Commonly called “America’s rifle” by gun enthusiasts. This is the civilian version of the standard rifle of the American military since the Vietnam War. It is identical in most respects to the military version except that it lacks the capacity for automatic fire. It is thus at the center of debates about assault rifles and gun control. The letter designation does not stand for Assault Rifle but for Armalite, the name of the company that produced the original design for the military. The rifle is commonly sold in its military caliber of .223/5.56X45mm but is also offered in the larger .308/7.62X51mm.
