<P> Colt started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR - 15 in 1964 . The first mass production version was the Colt AR - 15 Sporter , in . 223 Remington , with a 20 - inch barrel and issued with 5 - round magazines . Over the decades , Colt has made many different types of AR - 15 rifle and carbine models , including the AR - 15 , AR - 15A2 , AR - 15A3 , AR - 15A4 , and many other models . </P>
<P> Colt started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR - 15 in 1964 . The first mass production version was the Colt AR - 15 Sporter , in . 223 Remington , with a 20 - inch barrel and issued with 5 - round magazines . Over the decades , Colt has made many different types of AR - 15 rifle and carbine models , including the AR - 15 , AR - 15A2 , AR - 15A3 , AR - 15A4 , and many other models . </P>
when was ar 15 made available to the public
when was ar 15 made available to the public
1964
1964