Īt this point, the bolt is locked into the barrel extension by locking lugs, so the expanding gas forces the bolt carrier backward a short distance. Here, the gas tube protrudes into a 'gas key' (bolt carrier key), which accepts the gas and funnels it into the bolt carrier. The gas expands into the port and down a gas tube, located above the barrel that runs from the front sight base into the AR-15's upper receiver. Gas is tapped from the barrel as the bullet moves past a gas port located above the rifle's front sight base. Designer Eugene Stoner did not consider the AR-15 to be a conventional direct impingement mechanism, but that is how it came to be characterized. This mechanism is often called ' direct gas impingement' (DGI), although it differs from prior gas systems.

The bolt carrier acts as a movable cylinder and the bolt itself acts as a piston.

Patent 2,951,424 describes the cycling mechanism used in the original AR-15. By May 2020, changed market conditions encouraged Colt to resume production for sales to private users. It would still produce the AR-15 for police and military units. On September 20, 2019, Colt announced that it would no longer produce the AR-15 for private use, due to market saturation. Colt and others continued to sell legally compliant versions during that period. Sale of new AR-15s in the USA was banned by the Federal Assault Weapons Ban from 1994 to 2004. Colt has since made many different models of AR-15 rifle and carbine models, including the AR-15, AR-15A2, AR-15A3, AR-15A4, and others. 223 Remington, with a 20-inch barrel, issued with 5-round magazines. The first mass production version was the Colt AR-15 Sporter, in. Colt started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15 in 1964. This example is fitted with an early waffle-patterned 20-round magazine.ĭue to financial problems, and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity, ArmaLite sold the AR-15 design and the AR-15 trademark along with the ArmaLite AR-10 to Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1959. Colt's Manufacturing Company currently owns the AR-15 trademark and is used exclusively for its line of semi-automatic AR-15 rifles.Ī Colt AR-15 on display at the National Firearms Museum. It is a semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle sold for the civilian and law enforcement markets in the United States.

The Colt AR-15 is a lightweight, magazine-fed, gas-operated semi-automatic rifle. Picatinny rails, which allows the use of various scopes and sighting devices.Detachable carrying handle with adjustable rear iron sight assembly.Fixed adjustable front and rear iron sights.Issued with 5-, 10-, 20- & 30-round STANAG magazines

See List of Colt AR-15 & M16 rifle variants Complete AR-15A2 rifle set with manual, 5.56 mm ammunition and magazines

Colt ar 15 accessories