"AR" doesn't equal Assault Rifle?!

**Luker** · 02-10-2023, 07:15

Originally Posted by AK-Gunner

No, Just Armalite as stated many times previously.

Great to see you on the forum again.

**AK-Gunner** · 02-10-2023, 13:57

Thank you. Yes, it's been an interesting past half a year. I'll be back soon for real and finish my tale of the previous trip to SRA for sure

Edit: oh boy, my journal has now almost 300k views, maybe I really should do something about it

The history of ArmaLite and the interpretation of the 'AR' designation is a bit fuzzy, because the company name, not the actual company, has been resurrected several times after Fairchild dissolved its association with ArmaLite in 1962. Since then several factions have had the rights to the company name, not everyone have even produced any guns, so the history is more or less distorted. That's why depending on the current owner at the times, there are versions of ArmaLite websites stating either 'AR stands for ArmaLite' or 'AR equals ArmaLite Rifle'. Some of the more current owners have gone with the latter, because they only produce rifles, so in some way both are correct depending on 'which' rendition of ArmaLite we are talking about.

I'm old, hence 'AR stands for ArmaLite' is the one for me

**oafpatroll** · 02-10-2023, 14:23

Originally Posted by AK-Gunner

I'm old, hence 'AR stands for ArmaLite' is the one for me

Welcome back AK.

Given that it was common to all of their firearm product designs including a sporting shotgun it's safe to say that it didn't stand for 'armalite rifle' at the time that it was originally applied. I tend towards thinking it may not have stood for anything at all as I have never come across any definitive, first person account from anyone involved at the time.

**AJR** · 03-10-2023, 10:48

One can argue AR stands for assault rifle in colloquial terms, which has become endemnic. Its like 'jeep', 'hoover', 'google' or 'fridge'. Entrenched in usage?

**oafpatroll** · 03-10-2023, 11:50

Originally Posted by AJR

One can argue AR stands for assault rifle in colloquial terms, which has become endemnic. Its like 'jeep', 'hoover', 'google' or 'fridge'. Entrenched in usage?

Except that its overwhelmingly used to describe semi-auto rifles which are by definition not assault rifles.

**SSP** · 03-10-2023, 12:01

Originally Posted by oafpatroll

Except that its overwhelmingly used to describe semi-auto rifles which are by definition not assault rifles.

Or even Armalite pattern semi auto rifles.

**AK-Gunner** · 03-10-2023, 17:07

Originally Posted by AJR

One can argue AR stands for assault rifle in colloquial terms, which has become endemnic. Its like 'jeep', 'hoover', 'google' or 'fridge'. Entrenched in usage?

No, not really, because not many people actually have an AR-15 assault rifle, just a semi automatic sporter in the same general configuration. I did carry and use one in Africa a lifetime ago: a select fire Colt model 613, which was an AR-15 which in fact WAS an assault rifle with AR-15 roll marks and all. Basically an export version of M16A1 configuration.

The designation 'AR-15' however has become 'jeep', hoover', 'crapper' kind of a generic common name for weapons of similar configuration. Most who say they have an AR-a15... don't. It is an 'AR-15' if it's made by the original Armalite Company in 1950s or by Colt who bought the rights to the design and the name in 1959.

Hence there's this saying: "If it's not s Colt, it's a copy".

Calling a civvy 'AR-15' an assault rifle is just pure ignorance.