AR-15 Series Archives

The AR-15 is the most popular rifle in the country. This guide discusses a good first rifle configuration, and provides some technical info to back it up.

You know how that “teach a man to fish” saying goes? I always thought it was a little pithy, but it wasn’t wrong. I’m going to review common AR-15 specs and explain what they mean.

There really is a lot of misunderstanding surrounding the designated marksman rifle. That’s partly due to the fact that it’s more of a concept than anything else. Since the concept’s inception into the US military, the actual rifle configuration is changed every few years. The role of the rifle has not, however.

The original SEAL Recce Rifle was an in-house modification to M4 carbines. The history goes back to the early 1990s. Since they were so individualized, there really wasn’t a spec, but there is an accepted pattern to follow.

Next to barrels, AR-15 trigger selection is the most contentious issue for enthusiasts. It’s actually frustrating, because so much of it is personal preference, yet everyone will tell you unequivocally that you should get whatever model they like.

Most articles walk you through the basic steps of getting your iron sights zeroed, but they lack an explanation of why you’re doing the steps you’re doing. Let’s change that.

RIBZ stands for Revised Improved Battlesight Zero. It’s a method of adjusting standard military carry handle sights to allow a wider range of zeroes. This leverages one of the primary benefits of the adjustable sights over fixed sights. This guide shows you how to implement RIBZ.

One of the great mysteries of the modern AR-15 is the so-called Government profile barrel. The original AR-15, and M16, had the so-called “standard” profile. Today, we call this a “pencil” profile. When the design work for the M16A2 happened in the 80’s, the design team shifted away from the lightweight style. The thicker barrel at the muzzle became the new standard. Eventually, all modern enthusiasts ask why that happened.

This post summarizes just about everything I’ve learned about rifle barrels in general, and specifically the AR-15. Barrels are an important topic, so settle in for some details.