The AR-15 is an American semi-automatic rifle designed in 1956 by Eugene Stoner and L. James Sullivan, based on the AR-10. AR stands for ArmaLite, its original manufacturer. The early design feature a top-mounted charging handle inside the carry handle. Its selective fire variant was eventually adopted by the U.S. military as the M16.
Predominantly available in .223/5.56mm caliber, the rifle enjoys a huge popularity for its accuracy, and controllable recoil, as well as modular and customizable design despite surrounding controversies. Therefore various companies manufacture and market such rifles.
Any non-military issue rifle of this design is properly labelled AR-15 regardless of specific subvariant. Or for any AR-15-style rifles of less-known, unspecified model.
Usage context is for non-military, civilian setting. Because further artistic details of fire selector can be rendered invisible or insignificant most of the time.
This tag should not be used altogether to refer several better-known, AR-based military-grade rifles such as the M16, Colt Commando, M4 Carbine, or HK416.
