Looking for some early Carbine History

[jaygee]

One thing I'll NEVER be convinced of is that Colt was the only player in "developing" the AR platform once it
got into wide circulation with the US military. We know that at the very start of the so called one time
buy of AR15s, Springfield Armory was already developing a whole range of supplimentary muzzle
attachments. ie. F/S and brakes. AFAIK, the only item that Colt had absolute rights to was the ArmaLite
developed gas and BCG system, by patent protection. Otherwise Stoner could have never done a lot of
the things he did a short while later, in the mid '60s. Interesting thread here, and the can of worms isn't
really even open yet!

[dewatters]

Springfield also designed an alternative forward assist and improved 20rd steel magazine to replace Colt's problematic steel magazine. Nothing came of the Springfield magazine design as Colt switched back to the 20rd aluminum magazines.

[armakraut]

Ekie did some good writeups on the other site.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...f=123&t=296919

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...f=123&t=241681

[emfourbinator]

Whoa...those posts on TOS really make you appreciate the joys and challenges of investigating a
mature system, as the AR platform has become. I suppose those folks into '98 Mausers have the
same experiences. It also makes me wonder if a true AR history book will, or even could be put
together, given the variety of one-offs and low number prototypes out there. Given that the system
is still evolving, such a tome would be at least as hefty as a NYC phone book! Won't be getting bored
with this feast anytime soon!