The AR-15 is one of the most famous long rifles in the world. Developed in 1957, firearms are still produced not only in their country of origin, the United States, but also in a number of other countries under other names. Designer Eugene Stoner, or rather Fairchield Aircraft company, first introduced the AR-10 platform chambered for .308Win to the army competition for a new light rifle. Based on this design, Stoner created a lightweight version of the AR-15 chambered in the lighter .222 Special (later converted to .223 Rem) cartridge. During military tests, the AR-15 significantly outperformed its main rival, the Winchester M1 carbine. So what is the secret of the AR-15's popularity?
The reliability of a firearm is one of the most important qualities that characterize it. A firearm that has not worked will deprive the hunter of the prey that he has been tracking for a long time; the athlete will be deprived of his result in a match for which he has been preparing for a long time; and a law enforcement officer or member of the armed forces will not be able to complete the mission, putting his life at risk. Therefore, everyone who purchases a firearm, first of all, is looking for a reliable firearm.
In the case of the AR, its reliability was not immediately recognized. The AR rifle was mass-produced for the needs of the US military by Colt, which, for advertising reasons, sharply overestimated the quality of the firearm. The new AR firearm was much more reliable than the M14 rifle used by the US military at the time. However, as a result of the army's advertising efforts to promote this rifle, surprising ideas have developed about the firearm: supposedly, the AR rifle does not need to be cleaned. It is hard to imagine how effective Colt's advertising was, since it managed to convince the army of the incredible qualities of firearms, despite the vast experience of the military (especially generals), whose actions are directly related to firearms.
Believing in such curious marketing, the US military in Vietnam stopped cleaning their AR-15 firearms. After some time, AR rifles began to have delays due to such an attitude of soldiers to their firearms, and the condition was aggravated by the introduction of extremely low-quality ammunition into the army supply. Consequently, early opinions about the reliability of the new AR guns were poor. However, these misconceptions were quickly dispelled, and the firearm demonstrated its trustability. The military began to like the AR-15, and they continue to prefer it, even though they had plenty to choose from. Numerous tests were carried out on the AR-15, each of which the rifle successfully passed. The design of the AR-15 has evolved over the past few decades, and the firearm continues to be tested by both manufacturers and agencies that purchase firearms.
In addition, many bloggers who can easily get a new firearm and at the same time do not mind parting with the old one deliberately organize real crash tests of AR-15 rifles in order to determine the capabilities of the rifle and the degree of its strength and reliability. And the AR-15 continues to perform well even after the worst misuse. The reliability of the AR-15 has been carefully tested and proven, and it is beyond doubt. Modern samples have very high safety and fault tolerance.
Another of the main reasons for its widespread popularity is that the AR-15 rifle is no longer a well-defined form of firearm. This is an example of a generic constructor. The components of the AR-15 are highly standardized, and this firearm can be built and equipped in any way the owner desires. Currently, many gun manufacturers produce parts for the AR-15 - stocks, grips, handguards, receivers, barrels and triggers, and any other components are mass-produced in a wide range of colors, styles, materials and prices. Anyone can easily design firearms to suit their needs. The receiver of the rifle consists of two structural parts, lower and upper. Uppers are the upper part of the receiver, including the barrel and bolt, and they come in several calibers. The design is versatile in the sense that the calibers can be easily changed to change the appearance. The top can be removed from the rifle and replaced with a top of the appropriate caliber. If necessary, the magazine can be also replaced. And now you have a new caliber firearm.
Rifle barrels are threaded to accept a variety of muzzle devices, including flash hiders, compensators, muzzle brakes, and sound moderators. The inclusion of Picattini rails greatly increases the firearm's capabilities. Thanks to the straps on the firearm, you can install any relevant attachments. Red dot, optical, night or other sights, laser designators, flashlights, bipods, swivels and additional grips can be easily mounted on the AR-15, making it a truly versatile system. Everything that will be created in the future for firearms can also be easily installed on the AR-15. This allows you to design a gun for almost any purpose. This amount of modularity is unmatched in any other firearm.
Another important element is the simplicity of the firearm. The AR-15 has a basic design and is easy to take apart and reassemble. Partial disassembly is performed without the use of tools. Hence, the rifle is easy to maintain. In addition, the AR-15 is easy to use, which adds to its appeal.
The AR-15 has been and remains one of the most ergonomic firearms around. The design of the firearm's layout, the "turning point" disassembly method, and the placement of the controls all contribute to the AR-15's ergonomics and usability. The butt and barrel are positioned so that the recoil vector falls directly on the butt, which leads to a slight toss of the barrel and moving away from the line of sight when firing. The recoil of a spring loaded rifle is pleasantly low. It is quite easy to change the length of the butt to suit your individual characteristics and the current task.
Look at the appearance of this rifle. This firearm has sinister nicknames such as "black rifle" and "evil rifle". The appearance of the AR-15 is strong, fierce and distinctive! This is what attracts many people. And the AR-15 firearm really horrifies and irritates liberal anti-gun activists in the US. But the AR-15 doesn't have to be vicious and intimidating. This firearm and its components are available in a wide range of colors and styles, allowing anyone to purchase the AR-15 or select the components they need. If you wish, you can make yourself at least a pink AR-15 with decorative elements!
All design flaws have long been eliminated and the rifle works flawlessly in the most difficult conditions, on the Internet you can find hundreds of videos with attempts to ruin it, after which it continues to work properly.
The AR-15 is famous for its excellent accuracy, as well as simple disassembly and ease of maintenance. And, of course, all shooters are captivated by the possibility of endless tuning. A huge number of companies produce kits for self-finishing the AR-15 rifle for themselves. Not without reason, in the US Rifle Association, the abbreviation AR is deciphered as American Rifle. With its flexibility, adaptability and multiple calibers, the AR-15 is one of the greatest examples of firearms. It can be used not only for combat, but also for hunting and sports, and its popularity continues to grow. Apparently, the AR-15 rifle will be popular for a very long time and will go down in history as one of the best examples of firearms.
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