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The AR-15 has been celebrated for decades not just for being extremely accurate and reliable, but also for its customizing capabilities. Hunters, competitive shooters, and police have consistently applauded this weapon, and reasonably so. Since the 1994 federal assault weapons ban expired in 2004, sales for semi-automatic firearms, especially the AR-15s, have skyrocketed.
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The first model is now a major collector’s item because of several favorite discontinued features. The original model was designed solely for police and military use but has since been adapted for civilians. A lot has changed for the AR-15 it is significantly heavier, more widespread, and has gained notoriety for its use in crimes across the globe. The semi-automatic M4 carbines (available as A2 or A3 models) are arguably their best ARs and are just one of many great weapons in their XM-15 line. Nevertheless, Bushmaster’s AR-15 models are considered top of the line and are used by militaries and law enforcement agencies around the world. Colt bought the rights to the gun from ArmaLite in the late 1950’s, which is the source of the “AR” ( ArmaLite Rifle) distinction. The reason I refer to it as a variant is because, technically, Colt owns the trademark and all other brands simply replicate it. The American-based company, currently owned by the Freedom Group, is the leading distributor of AR-15 variants in the U.S. Bushmaster Firearms International has been making world-class rifles ever since 1973, and most famously, their AR-15 variants.