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.
when was the ar 15 released to the public
1964