Many people are looking for a rifle for sport shooting, home defense purposes, or even adding to their firearm collection. At the same time, they might not know exactly which firearm they want to choose. Two of the most popular firearms are the AR-15 and the M16. Both of these rifles have a reputation for reliability, durability, and accuracy. The AR-15 and M16 each pack quite a punch, stand up the routine wear and tear and can be fired continuously without wearing out the user. Are the AR-15 and M16 the same thing? Are there any differences between the AR-15 and M16? There are a few key points to keep in mind when comparing.

A Quick Overview of the AR-15

First, let’s take a closer look at the AR-15. When people think about the AR-15, they usually think about the mainstay infantry weapon in the United States military. The AR-15 itself was developed in the 1950s by ArmaLite by a man named Eugene Stone. Eventually, ArmaLite sold his patent to Colt, who took over mass production of the AR-15. Eventually, they provided hundreds of thousands of AR-15s to the United States military during the Vietnam War.

Today, the AR-15 has a reputation as one of the most popular rifles in America, which means that there are millions of AR-15’s now in civilians’ hands. Therefore, many people joke that the AR stands for “America’s Rifle;” however, it merely serves to pay homage to its roots with ArmaLite.

The M16, The First Rifle Sent to Vietnam

After Colt won the manufacturing contract from the United States Military to begin producing the AR-15, the M16 was actually the first rifle to be shipped to Vietnam. The M16 got off to a rocky start during the Vietnam war. Many soldiers found that the M16 magazine was not reliable—the problems with the magazine frustrated troops who were in the middle of a firefight during the war.

Even though the M16 did have some issues related to its chamber, it has also become one of the most popular military weapons. There are currently four variations of the M16 that are in service with the United States military. As the M16 has continued to evolve, numerous optics, accessories, and handguards have been added to make them more adaptable to whatever environment they are being used in.

The Difference Between the AR-15 and the M16

So, what are the differences between the AR-15 and the M16? Are they the same thing? One of the easiest ways to think about this is that every M16 is an AR-15; however, not all AR-15s are an M16. At the basic level, the M16 is a fully automatic rifle. The AR-15 a semi-automatic only. At the same time, remember that the original AR-15 was fully automatic. It was made semi-automatic for civilian purposes.

Ultimately, the M16 uses the foundation of the AR-15 and modifies it slightly. The AR-15 is primarily seen today as the foundation of all other semi-automatic rifles and automatic rifles that the military uses to this day. The M16 was created with a few modifications from the basic AR-15 design to make it more useful for the military’s purposes.

In addition, the AR-15 was also modified slightly for civilian purposes. The lower receiver of the AR-15 does not have a third trigger pinhole for the safety selector. The trigger pocket is also mailed slightly differently to accommodate for this change. Those who look closely at the M16 and AR-15 might notice these differences.

Modify Your Firearm for Your Purposes with Help from Ghost, Inc!

Just as the M16 was modified from the foundation of the AR-15, you should feel free to modify your firearm as well if you are looking for high-quality firearm modifications for your handgun, such as a Glock, been relying on the team from Ghost, Inc to help you! For example, you may be looking to upgrade to a MOAB for your AR-15 or check out the Valkyrie muzzle brake. This will prevent you from getting tired if you go through several magazines of ammunition! Or, you might be looking for a way to change the grip of your handgun! When you modify your handgun to meet your needs, you make it more durable, reliable, and accurate! Therefore, take a look at everything that Ghost has to offer today! 

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