AR-15–style pistol explained

An AR-15–style pistol is a handgun assembled using an AR-15–style receiver with suitable parts to create a pistol held and fired with one hand.

History

Colt's Manufacturing Company began marketing the Colt AR-15 self-loading rifle in 1964.^[1] These rifles were assembled from interchangeable parts designed to allow replacement of malfunctioning parts without the gunsmith skills and tools required for most firearms. Other manufacturers produced similar parts with features not found on production rifles.^[2] Some of these parts can be assembled to create firearms with overall length or barrel-length shorter than rifle dimensions specified by law. These small firearms may be defined as pistols by local laws.^[3]

Disadvantages

• The AR-15–style receiver is larger and heavier than most handgun actions.^[3]
• Many AR-15 cartridges produce lower velocity with distracting muzzle flash and muzzle blast when fired from pistol barrels.^[4]

Publicity

AR-15–style pistols have been publicized by Hollywood films including Clear and Present Danger, Bad Boys, and Spawn.^[3]

They have been used in mass shootings in Boulder, Colorado,^[5] and Dayton, Ohio.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Bob Hutton & Bob Forker . A Beautiful Marriage: .223 Remington and Colt's AR-15 'Sporter' . Guns & Ammo . October 1964.
2. Web site: Modern Sporting Rifle . . 27 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171228133617/https://www.nssf.org/msr/ . 28 December 2017 . live . dmy-all .
3. Web site: The AR-15 Pistol Seemed Like a Bad Joke at First . Cavanaugh . Darien . . . 7 August 2021 .
4. Web site: The PSA PG-9 Shockwave: The Ideal AR Pistol for Home Defense? . Horman . B. Gil . . 7 August 2021 .
5. Web site: Sanchez . Ray . The Colorado suspect allegedly used an AR-15-style pistol. Here’s how it differs from an AR-15-style rifle . www.cnn.com . CNN . 13 May 2023.
6. Web site: Chappell . Bill . The Pistol That Looks Like A Rifle: The Dayton Shooter's Gun . npr.org . National Public Radio . 13 May 2023.