The Stoner Rifle
What can I say about how this weapon system has evolved? From Eugene Stoners brainchild of a super light weight fast firing 5.56mm rifle of the year 1959 to what it has become today, I cant do it without writing a book. Factually its been the standard issue rifle longer than any weapon in US history. Its personally my favorite(everything is in the right place, the selector safety lever, the bolt hold open lever, the magazine release, the sights, and well you have to try it, because the system is the best thing since the invention of sliced bread to me). There’s a really good book if you want great info on it, its called the Black rifle controversy by Edward Ezell and it gives in detail the story of the procurement of the Armalite AR15 in the 1960s and how it became the Colt M16. Anyway these pics will do Eugene Stoner proud (God rest his soul) and shows the longevity of his system. Pic #1 is a early Colt SP1 dated 1964 this is a civilian semi auto only rifle but in every respect is identical to the early armilite rifle. Pic #2 is a X-RAY of a Bushmaster M4 semi auto carbine (really shows the fundamentals of the system). Pic #3 top is a ZM weapons carbine, this design uses a totally different gas system (piston operated in place of direct gas), the lower one is a home built M4 copy of unknown manufacture (pretty cool though). Pic #4 is another M4 home build that was built by someone with way too much time and $$$ LOL. Pic #5 is a copy of a Springfield Armory ad selling wood furniture for the AR. Pic #6 is a Knights SR-15, almost identical to the M16A4 besides being semi auto only. Pic #7 is a hodgepodge of how this rifle has evolved, the rifles pictured are of unknown caliber and utilize the CAV-15 polymer lower receiver.
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