The AR-15 went from an Air Force-era design to the most popular rifle platform in America. These are the key dates along the way.
Design and origins
- 1956: Eugene Stoner designs the 7.62 NATO ArmaLite AR-10 battle rifle.
- 1958: A lighter variant of the AR-10 is designed for military use and named the ArmaLite model 15, the AR-15.
- 1959: Financial problems and limited production capacity lead ArmaLite to sell the AR-15 and AR-10 designs and trademarks to Colt.
Civilian rifles and open production
- 1964: Colt begins selling its own civilian version, the SP1 Sporter in .223 Remington, the first commercial model.
- 1977: Most Colt AR-15 patents expire, and many manufacturers begin producing copies.
- 1986: The Army adopts the M16A2, which adds a brass deflector.
Federal law
- 1994: The Federal Assault Weapons Ban restricts sales of the Colt AR-15 and some derivatives.
- 2004: The federal ban expires.