What does "AR" stand for?

Armalite Rifle, maybe.

ARmalite-15

Eugene Stoner designed the AR-15 while working for the Armalite Division of Fairchild Aircraft.

Not to be confused with the present day Armalite company who makes AR-15's with the same name. They just bought the trademark & name in 1995 and were formerly called Eagle Arms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArmaLite

rc

Armalite -15 just like posted above but dont get confused the liberal media thinks it means Assault Rifle (its really a sporting rifle)

ARmalite named all their designs AR-something. The current Armalite does the same thing. Even the handguns and shotguns were/are AR-something as in the current AR-24 series which is a 9mm handgun. The AR-15 became by far their most successful design to the point that when people say AR they usually mean the AR-15 despite AR meaning anything designed by Armalite. Sort of in the same way that people say coke even when it's any brand of cola.

Another Rifle

If I remember correctly -
AR-5 was ArmaLite's bolt-action survival rifle, .22 Hornet.
AR-7 was ArmaLite's semi-automatic survival rifle, .22 Long Rifle.
AR-10 was ArmaLite's semi-automatic battle rifle cum light machinegun, 7.62mm NATO.
AR-20 was ArmaLite's semi-automatic shotgun, 12-gauge.

I have forgotten who manufactured the AR-20. I know the Dutch bought some AR-10s in the late 50s / early 60s. Argus/Henry makes the AR-7.

So, as others have indicated, it's pretty bogus to think that AR stands for "Assault Rifle"!

(On the other hand, the "AR" in CAR-15 may stand for Colt Assault Rifle or maybe Colt Automatic Rifle ... it was a short-barreled selective-fire carbine based on the AR-15 ... shorter than an M4 ... the Army called it the XM177.)

Almost Rotten

Almost Reliable

AllRight but not as good as a AK

Armalite Rifle, maybe

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That is the correct answer. AR 15 was Armalite Rifle - 15th design.

That is the correct answer. AR 15 was Armalite Rifle - 15th design.

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Makes sense.............kinda like WD-40. Water displacing, 40th formula.

gunsandreligion said:

AllRight but not as good as a AK

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hahaha good one.

It is kind of a catch all now as well, but basically it also means ' auto-rifle' or semi auto rifle. It is usually 100% associated with the American ' eville black rifle ' , and so when you say AR, most folks simply think you are talking about our basic military style rifle, the AR.
So if it looks something akin/like this;
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=144148607#PIC
COLT AR 15 LIGHTWEIGHT SPORTER 223 NIB *REDUCED*

then most peeps just call it an ar...

Eugene Stoner designed the AR-15 while working for the Armalite Division of Fairchild Aircraft.

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Technically speaking, Stoner did not design the AR-15. He designed the 308 AR-10. L. James Sullivan produced the plans for the scaled down AR-10 in 223 which became the AR-15.

America's Rifle?

Kernel said:

America's Rifle?

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not quite lol

postal code for Arkansas

Anyone who has ever owned an AR-7 knows that AR can't possibly be short for assault rifle.... lol

A .22 LR all aluminum and plastic gun (yeah, even the barrel is aluminum, with a steel sleeve... lol... in all fairness the bolt is steel)... the whole gun breaks down and fits into the stock... and it floats (the stock is filled with Styrofoam)... the problem is that it only has a 10 rnd capacity and it jams more often than it shoots...

Armalite had some great products.... the AR-7 was not one of them....

Always ready

huh, always thought it meant Assault Rifle

huh, always thought it meant Assault Rifle

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Most common assumption.

Armalite Rifle, maybe

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That is the correct answer. AR 15 was Armalite Rifle - 15th design.

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No, it just stands for ARmalite not "Armalite Rifle", all their design are call AR-# even if it was a shotgun or a handgun.

Amazing Rifle