AR15 vs AR10: the difference

The AR-10 and AR-15 are common firearms, and both have proven themselves.

They are light, compact and accurate models with a wide range of options, but if you are faced with the choice of which of these rifles is better and more suitable for you, the answer may not be obvious. Let's look into this matter! Let's start with the history. The AR-10 was released by Armalite, after the AR-1 and AR-5 models in 1954. Unfortunately for the manufacturer, the new rifle did not pass the test at the arms competition for the US Army, in those years, as a result of which improvements were made, so over time a gun with the AR-15 marking appeared. The AR-10 is an air-cooled, gas-powered, light assault rifle that fires the NATO standardized 7.62x51mm cartridge. Bullets are loaded into a 20-round magazine. This is a very comfortable and light rifle, its weight varies from 3.29 to 4.05 kilograms without a magazine and ammunition. The AR-10 rifle was a real breakthrough in technology and materials used. The AR-10's barrel, slide, and slide frame are made of steel, but a number of parts are made of aluminum alloy, and fittings are made of impact-resistant plastic. The widespread use of light alloys and plastics in the design of the rifle made it possible to reduce the weight of the firearm. Automation is based on the removal of powder gasses from the bore into the gas chamber, where they act on a piston that drives the bolt carrier. The barrel is locked by turning the bolt. The receiver consists of an upper and lower halves, fastened with two transverse pins. The loading handle is located on top of the receiver, under the carrying handle. The trigger mechanism is of the trigger type, the three-position fuse-translator of modes is located on the left side of the firearm above the pistol grip and provides for firing with single shots and continuous bursts (on civilian self-loading versions, the translator is two-position). The shutter rammer is missing. There is a shutter delay. Sights consist of a front sight located on the base of the gas chamber, and a rear sight built into the carrying handle. Direct gas shock gives the AR-10 a high cyclic rate of fire. The rifle can fire 700 rounds per minute with a muzzle velocity of 845 meters or 2772 feet per second. Not all rifles can boast of such characteristics. The AR-10 is 1,029 meters (40.5 in) long, the barrel alone is 0.5 meters (20 in).

As for the popular counterpart, the AR-15 rifle, it shares most of the same designs as the AR-10, it has the same direct gas shock design and is an even lighter version, using a 5.56x45mm cartridge in 20 or 30 magazines. cartridges. With the same iconic design, this rifle boasts incredible lightness thanks to the Nelonite material used in its construction. As a result, we have a gun weighing from 2.2 to 3.9 kilograms. This rifle operates with a rotating bolt, and the use of the direct gas shock function provides a cyclic rate of fire in the region of 800 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity of 975 meters per second. This gives the rifle a maximum effective range of 550 meters or 600 yards, with a length of 1.006 meters (39.63 inches) and a barrel length of 0.508 meters (20 inches). What other differences are there between these types of firearms, with regard to triggers or buffer tubes, these parts are either the same or interchangeable, these nuances can not be touched upon. From the above, it can be seen that an important difference is the weight of the models. The AR-10 is by far the lightest firearm, which of course allows it to be carried for extended periods of time. However, with the advent of the AR-15 version, this quality has been further improved, which makes the rifle a benchmark in its kind. If you do not plan to use this firearm on long hikes, then this quality may not be decisive, but on long safaris or hikes, it is worth remembering this. And when weight matters, the AR-15 is the better choice.

As for bullets, both models have a lot of possibilities. But for the AR-10, the bullets will be heavier, which means that there will be more kinetic energy transferred to the target, and the distance will also be greater. The AR-15 bullets, on the other hand, are capable of moving at higher speeds and have a higher rate of fire. Thus, the target will be hit by a large number of bullets. Therefore, if you, for example, are a hunter and your hobby is big game hunting, then the AR-10 option will be more preferable for you. Since the stopping power of the bullet of this rifle will be greater. The same goes for snipers, thanks to their longer range. If you are a small game hunter, then you better pay attention to the owl AR-15, it is also better suited for self-defense and close combat, due to its rate of fire and smaller size, and therefore maneuverability. It is worth mentioning the difference in returns. The recoil of the AR-10 due to the greater weight of the projectile will be higher than that of the AR-15, this should not be forgotten when choosing a rifle. Luckily, the big advantage of these rifles is that they offer recoil absorbing technology, but don't forget that a larger projectile requires more powder, which means more force, which will inevitably lead to more recoil and your shoulders will definitely feel the difference.

Also, the AR-15 will be a more attractive option if you want to customize the rifle yourself, as there is much more variety for this type of firearm. AR-10 is suitable for those who want to buy a ready-made version. AR-15 will be easier to build yourself, this rifle is more common and the choice of parts for customization will be wider.

We won't focus on accuracy since both rifles score high on this point, but if we talk about the difference, the AR-15 has a slightly better accuracy score due to the lighter recoil. Well, at the end of our comparison, we would like to note that the choice of firearms for personal use is always an important and crucial moment, because this rifle is the thing that will be with you for many years. There is no doubt about the reliability of these two copies, but it is worth wondering what goals you are pursuing by making this purchase. You should absolutely clearly answer this question, so as not to experience later disappointment. If you're more into big guns and intend to use them for big game hunting or want to try your hand at sniping and shoot long distances or over obstacles, then the Ar-10 is the better choice if you want a rifle with a better rate of fire or a more maneuverable, lighter weight rifle for close range or small game hunting tasks, the AR-15 is your gun. The decision to buy one or the other will be up to you, so you just need to answer these questions, which is more suitable for you. We hope you can make the right decision, we wish you good luck with it!