Both the AR-15 and the M4 are based on the Armalite Rifle design from Eugene Stoner in the 1950s. These rifles have, in their respective roles, served the United States well since the Vietnam War.
In service arenas, they are both select-fire, automatic combat rifles capable of fully automatic fire, but they differ in terms of historical context, features, and handling characteristics. These high-profile firearms have been dissected and discussed at length by both firearms enthusiasts and within the public arena – and here we’ll detail the histories, similarities, and differences between these two rifles and offer you some examples that can be purchased and used by civilians today.
