There are a great many advancements the AR15 has gone through since it’s original inception in the 1950’s.  The gun is probable in about a Generation 5 if you want to look at it the way Glock handguns are updated, actually, it’s probable been more so.   It was always a very easy platform to shoot from but now that competition shooting has asked those that engineer and design these guns to do more with it.   There are so many rail systems, trigger systems, barrel lengths and weights, that there is so much to choose from, that I really think that the majority of operators over think there applications.   The quad rail was a cool thing when it was being sold on AR15’s 10yrs ago, but many found out real fast that all it did was add weight to the rifle and most people didn’t put more than a grip, optic, co-witness iron sights, and usually a flashlight.

Now that the Magpul MOE stocks have taken a strong hold in the industry, people are not wasting space and energy with the M4 Carbines.   There seems to be a new trend towards gas piston designs  like the Adams Uppers due to the improved designs of piston guns.  There were a few companies that test them out like the AR18, but it was always kind of considered to be an odd choose and it didn’t look like an AR15.  Now that things have changed, I have to stop and stare at a gun for a few seconds to see if it’s a piston gun or a direct impingement.  The Ruger 556 is a rock solid design, but Adams would be my next choose and then finally the LWRC guns.