The AR15

Aired in January of 2015, this episode was recorded before we spun off all the firearms-related topics to “Gordon’s Gun Closet”. The world is full of misinformation about the AR¹, so it’s high time we re-aired this discussion. Enjoy!

Mikhail Kalashnikov and Eugene Stoner exchange rifles, ca. 1997

From the original show notes: In this episode we take a look at that most ubiquitous of modern rifles, the M16 variant of the AR15. Whether the select-fire military-issue variant or single-shot civilian model, Eugene Stoner’s revolutionary design has become the iconic long arm of the modern age, so we thought it was time to dispel some of the myths and explain some of the idiosyncrasies of this ballistic marvel. I'd make a "trigger warning" disclaimer but that wouldn't be tactful.

Links:

• Massacre of Novgorod (1570)

• Rhubarb

• Jean Pierre Blanchard: Made First U.S. Aerial Voyage in 1793

• Common Sense (pamphlet) by Thomas Paine (1776)

• First cargo down the Mississippi (1812)

• Banana Wars - US Marines invade Honduras (1912)

• 50-ft Revolutionary War-era ship found near hotel site

• HMS Terror shipwreck discovered

• Caduceus vs Staff of Asclepius (drblayney.com)

• The Paradise (TV Series 2012–2013) (imdb.com)

• Half in the Bag Episode 101: The Hateful Eight and The Ridiculous 6 (sort of)

• Submachine gun

• PPS h41

• PPS submachine gun

• Sturmgewehr 44

• 7.62×39mm - the M43

• SKS

• Mikhail Kalashnikov

• AK47

1. Eg. “AR” stands for “Armalite”, not “automatic rifle”.