Difference in AR-15s
I am looking into buying an AR later in the year. I have researched the various manufacturers but I have a couple of questions about the various models. What are the differences in say like the AR-15, the M4 and the A4? Sorry if I come off like a novice.
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
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M4 is a carbine set up to the AR15 rifle. On the civilian version it includes a fake telescoping stock & a 16" tapered down barrel that accepts a grenade laucher. The barrel is also chrome lined. I believe the Bushamster M4 carbine is closest to the current military M16 carbine set up.
A4 or A3, depending on who make the rifle, stands for the type of rear sights on the rifle, usually A4 stands for a detachable carry handle sight.
I have a Rock River LAR-15 that has a fake telescoping stock, 16" heavy chrome moly wilson barrel (non chrome lined), national match 2 stage trigger, & A2 sights.
A2 sights are mounted on a fixed carry handle. They like the A3/4 sights are adjustable for both windage & elevation.
A1 sights were adjustable for windage only and couldn't be as fine tuned as the A2 rear sight system.
Hope this helps.
Edit: I think all of us here love to answer AR questions.
Regards,
FREE IRAQ
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A-1 = rear site adjustable for windage only, front site can be adjusted for elevation.
A-2 = rear site adjustable for both elevation and windage
A-3 = this nomenclature has been bastardized by several companies. It really had nothing to do with sight redesign, it has more to do with full auto versus burst trigger configuration. However, Colt and other AR clone makers use A-3 to designate flat top ARs. This varies from true military designations.
A-4 = Both front and rear sites can have picatinny rails, also can accept removable carry handle with A-2 sights, front site base can receive modified A-2 sights or other accessories.
Boomer
P.S. - Of course there are other design modfication with the A-1 through A-4 that are not talked about here.
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."
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Here is the picky one to point out that an "AR-15" is a Colt only. Other manufacturers did not use that Colt trademarked name. Some used "M15" or "E15" and the like, but only Colt used "AR-15" as a model name. (I say that with some qualification as I believe some small early clone makers may have used "AR-15" before they were stopped by Colt.) 0 -
Trivia ? - What does AR stand for?
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member0 -
Thanks for the info, guys! It is always helpful to us who have just started getting into this.
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.0 -
Boomerang- It stands for Automatic Rifle (I think)[;)]
Love them Beavers
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Armalite Rifle.
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Assault Rifle?
Regards,
FREE IRAQ0 -
Well varmit hunter is the closest to being correct. The AR refers to ARmaLite.
The ArmaLite Division of Fairchild developed the AR-15 in 1959. Fairchild licensed the rifle to the Colt's Patent Firearm Manufacturing Corporation, and Colt's assumed the AR-15 trademark. Early Colt rifles were marked "Colt ArmaLite 15."
BTW, I always thought the same thing varmit hunter.
Boomer
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed."NRA Life Member0
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