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The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in American history, with an estimated 20+ million in civilian hands as of 2024. Designed by Eugene Stoner at ArmaLite in the late 1950s, it was adopted by the US military as the M16 in 1963. The civilian semi-automatic variant became available to the public and has since been continuously refined into the most modular firearm platform ever created. Every major component — barrel, handguard, stock, trigger, upper receiver, lower receiver — is interchangeable across manufacturers adhering to Mil-Spec tolerances.
The AR-15's dominance comes from its ergonomics (inline recoil reduces muzzle rise), modularity (thousands of accessories), affordability of the 5.56mm cartridge (enabling high-volume training), and the depth of aftermarket support. From $599 Anderson lowers to $3,000+ Daniel Defense rifles, the platform scales across every budget. It is the benchmark for modern sporting rifles and the focal point of most 2A political debate.
