The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook: What Every Shooter Needs to Know

by Duncan Long

This carefully researched revised and updated edition of The AR-15/M16 Sourcebook offers fresh insight into why the AR-15/M16 rifle remains a favorite of soldiers, law enforcement officials, civilian shooters and self-defense experts. In it, Duncan Long takes another look at the history of the "black-rifle" from the bureaucratic blunders and military infighting that ruined its reliability during the Vietnam War to the modifications that transformed it into the most reliable weapon in the world. He also examines the many military and custom spinoffs of the firearm, including an invaluable listing of its various models, supplemented by an impressive collection of photos and illustrations. In addition, he covers grenade launchers, SAW versions, and experimental weapons systems and even gives a detailed assessment of the OICW and other firearms now being tested as replacements for the U.S. military's M16 and M4 carbine. An entire section of the book is devoted to the very newest accessories for the AR-15, with a hard look at which ones will enhance its capabilities-and which could get the shooter killed. In addition to offering advice on improving an AR-15 rifle, picking the best ammunition for it, and ensuring its reliability, Long presents simple techniques for creating a one-of-a-kind exotic weapon built around this rifle through the selection of parts and accessories now on the market (and where to get them). Finally, the book provides complete instructions on how to field-strip, detail strip, troubleshoot, and assemble an AR-15. Whether you want a weapon you can rely on to get you out of a tight spot or wish to build a super accurate target version of the AR-15, this is the most complete and up-to-date resource available on what many consider to be the best rifle ever made.

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Shawn Fahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I just finished was one that I've kept in the bathroom and read bit by bit for quite a while now. It's called "The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook" by Duncan Long (1992). The publication date of the book made me think that this would be little more than an amusing stroll down memory lane and a quaint look at how things used to be before the AR took off in popularity and modularity, post 2004. There is some of that, for sure (a complete list of accessory manufacturers takes up a little over two pages and only half a dozen AR manufacturers existed at the time of writing) but there is also information that is quite timeless and fundamental. Some concepts that would have not only been quite forward-thinking in 1992 but also have been proven to stand the test of time when viewed from a 2022 perspective are also discussed. There's also blueprints for making things that make the AR go rat-a-tat-tat. The history section at the start of the book is very detailed and I enjoyed that quite a bit. Other sections, like disassembly instructions, I skipped entirely, though a new AR user would likely benefit from the detailed instructions quite a bit. This is one that I'll keep around as it's a neat historical tract that holds up well after three decades.