AR-15 design question

[Fletchette]

Way back when Armalite was developing the AR-15, before it became the M-16, the design had a charging handle extending up from the bolt carrier that cycled within the top assembly carry handle. Since it was attached directly, it cycled once each shot, and could be used as a "bolt forward assist". Why was this deleted? After it was deleted, the military decided it wanted a forward assist and the strange angled push-button-type assist was added to the side of the reciever. Why not just use the original design?

Keep in mind this was all done a decade or so before we started seeing flattops for scope mounting.

 

[Dionysusigma]

IIRC, it was because they had already started using the carry handle as a mounting point. If you've got a nut and a small amount of threads in the way of the charging handle, you can't manually cycle the action without hitting the mounting screw.

After it was deleted, the military decided it wanted a forward assist and the strange angled push-button-type assist was added to the side of the reciever. Why not just use the original design?

It was deleted a long time before the military wanted a forward assist, and deleted by different people than those who later added the angled one.

 

[demusn1979]

your mixing the original ar 10 of the late 1950s and the m16!

 

[Fletchette]

Yeah, I was thinking of the AR-10.

Anyhow, I like the handle on the AR-10/15 design as opposed to a flattop as it is easier to see. Putting the scope too close to the bore axis makes me have to bend my neck over and raise the butt of the rifle so much that it isn't really on my shoulder. The handle is much more comfortable and the parallax is not really a problem.

 

[DMK]

Anyhow, I like the handle on the AR-10/15 design as opposed to a flattop as it is easier to see. Putting the scope too close to the bore axis makes me have to bend my neck over and raise the butt of the rifle so much that it isn't really on my shoulder. The handle is much more comfortable and the parallax is not really a problem.

I can see your point about the straight stock sitting kinda high on your shoulder(although it works nice from a prone position), but with optics on a carry handle you get more of a chin weld on the stock than a cheek weld.

 

[demusn1979]

AR-10 A2

 

[vanfunk]

IIRC, the deletion of the top-mounted "trigger" shaped charging handle was done in part because it presented a greater section of the receiver open to the elements. The slot left more room for foreign matter to enter and possibly gum up the works. I do not know whether this was a real-world vulnerability or not. I haven't heard much about the performance of the original AR-10 in actual combat conditions. Quite a few were tossed around in Africa in the 60's and 70's, but comments about the AR-10's performance seems scarce.

vanfunk