AR–15 FAQ
Q: What does 'AR' as in AR-15 mean?
A: AR means ARmalite the company that first designed and produced the AR-10 (the AR-15s .308 big brother) before the AR-15. Armalite made a variety of firearms including shotguns (the AR-17) and bolt action rifles (AR-1 and AR-5); all with the AR designation (so no - it doesn't mean Automatic Rifle nor Armalite Rifle). Note that the Armalite of today IS NOT the Armalite that developed the AR-15. The orginal Armalite was a division of Fairchild Aircraft. The name 'Armalite' was purchase by Eagle Arms several years ago and is used to produce their premium line of AR-15 and AR-10 rifles.
Q: Pre vs Post Ban: What does it mean?
Not much anymore - A useless law that banned cosmetic features from rifles finally went away 10 years after implementation. Since the federal law went away some states AR-15 owners can convert their 'post ban' rifle to 'pre-ban' form - meaning they can remove the muzzle brakes and add flash supressors if they want, or get a rifle with a bayonet lug, or add that telestock.
Some states (notably CA, NY and CT) among others, have state 'Assault Weapons Bans'. Some (like CT & NY) mirror the old Federal ban, while CA has a more draconian law. MD has no restrictions on cosmetic features - but certain rifles require 'special' background checks and the waiting periord.
Q: Where can I find a list of pre ban serial numbers? (we're keeping this a courtesy to our neighbors living in states with an AWB )
A: Courtesy of Geremy Chubbuck
Right here: http://www.ar15.com/content/legal/serialNumberList.html, we also have a version for PDAs in our File Cabinet (Palm OS).
Q: What Militaries use the M16 as a weapon (either primary rifle or a for Special Operations Troops)?
A: Courtesy of Boris Kupershmidt & Colt
Colt product & licenseced copies of the M16/M4 system are used by 15 NATO countries and more than 80 countries world wide. More than 8,000,000 units have been produced 90% of which are still in service. According to Colt this represents 90% of all 5.56x45 weapons.
M16 series rifles are produced in the US, Canada (C7/C8), Singapore, and China.
Nations using the M-16 include Australia (SAS), Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Fiji, Gabon, Greece, Grenada, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Haiti, Ghana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Jordan, Laos, Nigeria, North Korea, Netherlands (Royal Marines), Oman, Panama, Philippines, Qatar, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Taiwan, Turkey, the UAE, United Kingdom (SAS), United States, Uruguay and Vietnam. For a complete list of who has purchased Colt ARs please visit their website.
Q: I've heard the AR-15's are very unreliable and jam often, is this true?
A: Not if they are properly built ARs with chrome lined M16 chambers and have the chrome lined bolt carriers, using USGI magazines. Much of the 'Urban Legends' of the AR's jamming come from 2 sources:
1. Stories from over 30 years ago in Vietnam when the rifle was new. These problems were due to two factors. The first was the improper use of ball powder in the ammunition which contributed to rapid wear. The second was that some troops were told the rifles were 'self cleaning' and they didn't need a cleaning kit. Rifles that were cleaned regularly functioned fine, rifles that were not cleaned would jam up. Once cleaning kits were issued and the chambers were chrome lined reliability complaints went away. Do you really use anecdotes from over 30 years ago to judge a modernized product made today?
2. Lately the problems come from new sources. Problems with some poorly made ammo in 1999 (some lots of Winchester Q3131, and some from Wolf in which the laquer would melt off the steel cases jamming the chambers - see the Ammo FAQ). Even these problems could be avoided or reduced if the shooters had a proper chamber in their rifle. That leads to the other problem, non spec parts. Some people try to save money by buying cheap non US military specification parts, especially the barrels. Some of these cheap barrels have rough or ringed chambers (lead to extraction problems). Other, more expensive barrels, have really tight chambers (poor for reliability, great for accuracy) more intended for slow firing or match shooting on ranges; not rapid fire in dusty environments. Also, not using USGI or Thermold magazines will cause feeding problems. All the aftermarket magazines are suspect; cherish any that you find work, but only use them on the range. Of course there are also those problems that come from not lubricating the rifle per specs... So if you buy cheap and/or don't follow the manuals then don't expect military-like reliability.
If you have a good quality rifle (with a proper M16 chamber), clean and lubricate per the military manual, and use good magazines, it will be a very reliable rifle that will serve you well. Click here for a testimony on the reliability of these rifles.
Q: Why does the AR-15 (and other 'AWs') have a pistol grip? Is it really to allow you to spray bullets from the hip?
A: WHAT A BUNCH OF BULL****! This is propagranda lies & nonsense put out by ANTI-Self Defense groups. The pistol grip is there for an engineering reason, not to 'spray and pray'. Most of the modern rifles put their stock in a straight line with the barrel. This reduces recoil and muzzle rise (especially useful in the full-auto M-16). But if the stock is inline it is way to high to wrap your hand comfortably around it, so a pistol grip is used to keep you hand in a more natural position to operate the trigger. I've been in the military, and I've read (and own) the markmanship manuals (heck you can download them off this site) and NOWHERE IN TRAINING OR MANUALS do they call for 'hip shooting' your rifle (either for semi-auto fire or full auto fire). Nor is 'spraying bullets' ever called for (at best with full auto you should be firing 3 round bursts). The people at the ANTI-Personal Freedom groups watch way too many movies and can't tell reality from fiction (AND THEY ARE LIARS!). [Can you tell I'm getting tired of their lies? 
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Q: What is the difference between A1, A2, A3 (& A4) rifles (and "What is a 'C7' or 'C8' ") ?
A: See the response (with photos) if you click here. *Updated 17 Mar 06* with info from Kevin Boland on the C8 series of carbines; it complements the info given by Chris Hazell on the GAU-5/A/A and the info by LTC Santose on the XM-177 series.
Q: How do I Battlesight zero my A1 sights?
A: Courtesy of the U.S. Army
Check our article at M16/M16A1 Zeroing.
Q: Is there a better Battlesight, one that will work with my carbine?
A: See Improved Battlesight Zero by LTC Chuck Santose
Q: But I Want to Zero at 25 Yards!!!!
A: Courtesty of Forest
While NOWHERE in any Military manual does it say to zero at 25 yards (It's METERS Darn It!), we at the Maryland AR-15 Shooters Site, during one of our AR shoots, figured out how to zero at this range(and have the number on the dials mean something). It only works for A2 style sights (fixed handle, detachable handle, or DPMS/Yankee Hill style sight) and Reflex sights (mounted on carryhandles). See the article on Zeroing @ 25 Yards. For those with A1 sights you will either have to zero at 50 yards (see previous question), or try to do an offset zero (where point of impact is 3/8" below the point of aim at 25 yards).
Q: How to I view the PDA documents in the "Free Download" area?
A: You will need to download the freeware reader program. It is in the Free Downloads, under PDA Software. The file name is Unzip_Doc_Reader.exe. Download the file and run it. It will automatically 'unzip', and you will have the license and freeware document reader (in .PRC format). Just upload the .PRC program into your PDA like any other program. See the full directions [Click Here].
Q: How to I run the PDA program "Schedule C Score"?
A: This program is a thinkDB tiny byte (application/database). You will need to download the freeware thinkDB database program (click on thinkDB above). You can install the Scoring program with the Database application at the same time. Follow the directions in the READ_ME.TXT file included with the Score program.
Q: I have Questions about Ammunition and what the differnt designations( M193, FMJ, etc..) mean?
A: Right here to our Ammunition FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about the capabilities of 5.56 ammo, what type of ammo I should use for a particular application, and its terminal performance, where do I go?
A: Right here to our 5.56 Performance FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Mainenance & Headspacing, using M16 parts for repair, where do I go?
A: Right here to our Maintenance FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Cleaning where do I go?
A: Right here to our Cleaning FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Optics and or Iron Sights where do I go?
A: Right here to our Sights & Optics FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Triggers where do I go?
A: Right here to our Trigger FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Stocks where do I go?
A: Right here to our Stock FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Magazines where do I go?
A: Right here to our Magazine FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Barrels where do I go?
A: Right here to our Barrel FAQ.
Q: I have Questions about Parts, Accessories to get, and special AR15 models, where do I go?
A: Right here to our Parts & Accessories FAQ.
Q: Are there any places where I can look up the different Colt AR-15 models?
A: Courtesty of Tweak
http://members.shaw.ca/gryphon223/ar15/ and http://www.geocities.com/Pipeline/2423/coltmodels.html
Q: Are there any other FAQs or Technical data I can reference?
A: Yes! (Also see our Recommended Links page)
Bushmaster’s: http://www.bushmaster.com/faqs
Armalite’s: http://www.armalite.com/library/techsheet.htm
and http://www.armalite.com/library/faq.htm
Fulton Armory’s: http://www.fulton-armory.com/m16.htm
and http://www.fulton-armory.com/FAQ.htm#AR-15
Olympic Arms’s: http://www.olyarms.com/faq.htm
and http://www.olyarms.com/usa.html
Good Colt info: http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/
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