The Evolution...
From the Vietnam War era, into today's modern warfare applications, the design of the AR-15 platform has remained tried and true...
The military-specific: M16 has evolved since the Vietnam War era into several variants with modifications that suit the military’s needs. The M16-A2 shot 3 rounds for every trigger pull instead of the sustained fire of full-automatic of the fully-automatic M16-A1 rifle. The 3 round burst of the M16-A2 proved the shots to be more accurate on the target because the recoil did not affect the shooter’s target acquisition until the 4th round was discharged. The newest variation of the M16 today is the M16-A4, which is currently the standard issued rifle for the United States Marine Corps. The design of the AR-15 has also evolved into several battlefield rifles used throughout the U.S. military. The most modern evolution of the AR-15 platform used in our military is the M4. The M4 is the standard issued rifle for the United States Army, and also has several variations that differentiate in selective fire, barrel lengths, and attachments such as grenade launchers. The M4 is categorized as a carbine rifle, due to its operating system and rifle barrel being shorter than a typical full length and mid-length M16 and AR-15 platform. This carbine is much lighter and maneuverable for the close-quarter combat that our military’s infantry is typically faced with in modern warfare.
The military-specific: M16 has evolved since the Vietnam War era into several variants with modifications that suit the military’s needs. The M16-A2 shot 3 rounds for every trigger pull instead of the sustained fire of full-automatic of the fully-automatic M16-A1 rifle. The 3 round burst of the M16-A2 proved the shots to be more accurate on the target because the recoil did not affect the shooter’s target acquisition until the 4th round was discharged. The newest variation of the M16 today is the M16-A4, which is currently the standard issued rifle for the United States Marine Corps. The design of the AR-15 has also evolved into several battlefield rifles used throughout the U.S. military. The most modern evolution of the AR-15 platform used in our military is the M4. The M4 is the standard issued rifle for the United States Army, and also has several variations that differentiate in selective fire, barrel lengths, and attachments such as grenade launchers. The M4 is categorized as a carbine rifle, due to its operating system and rifle barrel being shorter than a typical full length and mid-length M16 and AR-15 platform. This carbine is much lighter and maneuverable for the close-quarter combat that our military’s infantry is typically faced with in modern warfare.
AR-15 VARIATIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS:
*** The table above lists several common variations of the AR-15 platform. Many weapons manufacturers today have produced modified variants of the AR-15. The features of the different models vary upon meeting the demands of the military's needs. These modifications are prioritized based on certain applications, settings, and performance expectations.