Understanding the Functionality of an AR-15 Rifle in Slow Motion

How_An_AR-15_Rifel Work In Slow Motion

An AR-15 style rifle is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle based on the ArmaLite AR-15 design. ArmaLite sold the patent and trademarks to Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1959. After Colt's patents expired in 1977, Colt retained the trademark and is the exclusive owner of "AR-15" designation. [1] an expanded marketplace emerged with many manufacturers producing their own version of the AR-15 design for commercial sale. They are referred to as modern sporting rifles by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a firearms industry trade association, and by some manufacturers.[2] Coverage of high-profile incidents where various versions of the rifle were involved often uses the shorthand AR-15.[3]

AR-15 style rifles have become one of the "most beloved and most vilified rifles" in the United States, according to the New York Times.[4] The rifle has been promoted as "America's rifle" by the National Rifle Association. They have been used in several mass shootings in the United States.[4] The Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act restricted the Colt AR-15 and derivatives from 1994-2004, although it did not affect rifles with fewer features.[5][6]In 2009, the term "modern sporting rifle" was coined by the National Shooting Sports Foundation for its survey that year as a marketing term used by the firearms industry to describe modular semi-automatic rifles including AR-15s.[12][13][14][15] Today, nearly every major firearm manufacturer produces its own generic AR-15 style rifle.[16][14] As Colt continues to own and use the AR-15 trademark for its line of AR-15 variants, other manufacturers must use their own model numbers and names to market their AR-15 style rifles for commercial sale.[17]

Modularity
While most earlier breech-loading rifles had a single receiver housing both the trigger and reloading mechanism, an innovative feature of the AR-15 was modular construction to simplify substitution of parts and avoid need for arsenal facilities for most repairs of malfunctioning military rifles.[18] A distinctive two-part receiver is used by both military and sporting AR-15 style rifles. As civilian ownership of AR-15 style rifles became sufficient to create a market for improvements, numerous manufacturers began producing one or more "improved" modules, assemblies, or parts with features not found on factory rifles; and individuals with average mechanical aptitude can often substitute these pieces for original equipment. Due to the vast assortment of aftermarket parts and accessories available, AR-15 style rifles have also been referred to as "the Swiss Army knife of rifles,"[19] "Barbie Dolls for Guys,"[20][21][22] or "LEGOs" (sic) for adults.[23][24][25] These more or less interchangeable modules are a defining characteristic of AR-15 style modern sporting rifles.[26]In 1956, ArmaLite designed a lightweight assault rifle for military use and designated it the ArmaLite Rifle-15, or AR-15.[7].