel. At one time, M16 rifles were produced under license in the Philippines and South Korea. Currently, the Canadian company Diemaco produces licensed versions of the M16 under the designations C7 and C8 for the Canadian Armed Forces and for export.

Civilian and police modifications of the AR-15 rifle are manufactured under a variety of designations by dozens of companies in the United States, in particular such as Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt, Hesse, Les Baer, ​​Olympic Arms, Wilson Combat, and many others. Additionally, AR-15 clones are produced in China by state-owned NORINCO under the designations "Model 311" (automatic only) and "CQ" (automatic fire capable).

Technical description

The M16/AR-15 series rifles are automatic or semi-automatic weapons with an air-cooled barrel, powered by detachable box magazines, and gas engine-based automatics. This weapon always fires from a closed bolt.

Gas-operated automatics designed by Eugene Stoner do not have a gas piston in the traditional sense. Powder gases are discharged through a hole in the barrel wall and are discharged into the receiver through a stainless steel gas tube. Before firing, the rear end of the gas tube enters a special nozzle (“gas key”) mounted on top of the bolt frame. At the moment of firing, the powder gases pass through the gas tube and through the nozzle enter the cavity inside the bolt frame. This annular cavity is located around the bolt shank and is limited on the front side by the thickened part of the bolt, and on the rear side by the wall of the bolt frame. The pressure of the gases inside this cavity forces the bolt frame to begin moving backward, relative to the initially stationary bolt. This movement, with the help of a shaped groove in the bolt frame and the drive pin on the bolt entering into it, rotates the bolt, removing its lugs (7 in number) from engagement with the barrel shank. After disengaging the bolt from the barrel, the entire bolt group (bolt and bolt carrier) continue to move backward under the influence of residual gas pressure in the chamber and due to the inertia of these parts. With this movement, the spent cartridge case is removed from the barrel and thrown out and the return spring located in the butt is compressed. Under the influence of the return spring, the bolt group returns forward, feeding a new cartridge into the barrel and, at the end of the movement, locking the barrel by turning the bolt. After all the cartridges in the magazine are used up, the bolt group automatically remains in the rear position due to the presence of a bolt stop mechanism, which is turned on automatically by the magazine feeder and turned off manually using a button on the left side of the receiver. The cocking handle is “T”-shaped, located in the rear of the receiver above the butt, and does not move when firing. Starting from the XM16E1 / M16A1 rifles have a bolt rammer on the right side of the receiver, designed to manually close the bolt if the force of the return spring is not enough for this (for example, the chamber is clogged). The rammer looks like a button with a pawl at the opposite end, interacting with notches on the right side of the bolt frame. The window for ejecting cartridges is closed by a spring-loaded dust curtain, which automatically opens when the bolt is cocked. In addition, starting with the M16A2, a reflector protrusion appeared behind the cartridge ejection window, designed to allow comfortable shooting from the left shoulder. Interestingly, for the M16A1, which did not have such a device, the US Army had a special removable reflector, which, if necessary, was installed on the weapon in a couple of minutes.

The trigger mechanism is a hammer, quite simple in design, and has its origins in the Browning Auto-5 shotgun. The operating modes of the trigger are selected using a three-position (on military weapons) or two-position (on civilian) switch located on the receiver on the left, above the pistol grip. Switch positions for military weapons: “safe” (safety), “semi” (single shots), “auto” (automatic fire, M16A1) or “burst” (fire with a cutoff of 3 shots, M16A2).

The receiver is made of two halves, upper and lower (upper receiver, lower receiver). Both halves are machined from forged aluminum (some commercial models have cast aluminum receivers). The two halves are connected using two transverse pins - the front (rotary - pivot pin) and the rear (disassembly - takedown pin). For partial disassembly, the rear pin is squeezed out from left to right using any suitable object, including a cartridge, and then the receiver is “broken” around the front pin, after which the bolt group and loading handle can be removed from it, and the weapon can be inspected and cleaned . For further disassembly, the front pin is pressed out in a similar way and the receiver is disassembled into two parts.

The rifle's accessories (fore-end, pistol grip, butt) are made of impact-resistant black plastic. The handguard on the M16A1 and earlier rifles is of a triangular cross-section, made of two non-interchangeable halves, left and right. On the M16A2, the forend has a round cross-section, made of two interchangeable halves, upper and lower. The inside of the forend has aluminum heat-shielding liners. The stock of the M61A2 is slightly longer than that of the M16A1. In the butt plate there is a door that closes a compartment for accessories for cleaning and maintaining the weapon. The rifle is equipped with a removable rifle sling. Flash arresters on the earliest M16 models are three-slot, with slots open to the front; on M16A1, four-slot, with slots closed in front; on M16A2, five-slot. A bayonet model M7 or M9 can be installed on the flash suppressor. On the M16A1 and M16A2 rifles it is possible to install a 40 mm single-shot M203 grenade launcher. The grenade launcher is installed under the rifle barrel instead of the standard forend; for firing from it, special additional sighting devices are also installed on the rifle.

Sights on the M16A1 include a round front sight on the base of the gas chamber, closed on the sides by two “ears.” The diopter rear sight is reversible, L-shaped, designed for ranges of 250 and 400 meters, and is located in the carrying handle. The front sight has the ability to be adjusted in height, and the rear sight has a mechanism for introducing lateral corrections (only to bring the weapon to normal combat). On the M16A2, the front sight is generally similar to the M16A1 front sight, but has a rectangular cross-section. The rear sight is also diopter, reversible, but corrections for range are introduced using a drum under the rear sight, and two apertures are designed for different shooting conditions - in good light (smaller) and in low light (large). On the M16A2 and M16A3, instead of an integral handle, there is a guide for attaching various sighting devices of the Picatinny type (MilStd -1913). If necessary, a removable carrying handle with sights identical to the M16A2 rifle can be installed on this guide.

The cartridges are fed from double-row box magazines. Initially, the magazines were aluminum, with 20 rounds, later aluminum and steel magazines with 30 rounds appeared. In addition, there is a significant selection of magazines of varying capacities produced for commercial sale - from 7- and 10-round civilian weapons, to 40-round box magazines and 100–120-round drums (including 100-round American-made Beta-C double drums and 120 -cartridge drums made in China).

Fame[edit]

According to Gregg Lee Carter, an American sociologist who studies gun violence in the United States, the firearms were developed to comply with the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. [8] The Bushmaster XM15-E2S "M4 type" carbine gained notoriety for its use in the October 2002 Beltway sniper attacks. [9]

A Bushmaster XM-15 was used in the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. [10] Just before the two-year anniversary of the massacre, nine families of 26 shooting victims filed a class-action lawsuit in Connecticut against Bushmaster, Remington Arms and others, [11] seeking "unspecified" damages for the defendants." alleged negligent transfer and illegal distribution of an XM-15 rifle. [12] The plaintiffs argued that both theories of liability fall within exceptions to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005, which provides broad civil immunity to gun manufacturers. [13] [14] The case was dismissed in higher court and was appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court. [15] In March 2022, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the wrongful death lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs successfully asserted a wrongful marketing claim. [16] Remington appealed to the United States Supreme Court, which denied review on November 12, 2022. [17] A trial is scheduled for September 2022. [18]

The XM-15 was also used during the 2022 filming of Nashville Waffle House. [19]

The XM15-E2 was taken from Islamic State militants in the Sinjar Mountains by the Peshmerga during the Iraqi Civil War. [1]

The XM-15 was also used in the 1997 North Hollywood shootout.[20]