What AR trends (and when) do you remember?

[G19A3]

I have noticed AR's and their accessories run in trends (which EVERYONE praised as THE BEST until some other new trend replaced it). I'm trying to compile a list, in chronologic order, of CIVILIAN AR trends. Please post what trends AND when you observed them. I will update this list with what you guys post. These trends are what I remember (Please correct if you see an error or to narrow down when the trend started / ended):

1. Triangular to Round handguards - Mid 80's.

2. Carry handle mounted optic, especially w/ Leatherwood & ARMS mounts - Mid 80's to Late 90's.

3. Bushmaster AR's - Early 90's.

4. 10.5" barrels w/ permanently attached 5.5" fake XM177E2-type flash suppressors - Early 90's.

5. Aimpoint red dot sights - 1993 (Post-Somalia).

6. 3-point slings - 1993 (?) (Replaced by single point slings in 2002).

7. Flat-top upper receivers - 1994.

8. KAC AR's & Colt 6721 Tactical Carbines - 1994 (Definitely right before pre-ban era).

9. Free floated Rail Systems (inspired by SOCOM SOPMOD, Block 1, ARMS & KAC were the major competitors) - 1993 to 1995.

10. Vertical forward grips (originated by KAC) - 1995 (?).

11. ACOG's (specifically TA01NSN) - 1995 (?).

12. HBAR barrels w/ 1/9" twist - Mid-90's.

13. ARMS SIR rails- 1999

14. Colt-type 14.5" barrels w/ M203 stepdown cut - 2000 (?).

15. RRA AR's - 2002 (?) (Right before the DEA contract).

16. Single point slings - 2002 (?) (Replaced by 2-point, quick adjust slings in 2003).

17. Magpul stock (forget the abbreviation) - 2003.

18. Double point, quick adjust slings - 2003 (?).

19. LaRue anything - 2003/2004.

20. TAP 5.56mm ammo & the 70+ grain pills - 2004 (?).

21. Colt 6920 - 09/2004 (with the end of the ban).

22. CProducts magazines - 09/2004 (No one praises these anymore due to PMag introduction and QC issues).

23. Carbine classes start to really take off? 2004 (?).

24. PMags magazines - 2006.

25. Aimpoint T-1 Micro - 2008.

26. Noveske AR's - 2008 (?).

[RD62]

I remember when ARMS was considered THE S%^t, before it was considered just S%^t!

:D

-RD62

[G19A3]

Good one. Ya, I remember ARMS too. That is the info I'm looking for. Do you remember when ARMS was the S**t and when and what replaced it?

[BushmasterFanBoy]

I remember when ARMS was considered THE S%^t, before it was considered just S%^t!

:D

-RD62

I came onto the scene just when LaRue was getting started, and many were doubting whether or not his throw levers were better than ARMS! :eek:

[RogerinTPA]

Good one. Ya, I remember ARMS too. That is the info I'm looking for. Do you remember when ARMS was the S**t and when and what replaced it?

If memory serves, when SOCOM was developing the SOPMOD, Block 1, and looking for parts to go with that kit, ARMS, was a competitor to KAC, to come up with a rail system, in the 93-95 time frame.

[FuriousGeorge]

I remember when mounting an optic on top of a carry handle was considered the sh*t. circa mid 80's-late 90's.

[RogerinTPA]

I remember when mounting an optic on top of a carry handle was considered the sh*t. circa mid 80's-late 90's.

It really took off after somalia (93) (with the rest of SOCOM, then Big Army years later), when Delta was using aimpoints on their carry handles.

[FuriousGeorge]

You know what's really funny about that? After people watched the movie Black Hawk Down, they felt the need to do BHD ar-15 builds. F-ing hilarious. Step back 10 years, and build an outdated rifle.

[RogerinTPA]

You know what's really funny about that? After people watched the movie Black Hawk Down, they felt the need to do BHD ar-15 builds. F-ing hilarious. Step back 10 years, and build an outdated rifle.

I admit, after I got back from somalia, I put an aimpoint on the carry handle of my Colt Sporter.:eek:

[G19A3]

To BushmasterFanBoy:

Do you remember when that was?


To FuriousGeorge:

BHD? Sorry, my abbreviation-fu is weak.

[FuriousGeorge]

To BushmasterFanBoy:

Do you remember when that was?


To FuriousGeorge:

BHD? Sorry, my abbreviation-fu is weak.

BHD=Black Hawk Down. Sorry...Just didn't want to have to type out "Black Hawk Down" again, but due to my laziness............My fingers are tired now...

[Ridge_Runner_5]

I remember when mounting an optic on top of a carry handle was considered the sh*t. circa mid 80's-late 90's.

Wasn't that out of necessity? How common were flat-top ARs in civilian hands back then?

[FuriousGeorge]

Wasn't that out of necessity? How common were flat-top ARs in civilian hands back then?

Yeah, it was out of necessity. Flat tops weren't around, and people wanted to put optics on their M-16s and ARs, but man, it was cool!

[MarshallDodge]

Triangular to round handguards- mid 80's


1. Carry handle mounted optic - Mid 80's to Late 90's.

I can remember when Leatherwood mounts were the one to have, $125 at the local gun shop in the late 80's.


2. 10.5" barrels w/ permanently attached 5.5" fake XM177E2-type silencers - Late 80's to early 90's.I still have my barrel from that build.

I remember in the early 2000's when someone on a forum what AR to get. They were usually bombarded with Bushmaster, RRA, and Armalite. I was an RRA fanboy.

When did carbine classes start to really take off? 2004?

[FuriousGeorge]

When did carbine classes start to really take off? 2004?

Carbine classes really started to take off just recently. Yeah, I began to notice a jump in carbine classes a little bit after Sept 11th. Carbine classes have been around for a long time, but I think they're in their golden age right now.

[khc3]

The HBAR craze. Mid-late 90's, I guess.

[G19A3]

The HBAR craze. Mid-late 90's, I guess.


YA, good one. I remember that one too. HBAR's were all the craze.

[Romeo Foxtrot]

I remember when i was a kid (im 20 now) about 13, I saw a AR15 on the cover of guns and ammo that had this retarded, sharp edged looking handguard on it that was too long, there was no front sight. What stands out the most in my mind was how stupid i thought it was. "Why would anybody want one of those? whats wrong with the regular handguards? that thing looks hideous!" I also remember the author talking about how this rail was just amazing, and this was where AR's were headed.

Turns out that retarded sharp thing was a DD rail, im pretty sure an M4 rail... must have been when they first came out, and that was the first I'd ever seen one.

Boy have i changed since then....



Carbine classes really started to take off just recently. Yeah, I began to notice a jump in carbine classes a little bit after Sept 11th. Carbine classes have been around for a long time, but I think they're in their golden age right now.

were livin the dream brah! our lives mean something dude. when we get old we can talk to our grand children about what it was like to train with travis and costa and live the dream. sorta like training with arnold and dorian yates... only its not.

[Ziptie]

ARMS SIR rails- '99?

[TOrrock]

I remember when mounting an optic on top of a carry handle was considered the sh*t. circa mid 80's-late 90's.

Rifle is from 1964, the Colt 4x maybe a couple of years after that.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/1964%20SP-1/P1000887.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/1964%20SP-1/P1000891.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/1964%20SP-1/P1000905.jpg


:cool:

[BushmasterFanBoy]

To BushmasterFanBoy:

Do you remember when that was?


To FuriousGeorge:

BHD? Sorry, my abbreviation-fu is weak.

Yup, around 2003-2004.

[militarymoron]

Yeah, it was out of necessity. Flat tops weren't around, and people wanted to put optics on their M-16s and ARs, but man, it was cool!

i had a bushmaster V-match, which was a carry-handled receiver with the carry handle milled off, and a weaver rail secured on top. this was before flat tops and railed fore ends, so the height wasn't standardized. i forgot which year it was introduced, but it was probably in the early 90's.
i put a scope on my AR-15A2 carry handle in the late 80's. thought i was so cool!

[KellyTTE]

Two words for ya:

Armson OEG

I rushed out and bought one of those back in 1986 for a my AR. My horrible astigmatism made it a huge disappointment. *sighs*

[Ridge_Runner_5]

ARMS SIR rails- '99?

'07 at the latest...their products are behind the times, the management is terrible, and they've resorted to sueing everybody (sued some guy a couple years ago, claiming they held ownership of the number 17, and is now sueing Magpul claiming the MBUS is infringing on a copyright of theirs)

The only things keep ing ARMS afloat, IMO, is the Swan Sleeve and the #40...

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Two words for ya:

Armson OEG

I rushed out and bought one of those back in 1986 for a my AR. My horrible astigmatism made it a huge disappointment. *sighs*

I'm going to predict Kelly being the big poster in this thread...he's had at least one of everything, from my experience:p

[KellyTTE]

Nah, I switched over to SKSs and AKs during the 90s. I didn't follow ARs at all from about 1990 til 2005.

[G19A3]

Two words for ya:

Armson OEG

I rushed out and bought one of those back in 1986 for a my AR. My horrible astigmatism made it a huge disappointment. *sighs*

I had one of those OEG's around 1990. Bought straight from Trijicon. However, OEG's weren't "the S**T" everyone "needed" to have on their AR's. I'm trying to put down the highlights of the "must haves" over the years. Especially all the doodads that fell by the wayside as technology marched on.

[Ridge_Runner_5]

I know ARMS was mentioned earlier, but I think the SIR deserves special mention...was heavy, and ungainly, but was the shit...the VLTOR CASV killed it, I think...

[RogerinTPA]

Two words for ya:

Armson OEG

I rushed out and bought one of those back in 1986 for a my AR. My horrible astigmatism made it a huge disappointment. *sighs*


My room mate in collage had one of those back in 83 or 84.

[MPi-KMS-72]

Anyone remember articles like this on "accurizing the AR-15"? (Don't know the date, pre '82 for sure though)

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/sepp45/PowerAuthoritypics044.jpg sorry it is sideways, it is correctly oriented on my camera and computer, Photobucket keeps rotating it. :confused:


http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/sepp45/PowerAuthoritypics043.jpg

[nicholst55]

Who remembers when all nylon gear (pouches, slings, etc) was OD green, and the industry switched to black? 'Black is the new OD Green!' was the cry back then. That was in the early 80s, IIRC. Now fast forward 20 years when all the OD green furniture started coming out for ARs. I distinctly recall at least one vendor proclaiming that 'OD Green is the new black!'

That didn't last very long before all of the sand-colored/FDE furniture and accessories began appearing. Now we have a choice of 'Tactical Black,' OD Green, Foliage Green, FDE, and multicam.

[MarshallDodge]

Rifle is from 1964, the Colt 4x maybe a couple of years after that.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/1964%20SP-1/P1000887.jpg


That is a beauty and how my first AR looked. It was a Sendra. I traded it toward a "varmint AR" in the mid-90's.

My 11 year old son loves the old A1 style. I am gathering some parts and pieces to put one together for him.

[Mac5.56]

So given everyone in this threads history, what would you say fits the bill with contemporary technology? Which do dads will we all be laughing about in two or three years that are the hot sh%t/must haves on todays market?

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Who remembers when all nylon gear (pouches, slings, etc) was OD green, and the industry switched to black? 'Black is the new OD Green!' was the cry back then. That was in the early 80s, IIRC. Now fast forward 20 years when all the OD green furniture started coming out for ARs. I distinctly recall at least one vendor proclaiming that 'OD Green is the new black!'

That didn't last very long before all of the sand-colored/FDE furniture and accessories began appearing. Now we have a choice of 'Tactical Black,' OD Green, Foliage Green, FDE, and multicam.

Flat Dark Earth is the new black;)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b100/89Sunbird/AR-15/eotech.jpg

[Outlander Systems]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the 10 round mag trend, or the Pinned Telescopic Stock trend.

;)

[MPi-KMS-72]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the 10 round mag trend, or the Pinned Telescopic Stock trend.

;)

UGH!!! Some of us are still living that nightmare!!:mad:

[MPi-KMS-72]

Flat Dark Earth is the new black;)



Yeah remember when all you could get was that lousy green or brown furniture? :D

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/sepp45/09%20state%20fair/StateFair89-5-09013.jpg

[Slater]

Think rifle-length weapons will be largely displaced by carbines in the future?

[RogerinTPA]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the 10 round mag trend, or the Pinned Telescopic Stock trend.

;)

I wouldn't consider that an industry trend, but more of a government induced trend, due to the AWB of that era.

[Outlander Systems]

I know man, I was being a jerk.

That was a shitty trend. It's also when I decided to experiment with Bullpups.

[RogerinTPA]

I know man, I was being a jerk.

That was a shitty trend. It's also when I decided to experiment with Bullpups.

I'm tracking now. ;)

[Mac5.56]

UGH!!! Some of us are still living that nightmare!!:mad:

yep, don't remind us Landlord!

[Beat Trash]

I also have a son that likes the looks of the A1 rifles.

I spent most of my time in the Marine Corps with an A1 rifle. They issued the A2's about 6 months before I got out.

My first AR15 was a Colt SP1, triangle hand guards, no forward assist. The thing balanced like a pistol in my hands.

I am also planning on building a SP1 clone, only. I will use a barrel that has a 1/7 twist vs. a 1/12.

I believe CMMG was offering a "Retro" AR that was a A1 rifle.

When I got out of the Marines in 1987, AR choices were easy. You could buy a Colt, and there were two choices, a 20" SP1 or the 16" carbine with a collapsable stock.

Many in the shooting world did not think highly of an AR for defensive or hunting usage. Law Enforcement was quit content with their Remington 870's. "AR15's in police cars? Are you nuts!"

Look at how far things have come now.

[Ridge_Runner_5]

Yeah remember when all you could get was that lousy green or brown furniture? :D

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l119/sepp45/09%20state%20fair/StateFair89-5-09013.jpg

Nope, I built my first AR a year and a half ago:p

[Quib]

The introduction of the A2.......

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Metroliner/A2.jpg



......and thoughts of an “A3” variant.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Metroliner/A3.jpg