what year did the ar come off the drawing board? and what year was it issued,when was it seen in combat and when did it make it's showing at cam perry?
this has to be the rifle with the longes service history in the u.s

One of the best books out there is "The Black Rifle", it will have all the onfo you could ever want. I have read most of it. I cannot rememer specific dates but, I know it first saw action in vietnam with special forces soldiers. They were given these rifles so they could be evaluated. There are many first hand reports of this rifle literally taking off vc heads!!! also accounts of single rounds taking off arms of vc soldiers. The concept started in the 50's I beleive, that is the Small Caliber High Velocity(s.c.h.v.) concept. The theroy was that a smaller round than the standard 7.62 M1 round would do more damage because of its velocity than a bigger slower projectile, the theroy proved true in the case of the AR. There is a ton more info on this, as I said anyone interested in the history of the Ar-15 must go out and pick up "The Black Rifle". It has hundreds and hundreds of pages of info. It takes it from, just an idea all the way through current models. This book will answer all of your questions.

Lookie here!  [url]http://old.ar15.com/history/birth.asp[/url]

Norm

I know they spent a lot of time and money developing the 55gr FMJ. They experimented on anesthetized pigs at Fort Dix. Using high speed camera at the exit and entry points, as well as a high speed x-ray camera, they tracked the bullet from impact to exit, and fine tuned it to keyhole at a 75 degree angle for maximum damage.

It's a pretty deadly round.

Nope. not even close. I know the M1903 was used AT LEAST until Korea. Thats about 50 years. I'm still amazed that the Colt 1911 was used for 74 years. (1911-1985) Still a few in circulation though.

Just saw something the other day about our B-52 fleet.  Said they were hoping/planning to keep them flying til the 2040's.  That'd be about a 90 year life span for a bomber...impressive.

Longest service times?
I heard tales that units in Desert Storm were still using WWI trench shotguns to guard prisoners and supplies. 70+?

Yeah, what about Ma Deuce? What was it, 1924 when they introduced the 50 cal M-2???

The M-1 Garand was introduced in WWII to replace the M-03 Springfield bolt action. M1 was 8 shot.

M-14 replaced the Garand. Basically a clone of the Garand, the M-14 featured a 20 rd. mag that provided more fire power -- an issue that developed with the "wave" attacks in Korea.

Eugene Stoner introduced the AR-10 in the early 50's to compete with the M-14. The AR-10 was 7.62 cal. like the M-14. Too futuristic, and not necessary to replace the more traditional M-14.

Stoner developed the gun into a 5.56 cal and some Air Force general attended a cocktail party with Stoner where the gun was tried out on watermelons at 50, 100, and 150 yds. The General orded 80,000 for guarding air fields.

Introduced the AR-15 in early 60's in Viet Nam. MacNamara and that crew ordered them because of their comparative lighter weight.

Hard to get the traditionalists to accept the idea of a smaller caliber, less powerful round, but studies showed that most infantry were not engaging fire until under 200 yds. And the "aimed shot" was a myth.

Quote from the History Channel program:

"Only people who use an AK-47 are malcontents, political radicals, and those who can't afford an AR."

The AR was developed as a lightweight alternative to the M-14. Notice it keps getting heavier.
The AR was developed to be used at 200 yards. The AK can fulfill that need cheaper and more reliably.