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102-467: In 1957, the basic AR-10 design was rescaled and substantially modified by ArmaLite to accommodate the .223 Remington cartridge, and given the designation ArmaLite AR-15 . In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt's Manufacturing Company due to financial difficulties, and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity. After modifications (most notably, the charging handle

204-666: A "retro" AR-10B with Sudanese AR-10-style handguard and cocking lever (limited production) and one version chambered in 300 Remington SAUM . Current users include the Ontario Provincial Police Tactics and Rescue Unit . After introducing the AR-10B model in 1996 which switched from the original pattern magazines to modified M14 magazines, ArmaLite reintroduced their original magazine pattern with their new AR-10A model in 2012 (also called SR-25 pattern magazine ). ArmaLite offers numerous other chamberings for

306-487: A belt-fed variant of the AR-10 were developed by ArmaLite and A.I. engineers, informally designated the AR-10 LMG . In one version, the belt was fed by a feed-chute connected to a 250-round ammo box carried on the user's back. All of the belt-fed prototypes experienced numerous issues with feed malfunctions and parts breakages, and these problems were never wholly solved during the weapon's development stage, which ended with

408-460: A combined air/sea operation. Betrayed by local residents, the seaborne rebel forces (led by Cuban officers), were surprised at the water's edge; those dropping via parachute were hunted down in the following days by the Dominican army. Captured AR-10 rifles from Cummings' Batista shipment were found on the bodies of guerrillas killed in firefights with government forces. When Cummings arrived in

510-865: A defect that went unnoticed at the time. These production rifles built at ArmaLite's workshop in Hollywood would later become known as the Hollywood model. On July 4, 1957, Fairchild ArmaLite sold a five-year manufacturing license for the AR-10 to the Dutch arms manufacturer, Artillerie Inrichtingen (A.I.). With its large factory and production facilities, A.I. could produce the ArmaLite rifle in large quantities for which Fairchild expected orders would be forthcoming. In 1957, Cummings secured an order of 7,500 AR-10 rifles from Nicaragua, with an initial delivery of 1,000 rifles to be delivered before January 1958. The order

612-488: A few captured rifles eventually turned up in unofficial service with various African and colonial armies, police, and guerrilla forces. The AR-10 remained in service with Sudanese Special Forces until 1985. In 1958, a special 7.62×39mm caliber variant of the Sudanese AR-10 was produced in very small numbers for evaluation by Finland and Germany. That same year, an AR-10 with a 16" barrel was developed in response to

714-508: A five-degree angle. While interest in the AR-15 was considerable, the AR-10A failed to attract any orders from domestic or foreign military customers. In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt Firearms due to financial difficulties, and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity. After modifications (most notably, the charging handle was re-located from under

816-530: A heavier barrel with chrome-lined chamber, optional bipod, and the removable plastic/metal handguards of the Transitional model, the Portuguese variant had wider bolt lugs, a stronger extractor, a new simplified three-position gas regulator, and a cocking handle featuring a forward bolt assist. It is believed that approximately 4,000-5,000 Portuguese variants were produced; nearly all of them were sold to

918-558: A lower recoil impulse, allows for more controllable automatic weapons fire. In the summer of 1961, General LeMay was promoted to Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and requested an additional 80,000 AR-15s. However, General Maxwell D. Taylor , now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , (who repeatedly clashed with LeMay) advised President John F. Kennedy that having two different calibers within

1020-425: A more triangular shape. They had flat lower receivers without raised surfaces around the magazine well. Their bolt hold open device lacked a raised lower engagement surface and had a slanted and serrated surface that had to be engaged with a bare thumb, index finger, or thumb nail because of the lack of this surface. Their fire-selector was also changed from upward = safe, backward = semi-auto and forward = full-auto, to

1122-411: A port in the barrel to a piston and cylinder arrangement adjacent to the port. In Stoner's design, the gas travels from a port near the middle of the barrel through a steel tube back into the receiver. The gas enters a chamber inside the bolt carrier formed between the rear of the bolt and the inside of the bolt carrier. The bolt within the bolt carrier is fitted with piston rings to contain the gas. Once

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1224-402: A request by KLM Airlines for a carbine that could be issued to their crew for transpolar flights as part of an Arctic survival kit, and approximately 30 carbines were eventually produced. A number of Transitional AR-10s were also fitted with a folding bipod designed to lie flat under the forearm. The Italian Navy acquired the AR-10 for its COMSUBIN underwater commando teams. Germany, Austria,

1326-555: A result of more restrictive firearms legislation passed in 1997. Most of the AR-10 ex-military rifles shipped to the United States were in the form of parts kits, having been previously dismantled, though a few were legally imported as National Firearms Act (NFA) weapons. Large numbers of AR-10 7.62 mm magazines were imported as well. Many of these kit rifles were combined with various semi-auto receivers made by civilian manufacturers in order to permit legal ownership. During

1428-451: A result, the Army was forced to reconsider a 1957 request by General Willard G. Wyman , commander of the U.S. Continental Army Command (CONARC), to develop a .223 caliber (5.56 mm) select-fire rifle weighing 6 lb (2.7 kg) when loaded with a 20-round magazine. The 5.56mm round had to penetrate a standard U.S. M1 helmet at 500 yards (460 meters) and retain a velocity in excess of

1530-508: A result, the design was split into two variants: the Air Force's M16 without the forward assist, and the "XM16E1 (AKA: M16A1)" with the forward assist for the other service branches. In November 1963, McNamara approved the U.S. Army's order of 85,000 XM16E1s; and to appease LeMay, the Air Force was granted an order for another 19,000 M16s. In March 1964, the M16 rifle went into production and

1632-405: A small arm significantly easier to control in automatic fire than other infantry rifles of the day. It had rugged elevated sights, an oversized aluminum flash suppressor and recoil compensator , and an adjustable gas system. The final prototype, featured an upper and lower receiver with the now-familiar hinge and takedown pins, and the charging handle was on top of the receiver placed inside of

1734-465: A small machine shop in Hollywood, California, hired several employees, and began work on a prototype for a lightweight survival rifle for use by downed aircrew. While testing the prototype of the ArmaLite AR-5 survival rifle design at a local shooting range, Sullivan met Eugene Stoner , a small arms inventor, whom Sullivan hired to be ArmaLite's chief design engineer. At the time, ArmaLite Inc.

1836-560: A stationary piston, the need for a conventional gas cylinder, piston and actuating rod assembly is eliminated. While mostly an original design, the AR-10 built upon previously proven concepts. From the FAL it took the hinged receiver system allowing the rifle to be opened for cleaning much like a break-action shotgun. The ejection port cover is similar to that found on the German World War II -era StG44 . The bolt locking mechanism

1938-400: A very symmetric design that allows straight line movement of the operating components. This allows recoil forces to drive straight to the rear. Instead of connecting or other mechanical parts driving the system, high pressure gas performs this function, reducing the weight of moving parts and the rifle as a whole. The AR-15's straight-line recoil design, where the recoil spring is located in

2040-401: Is a gas-operated assault rifle manufactured in the United States between 1959 and 1964. Designed by American gun manufacturer ArmaLite in 1956, it was based on its AR-10 rifle. The ArmaLite AR-15 was designed to be a lightweight rifle and to fire a new high-velocity, lightweight, small-caliber cartridge to allow infantrymen to carry more ammunition. In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to

2142-710: Is similar to the M1941 Johnson rifle (itself an adaptation of the Browning -designed Remington Model 8 bolt). From the German MG 13 light machine gun , FG 42 and M1941 Johnson machine gun came the idea of the straight-line stock layout. A "straight-line" recoil configuration increases controllability during burst or automatic fire by reducing muzzle climb. The AR-10's method of rotary bolt locking, straight-line recoil, and gas operation enhanced its inherent accuracy. The original AR-10 action (later developed into

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2244-644: Is the parent of a variety of Colt AR-15 and M16 rifle variants . After World War II, the United States military started looking for a single automatic rifle to replace the M1 Garand , M1/M2 Carbines , M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle , M3 "Grease Gun" and Thompson submachine gun . However, early experiments with select-fire versions of the M1 Garand proved disappointing. During the Korean War ,

2346-580: The Dominican Republic . The Nicaraguan demonstration succeeded in what would have been the first-ever AR-10 export sale to the nation of Nicaragua in 1957 (later cancelled). In 1958, Cummings sold 100 ArmaLite AR-10 rifles to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista , but in 1959 the entire shipment of AR-10 rifles was captured intact on the Havana docks by the victorious rebel forces of Fidel Castro . Cummings wrote Castro and asked him if he would pay for

2448-801: The Portuguese National Defense Ministry by the Brussels -based arms dealer SIDEM International in 1960. The AR-10 was officially adopted by the Portuguese paratrooper battalions ( Caçadores páraquedistas ), and the rifle saw considerable combat service in Portugal's counter-insurgency campaigns in Angola and Mozambique . In U.S. Army tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground in November 1960, and later in Portuguese service,

2550-633: The Taiwan government During this time he was also called upon to identify captured weapons in the Korean War . In 1953 Cummings set up Interarmco in Alexandria, Virginia , with a warehouse in Manchester , England , and other international locations to capitalize on the vast stores of postwar arms and ammunition. He used his contacts and expertise to acquire surplus weapons in large quantities to sell to various private and government buyers throughout

2652-421: The "Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16". Meanwhile, the Army relented and recommended the adoption of the M16 for jungle warfare operations. However, the Army insisted on the inclusion of a forward assist to help push the bolt into battery in the event that a cartridge failed to seat into the chamber. The Air Force, Colt and Eugene Stoner believed that the addition of a forward assist was an unjustified expense. As

2754-484: The 1957 Springfield Armory tests, all production AR-10s were fitted with standard steel barrels. The stock is made from a fiberglass-reinforced phenolic composite with a core of rigid plastic foam. The handguards and pistol grip are also fiberglass reinforced plastic. Fairchild was an aircraft manufacturer, and the use of plastics, titanium, and aluminum were common in the aircraft industry at the time, though not generally used in firearms. Several experimental prototypes of

2856-507: The 5.56 mm cartridge and pressed for its adoption. By intentionally choosing a slow twist rate the 55 grain bullet used in the 5.56 Ball M193 cartridge was only just stable in flight. The damage caused by the 5.56 mm bullet was originally believed to be caused by instantaneous "tumbling" on impact and render a wide, incapacitating wound due to the slow 1 in 14-inch (360 mm) rifling twist rate. However, any pointed lead core bullet will "tumble" after penetration in flesh, because

2958-451: The 55 grain bullet used in the 5.56 Ball M193 cartridge under unfavorable conditions could induce too much yaw and due to the resulting excessive in flight bullet destabilization become inaccurate. The one turn in 12 inches increased accuracy and was optimized to adequately stabilize the M193 ball and longer M196 tracer bullets. The ArmaLite AR-15 internal piston action was derived from

3060-602: The A.I. license into at least three basic identifiable versions, along with various sporting, carbine , and other experimental designs and calibers. The three main variants have been termed the Sudanese model, the Transitional , and the Portuguese model AR-10. A.I. built all of these rifles, beginning with the Sudanese model AR-10. The Sudanese version derives its name from the sale of approximately 2,500 AR-10 rifles to

3162-515: The AR-10 gained a reputation for accuracy (some rifles would group into 25 mm (1 inch) at 100 meters with service ammunition). Portuguese paratroopers found the AR-10 to be not only accurate but reliable in combat, despite rugged service conditions in African jungle and savannah. A few Portuguese and Sudanese model AR-10s found their way by various means to nearby African countries; in Chad ,

ArmaLite AR-10 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3264-424: The AR-10 rifles. Fidel, his brother Raúl , and Che Guevara test-fired the AR-10 outside Havana. Impressed by the weapon's firepower, Castro paid Cummings for all 100 rifles. However, rapidly worsening relations with the United States eliminated any chance of future AR-10 sales to Cuba, and Castro transferred the ex-Batista AR-10s to a group of Communist revolutionaries from the Dominican Republic . In June 1959,

3366-855: The AR-10 was much appreciated by members of the French Foreign Legion . As one police instructor in the Congo stated, "It was a good combat weapon that never failed me; a bit too long (but not as bad as the FAL or M14) for house-to-house work or really heavy brush, but great for 400-800 meters, in the flats - and really nice on the body, after wandering around 12-14 hours looking for bad guys." Some Portuguese-model AR-10s were fitted with A.I.-modified upper receivers in order to mount 3× or 3.6× telescopic sights. These rifles were used by marksmen accompanying small patrols to eliminate individual enemies at extended ranges in open country. Other AR-10s were used by

3468-523: The AR-10 was the best lightweight automatic rifle tested by the Armory. The rifle's aluminum / steel composite barrel (an untried prototype design specified for the tests by ArmaLite's president, George Sullivan, over Stoner's vehement objections) burst in a torture test conducted by Springfield Armory in early 1957. ArmaLite quickly replaced it with a conventional steel barrel, but the damage had been done. The final Springfield Armory report advised against

3570-413: The AR-10A. None of the improvements incorporated by Artillerie Inrichtingen over three years of production were used in the new AR-10A. Although the AR-10A did not benefit from the modifications undertaken by the Dutch licensee, it had some differences from the AR-15 (besides caliber and part dimensions), including a different bolt, trigger, and cocking handle design, along with a magazine canted forward at

3672-661: The AR-15 and the AK-47. The Army reported that only the M14 was suitable for service, but Vance wondered about the impartiality of those conducting the tests. He ordered the Army Inspector General to investigate the testing methods used; the Inspector General confirmed that the testers were biased towards the M14. In January 1963, Secretary McNamara received reports that M14 production was insufficient to meet

3774-527: The AR-15 to Colt due to financial difficulties and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity. After modifications (most notably, the charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver ), Colt rebranded it the Colt 601, however, it still carried the Armalite markings due to contractual obligations to Armalite/Fairchild Aircraft Co. Colt marketed

3876-489: The AR10 including: .243 Winchester , .260 Remington , 6.5mm Creedmoor , 7mm-08 Remington , and .338 Federal . Manufacturers of these barrels include Ballistic Advantage , Wilson Combat , and DPMS Panther Arms . While ArmaLite Inc. holds a US trademark on the name "AR-10", other rifle manufacturers currently produce 7.62×51mm NATO auto-loading rifles that are based generally on the AR-10 design. These rifles differ from both

3978-526: The ArmaLite AR-15 and M16 rifle ) designed by Eugene Stoner is commonly called a direct impingement system, but it does not utilize a conventional direct impingement system. In U.S. patent 2,951,424 , the designer states: This invention is a true expanding gas system instead of the conventional impinging gas system. The gas system, bolt carrier, and bolt-locking design were novel for the time. Most gas-operated rifles divert combustion gases from

4080-532: The Army accepted delivery of the first batch of 2129 rifles later that year, and an additional 57,240 rifles the following year. The Colt ArmaLite AR-15 was discontinued with the adoption of the M16 rifle. Most AR-15 rifles in U.S. service have long ago been upgraded to M16 configuration. The Colt ArmaLite AR-15 was also used by the United States Secret Service and other U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Shortly after

4182-502: The Dominican Republic that same month to discuss the subject of arms sales with the nation's arms procurement officer, an enraged General Trujillo stormed into the room carrying an AR-10 rifle taken off the body of a dead insurgent, demanding to know why Cummings had supplied guns to his enemies. During this time period, he became a British subject and moved to Monte Carlo , Monaco , while maintaining warehouses worldwide and

ArmaLite AR-10 - Misplaced Pages Continue

4284-706: The Garand chambered for the new 7.62 mm round, while Fabrique Nationale submitted their FN FAL as the T48. ArmaLite's AR-10 entered the competition late, hurriedly submitting two hand-built "production" AR-10 rifles based on the fourth prototype in the fall of 1956 to the United States Army's Springfield Armory for testing. The AR-10 prototypes (four in all) featured a straight-line stock design, rugged elevated sights, an oversized aluminum flash suppressor and recoil compensator , and an adjustable gas system. In

4386-510: The Garand chambered for the new 7.62×51mm NATO round, while Fabrique Nationale submitted their FN FAL as the T48. ArmaLite entered the competition late, hurriedly submitting several AR-10 prototype rifles in the fall of 1956 to the United States Army's Springfield Armory for testing. The ArmaLite AR-10 featured an innovative combination of a straight-line barrel/stock design, a new patent-filed gas-operated bolt, forged aluminum alloy receivers and with phenolic composite stocks resulting in

4488-531: The Korean War, insisted that a single powerful .30 caliber cartridge be developed, that could not only be used by the new automatic rifle, but by the new general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in concurrent development. This culminated in the development of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The United States Army then began testing several rifles to replace the obsolete M1 Garand. Springfield Armory's T44E4 and heavier T44E5 were essentially updated versions of

4590-546: The M1. In the end, the Army chose the conventional T44, which entered production as the M14 rifle in 1957. That same year, ArmaLite completed about 50 production AR-10 rifles at its workshop for use as demonstrator models for its sales agents, including Samuel Cummings , a famous international arms dealer. Attempts to rush completion of these fifty rifles resulted in a few units that were assembled with improperly machined barrel extensions,

4692-575: The M14, the Army opposed the adoption of the new rifle. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara now had two conflicting views: the USAF's (General LeMay's) repeated requests for additional AR-15s and the ARPA report favoring the AR-15, versus the Army's position favoring the M14. Even President Kennedy expressed concern, so McNamara ordered Secretary of the Army Cyrus Vance to test the M14,

4794-602: The Netherlands, Finland, and South Africa also purchased small numbers of the AR-10 for test purposes, and Cuba's Batista government ordered 100 "Transitional" model rifles in 1958. The Cuban order was delivered to Havana, but in December 1958 Fidel Castro 's forces took control of the country, including the warehouse containing the AR-10 shipment. In 1959, in response to a letter from ArmaLite's sales agent Sam Cummings, Castro invited Cummings to Havana to discuss payment for

4896-413: The U.S. Government caliber .223 , with no reference to them being M16s). The 601 and 602 are virtually identical to the later M16 rifle without the forward-assist. Like the later M16 rifle their charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver. They were equipped with triangular fore-stocks and occasionally green or brown furniture. Their front sight had

4998-441: The United States Air Force, was impressed by a demonstration of the AR-15 and ordered 8500 rifles. In the meantime, the Army would continue testing the AR-15, finding that the intermediate cartridge .223 (5.56 mm) rifle is much easier to shoot than the standard 7.62×51mm NATO M14 rifle. In 1961 marksmanship testing, the U.S. Army found that 43% of AR-15 shooters achieved Expert, while only 22% of M14 rifle shooters did so. Also,

5100-480: The United States military adopted the M16 rifle, Colt introduced its line semi-automatic-only Colt AR-15 rifles, which it markets to civilians and law enforcement. Colt continues to use the AR-15 name for these rifles. Colt's first two models produced after the acquisition of the rifle from ArmaLite were the 601 and 602, and these rifles were in many ways clones of the original ArmaLite rifle (in fact, these rifles were often found stamped Colt ArmaLite AR-15, Property of

5202-404: The adoption of the rifle, stating that it would take "five years or more to take it through tests to adoption". While ArmaLite objected, it was clear that the AR-10, a brand-new rifle still in the prototype stage, was at a disadvantage compared to competing designs with longer development cycles, and by 1957, U.S. Army infantry forces urgently required a modern, magazine-fed infantry rifle to replace

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5304-562: The age of five. Cummings became a US Army weapons specialist at Fort Lee, Virginia , after World War II . Following his military discharge he attended George Washington University on the GI Bill , where he was recruited in 1950 by the Central Intelligence Agency as a weapons expert. Cummings then toured Europe, where he bought large quantities of surplus World War II weapons for both Hollywood productions and

5406-503: The basic AR-10 design to produce the ArmaLite AR-15 in .223 Remington, which was completed as a firing prototype in 1958. Fairchild-ArmaLite continued its efforts to sell both the AR-10 and AR-15 to various military forces around the world. However, the AR-10 rifle marketed by ArmaLite after 1958 was not the product-improved AR-10 developed by Artillerie Inrichtingen, but rather a design scaled-up from AR-15 plans and specifications,

5508-478: The bolt carrier moves to the rear a small distance, excess gas is vented through holes in its side. This use of the bolt and bolt carrier for the separate actions of a piston and gas cylinder simplified construction and saved weight. The Stoner bolt and carrier piston system is however ammunition specific, since it does not have an adjustable gas port or valve to adjust the weapon to various propellant and projectile or barrel length specific pressure behavior. Movement of

5610-434: The bolt carrier was in-line with the bore, greatly improving inherent accuracy, as well as keeping the rifle on target as the gun fired. Since the straight-line stock placed the shooter's eye well above the barrel the rifle's sights were mounted high, with the rear sight and elevation wheel calibrated for 7×51mm NATO for specific range settings contained in a carrying handle that also protected the cocking/charging lever. Windage

5712-403: The bolt carrier with a rotary bolt locking mechanism. The rifle has a conventional layout; it features an in-line stock, an aluminum alloy receiver and a fiberglass reinforced pistol grip, handguard, and buttstock. As part of the weight-saving design philosophy, in U.S. patent 2,951,424 the designer points out that: By having the bolt carrier act as a movable cylinder and the bolt act as

5814-441: The carry handle serves to protect the charging handle. The AR-15 rifle has a 500 mm (19.75 inches) sight radius. The AR-15 uses an L-type flip, aperture rear sight and it is adjustable with two settings, 0 to 300 meters and 300 to 400 meters. The front sight is a post adjustable for elevation. The rear sight can be adjusted for windage. The sights can be adjusted with a bullet tip or pointed tool. The Stoner system provides

5916-463: The carry handle. For a 1950s 7.62×51mm NATO rifle, the AR-10 was incredibly lightweight at only 6.85 pounds (3.11 kilograms) empty. Initial comments by Springfield Armory test staff were favorable, and some testers commented that the AR-10 was the best lightweight automatic rifle ever tested by the Armory. In the end, the United States Army chose the T44, which entered service as the M14 rifle , which

6018-459: The carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver), the new redesigned rifle was subsequently adopted by the U.S. military as the M16 rifle . Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its line of semi-automatic rifles marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers, known as Colt AR-15 . The AR-10 is a lightweight, air-cooled, magazine-fed, gas-operated rifle that uses a piston within

6120-474: The center of gravity is towards the rear of the bullet. The large wounds observed by soldiers in Vietnam were actually caused by bullet fragmentation, which was created by a combination of the bullet's velocity and construction. These wounds were so devastating that the photographs remained classified into the 1980s. However, despite overwhelming evidence that the AR-15 could bring more firepower to bear than

6222-608: The company Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Cummings' arms import business was significantly impacted after surplus military firearm imports were greatly restricted by the US Gun Control Act of 1968 . Importation of foreign commercial arms sustained the business after 1968. Interarms brought to the American market many quality foreign firearm brands including Star pistols . His daughter Susan Cummings

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6324-554: The current and original ArmaLite AR10 in a few minor dimensions that make the ArmaLite AR10B not as modular as the rest of the AR-based firearms. Some of these companies offer selective-fire versions and versions in different calibers. This list denotes purchasers of ArmaLite Rifles produced by ArmaLite and its licensees from 1956-1960, not necessarily later variants or designs. ArmaLite AR-15 The ArmaLite AR-15

6426-503: The early 1960s. All AR-10 production records, design drawings, manuals, literature, and other publications then in inventory were discarded. In later years, some ex-military Sudanese and Portuguese model AR-10s were sold to civilian markets in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Nearly all of the rifles imported to the latter three countries had their full-automatic fire selector disabled. Subsequently, as many as 2,500 Australian AR-10 rifles may have been confiscated and destroyed as

6528-596: The early 1980s, Paragon Sales and Services in Joliet, Illinois , manufactured new semi-automatic lower receivers while using imported upper AR-10 receivers originally manufactured by Artillerie Inrichtingen in the Netherlands. In 1957, in an effort to increase profits from the ArmaLite venture, Fairchild decided to compete in the U.S. Army's CONARC requirement for a new six-pound, high-velocity, .22-caliber selective-fire rifle accurate to 500 yards. In response, ArmaLite engineers Eugene Stoner, Jim Sullivan , and Bob Fremont used

6630-524: The entire Nicaraguan order. The remaining Hollywood rifles were inspected and refitted as necessary with new parts to prevent the reoccurrence of the bolt lug failure, but the Nicaraguan order was lost for good. A.I. officials meanwhile discovered a number of manufacturing and production issues in the Hollywood version of the AR-10, all of which had to be resolved before large-scale production could commence. In addition to designing and building tooling for

6732-407: The first rifle off the production line. Since 1995, the new ArmaLite company has also incorporated various other design and engineering improvements to the AR-10, including a newly designed steel magazine derived from the model used on the U.S. M14 rifle. The current ArmaLite AR-10 is offered in several versions including an A2 and A4 rifle or carbine with a collapsible stock, a target model (AR-10T),

6834-412: The flash. Early AR-15's had a 25-round magazine. Later model AR-15s used a 20-round waffle-patterned magazine that was meant to be a lightweight, disposable item. As such, it is made of pressed/stamped aluminum and was not designed to be durable. The AR-15's most distinctive ergonomic feature is the carrying handle and rear sight assembly on top of the receiver. This is a by-product of the design, where

6936-404: The fourth and final prototype, the upper and lower receiver were hinged with the now-familiar hinge and takedown pins, and the charging handle did not reciprocate and was not attached to the bolt carrier. For a 7.62mm NATO rifle, the AR-10 prototype was incredibly lightweight at only 6.85 lb empty. Initial comments by Springfield Armory test staff were favorable, and some testers commented that

7038-430: The gas operating system, the barrel, the bolt and bolt carrier assembly. The lower receiver incorporates the magazine well, the pistol grip and the buttstock. The lower receiver also contains the trigger, disconnector, hammer and fire selector (collectively known as the fire control group ). The AR-15's "duckbill" flash suppressor had three tines or prongs and was designed to preserve the shooter's night vision by disrupting

7140-513: The government of Sudan in 1958. The Sudanese model was equipped with a very lightweight, fluted steel barrel fitted with a trim, prong-style flash suppressor, a bayonet lug, lightweight fiberglass furniture, and sight graduations in Arabic. The Sudanese model weighed only 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) with an empty magazine. The price, including cleaning kit and four magazines, was US $ 225 per rifle. All AR-10s, whether produced by ArmaLite or by A.I., used

7242-438: The lack of results and suffering ongoing financial difficulties—sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt . After acquiring the AR-15, Colt promptly redesigned the rifle to facilitate mass production. Based on the final ArmaLite design, most notably, the charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle, like the earlier AR-10 to the rear of the receiver, like the later M16 rifle. Colt then renamed and rebranded

7344-503: The military system at the same time would be problematic and the request was rejected. In October 1961, William Godel, a senior man at the Advanced Research Projects Agency , sent 10 AR-15s to South Vietnam. The reception was enthusiastic, and in 1962, another 1,000 AR-15s were sent. United States Army Special Forces personnel filed battlefield reports lavishly praising the AR-15 and the stopping-power of

7446-405: The needs of the armed forces and ordered a halt to M14 production. At the time, the AR-15 was the only rifle that could fulfill a requirement of a "universal" infantry weapon for issue to all services. McNamara ordered its adoption, despite receiving reports of several deficiencies, most notably the lack of a chrome-plated chamber. After minor modifications, the new redesigned rifle was renamed

7548-436: The now familiar forward = safe, upward = semi-auto, and backward = full-auto of the M16 rifle. The only major difference between the 601 and 602 is the switch from the original four grooves, right-hand 1:14-inch (1:355.6 mm or 64 calibers) rifling twist rate to the more common four grooves, right-hand 1:12-inch (1:304.8 mm or 54.8 calibers) twist. This was done as the original 1:14-inch twist rate to just stabilize

7650-491: The original ArmaLite AR-10 action and was later used in the M16 rifle action. This internal piston action system designed by Eugene Stoner is commonly called a direct impingement system, but it does not utilize a conventional direct impingement system. In U.S. patent 2,951,424 , the designer states: This invention is a true expanding gas system instead of the conventional impinging gas system. The gas system, bolt carrier, and bolt-locking design were patented at for

7752-459: The paratroopers in a secondary role to launch rifle grenades . The AR-10's built-in gas cutoff design enabled it to fire Energa rifle grenades without adjustment of the gas system, and the self-loading action would even eject the spent blank shells and load the next one, allowing several grenades to be quickly fired. The added recoil took its toll on rifle stocks, and some Portuguese rifles were retrofitted with all-metal butt stocks to better withstand

7854-520: The patent counsel for Lockheed Corporation, and funded by Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. On October 1, 1954, the company was incorporated as the ArmaLite Corporation, becoming a subdivision of Fairchild. With its limited capital and tiny machine shop, ArmaLite was never intended to be an arms manufacturer. The company focused on producing small arms concepts and designs to be sold or licensed to other manufacturers. Sullivan leased

7956-559: The rebels, led by Cuban officers, invaded the Dominican Republic. The invaders were defeated by the Dominican Army, and AR-10 rifles from the Batista shipment were found on the bodies of guerrillas. The final Artillerie Inrichtingen design is known as the Portuguese model AR-10. This final version incorporated all that had been learned to date about the AR-10, including infantry service rifle and field test reports. In addition to

8058-481: The redesigned rifle to various military services around the world and was eventually adopted by the U.S. military in January 1962 and subsequently designated as M16 rifle in December 1963, which went into production and service in 1964. Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its line of semi-automatic-only rifles marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers, known as Colt AR-15 . The Armalite AR-15

8160-478: The rifle "Colt ArmaLite AR-15 Model 01". After a Far East tour, Colt made its first sale of Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifles to Malaya on September 30, 1959. Colt manufactured their first batch of 300 Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifles in December 1959. Colt would go on to market the Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifle to military services around the world. In July 1960, General Curtis LeMay , then Vice Chief of Staff of

8262-484: The rifle, the design had to be converted to metric dimensions and subcontractors had to be found to supply materials or manufacture component parts. ArmaLite also continued to send A.I. product improvement requests, including an adjustable regulator, a repositioned gas tube, and a new three-prong flash suppressor. Accessories such as flash hiders, bayonet mounts, sling swivels, and sight graduations had to be designed. Firearms historians have separated AR-10 production under

8364-421: The rifles or return them, and was invited to visit Cuba in return. Reportedly impressed with the firepower of the AR-10, Castro paid for the rifles and asked for more, but the American arms embargo to Cuba prohibited further sales. Castro later gave the rifles to rebels seeking to overthrow the leader of the Dominican Republic , General Rafael Trujillo . In June 1959, the rebels invaded the Dominican Republic in

8466-448: The same Stoner-designed 20-round lightweight aluminum 'waffle' magazine with pressed-in, corrugated sides, intended to be discarded in combat once emptied. AR-10 production was limited, though Guatemala , Burma , Italy , Cuba , Sudan and Portugal all purchased AR-10 rifles for limited issue to their military forces. Sudanese AR-10s were employed in frequent clashes with guerrilla forces and conflicts with neighboring countries, and

8568-399: The same firepower as an 11-man team armed with M14s and soldiers armed with AR-15s could also carry three times more ammunition than those armed with M14s (649 rounds vs. 220 rounds). The AR-15 was found to be three times more reliable than the M14 rifle. However, General Maxwell Taylor , then Army Chief of Staff, "vetoed" the AR-15 in favor of the M14. In 1959, ArmaLite—now frustrated with

8670-532: The select-fire M2 Carbine largely replaced the submachine gun in US service and became the most widely used Carbine variant. However, combat experience suggested that the .30 Carbine round was under-powered. American weapons designers concluded that an intermediate round was necessary, and recommended a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge. However, senior American commanders having faced fanatical enemies and experienced major logistical problems during WWII and

8772-425: The small arms production business altogether, and ceased all production of the AR-10 under its license from Fairchild-ArmaLite. By that time, fewer than 10,000 AR-10s had been produced, mostly military select-fire rifles, with a few semi-automatic only rifles produced for civilian use. All A.I. AR-10 parts inventories, tooling, and prototypes were either sold or scrapped; the barrel tooling was sold to Israel sometime in

8874-465: The speed of sound, while matching or exceeding the wounding ability of the .30 Carbine cartridge. This request ultimately resulted in the development of a scaled-down version of the ArmaLite AR-10 , called the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. In 1958, ArmaLite submitted ten AR-15s and one hundred 25-round magazines for CONARC testing. The tests found that a five to seven man team armed with AR-15s had

8976-414: The stock directly behind the action, and serves the dual function of operating spring and recoil buffer. The stock being in line with the bore also reduces muzzle rise, especially during automatic fire. Because recoil does not significantly shift the point of aim, faster follow-up shots are possible and user fatigue is reduced. Samuel Cummings Samuel Cummings , (February 7, 1927 – April 29, 1998)

9078-469: The strain caused by firing the heavy grenades. Additional sales of the AR-10 rifle were stymied after the Netherlands embargoed further shipments of the rifle to Portugal. Paratroopers deploying to Africa in later years were subsequently issued a collapsible stock version of the German Heckler & Koch G3 rifle. Nevertheless, the AR-10 continued in service with a few Portuguese airborne units and

9180-479: The termination of A.I.'s production contract. As a result, no AR-10 LMG variants were ever sold. In 1995, former Army Ordnance officer Mark Westrom, owner of Eagle Arms , purchased the ArmaLite brand and the company became ArmaLite Inc. Shortly thereafter, ArmaLite Inc. introduced the completely new semi-automatic-only AR-10B rifle series. Notably, the AR-10B was not designed using the original AR-10 drawings from either ArmaLite or Artillerie Inrichtingen, but instead

9282-417: The time and is ammunition specific, since it does not have an adjustable gas port or valve to adjust the weapon to various propellant and projectile or barrel length specific pressure behavior. The AR-15 is a modular weapon system . It is easy to assemble, modify and repair using a few simple hand tools, and a flat surface to work on. The AR-15's upper receiver incorporates the fore stock, the charging handle,

9384-498: The world. In the 1950s and 1960s, Interarmco flooded the American market with military firearms, catering to souvenir-hungry GIs and sportsmen, and drastically undercutting domestic sporting-arms manufacturers. At the same time, Cummings became an export sales agent for various small arms manufacturers. Interarmco was an original exclusive agent for ArmaLite , and Cummings personally demonstrated its revolutionary AR-10 selective-fire rifle to various nations, including Nicaragua and

9486-553: Was a very small organization (as late as 1956 it had only nine employees, including Stoner). With Stoner as the chief design engineer, ArmaLite quickly released a number of unique rifle concepts. The first prototypes of the 7.62 mm AR-10 emerged between 1955 and early 1956. At the time, the United States Army was in the midst of testing several rifles to replace the obsolete M1 Garand . Springfield Armory 's T44E4 and heavier T44E5 were essentially updated versions of

9588-630: Was an American small arms dealer. He founded the International Armament Corporation (also known as Interarms or Interarmco ) in 1953, a company which came to dominate the free world market in private arms sales. He died on April 29, 1998, in Monaco after a series of strokes. Cummings was born in Philadelphia and became interested in weapons after acquiring a Maxim gun from a disused American Legion hall at

9690-667: Was an improved M1 Garand with a 20-round magazine and automatic fire capability. The U.S. also adopted the M60 general purpose machine gun (GPMG). Its NATO partners adopted the FN FAL and HK G3 rifles , and the FN MAG and Rheinmetall MG3 GPMGs. The first confrontations between the AK-47 and the M14 came in the early part of the Vietnam War . Battlefield reports indicated that the M14

9792-453: Was based on the AR-15A2 , with parts scaled up or redesigned as needed to fire the 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 Winchester) cartridge. The AR-10B prototype was composed of individual sub-components tested on a special lower receiver made of two slabs of aluminum fitted to a Knight's Armament Company SR-25 upper receiver assembly, and prototyped using computer analysis. The full prototype AR-10B was

9894-461: Was contingent on a successful completion of a 7,500-round endurance test. With the AR-10 in short supply, Cummings left his personal demonstrator rifle with Nicaragua's chief military commander, General Anastasio Somoza , who personally conducted the endurance test trial. While General Somoza was firing this rifle for the trial, the bolt lug over the ejector sheared off and flew past Somoza's head. The general angrily returned Cummings' AR-10 and canceled

9996-621: Was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 1998, after shooting her boyfriend Roberto Villegas. Interarms was later acquired by the High Standard Manufacturing Company . Samuel Cummings and Interarms appear as relevant subjects in the well known 1974 Italian movie While There's War There's Hope ("Finché c'è guerra c'è speranza") starring and directed by Alberto Sordi . Cummings also appears in Anthony Sampson 's 1991 two-part BBC2 documentary about

10098-527: Was in use as late as 1975 in the Portuguese Timor (now East Timor ) decolonization emergency. Fairchild-ArmaLite was dissatisfied with the delays in setting up the tooling and production at A.I. for the AR-10, and made it clear that they would not be renewing A.I.'s license to produce the rifle. By 1960, hampered by Dutch export restrictions and discouraged by the lack of arms sales to major national purchasers, Artillerie Inrichtingen decided to exit

10200-546: Was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver), the new redesigned rifle (the AR-15) was subsequently adopted by the U.S. military as the M16 rifle . Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its line of semi-automatic-only rifles , which it marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers as the Colt AR-15 . ArmaLite began as a small engineering concern founded by George Sullivan,

10302-461: Was uncontrollable in full-auto and that soldiers could not carry enough ammo to maintain fire superiority over the AK-47. While the M2 Carbine offered a high rate of fire, it was under-powered and ultimately outclassed by the AK-47. A replacement was needed: a medium between the traditional preference for high-powered rifles, such as the M14, and the lightweight firepower of the M2 Carbine. As

10404-434: Was zeroed by drifting the rear sight. The receiver is made from forged and machined aluminum to reduce weight. The bolt locks into an extension on the barrel instead of the receiver allowing for a lightweight receiver while not compromising the strength of the bolt locking mechanism. On a few prototype guns, an all-aluminum ("Sullaloy") barrel was fitted at the insistence of George Sullivan – ArmaLite's president – though after

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