AR15.us
Menu

Sources & editorial policy

Last reviewed

AR15.us aims to be accurate, neutral, and checkable. Here is how we work.

How we choose sources

  1. Primary sources first: statutes (U.S. Code), regulations (eCFR), Supreme Court opinions, public laws (govinfo), and patents.
  2. Then government and academic sources: for example, the National Park Service, the Congressional Research Service, and RAND.
  3. Industry and advocacy sources are labeled. When a claim comes only from an industry group (such as SAAMI or NSSF) or an advocacy publisher (such as NRA publications), the text says so and the source list tags it.
  4. News sources help with context and are labeled too.

Rules every page follows

Corrections

Full source registry

  1. Gun Policy in America. RAND Corporation. [academic] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  2. The AR-10 Story. American Rifleman (National Rifle Association). [advocacy] Accessed October 26, 2026. NRA publication.
  3. The AR-15: A Brief History. Shooting Sports USA (National Rifle Association). [advocacy] Accessed October 26, 2026. NRA publication. Historical details attributed in text.
  4. The Evolution of the Colt Model 601. American Rifleman (National Rifle Association). [advocacy] Accessed October 26, 2026. NRA publication. Historical details attributed in text.
  5. Springfield Armory National Historic Site. National Park Service. [government] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  6. About ArmaLite. ArmaLite, Inc.. [industry] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  7. ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4-2025 — Voluntary Industry Performance Standards for Pressure and Velocity of Centerfire Rifle Ammunition. Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI). [industry] Accessed October 26, 2026. Reviewed from SAAMI's published PDF. TODO: replace url with the direct standards-page link once confirmed reachable.
  8. The history of the AR-15 and how it became a symbol of American gun culture. PolitiFact (Poynter Institute). [news] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  9. 18 U.S.C. § 921 — Definitions. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  10. 18 U.S.C. § 922 — Unlawful acts. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  11. 26 U.S.C. § 5845 — Definitions (National Firearms Act). Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  12. 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53 — Machine Guns, Destructive Devices, and Certain Other Firearms. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  13. 27 CFR § 478.12 — Definition of frame or receiver. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  14. 27 CFR Part 478 — Commerce in Firearms and Ammunition. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  15. 27 CFR Part 479 — Machine Guns, Destructive Devices, and Certain Other Firearms. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  16. District of Columbia v. Heller, No. 07-290 (decided June 26, 2008). Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  17. Garland v. Cargill, No. 22-976 (decided June 14, 2024) — slip opinion. Supreme Court of the United States. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  18. New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn., Inc. v. Bruen, No. 20-843 (decided June 23, 2022) — slip opinion. Supreme Court of the United States. [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.
  19. Public Law 103-322 — Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Sept. 13, 1994; 108 Stat. 1796; H.R. 3355). U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo). [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026. Title XI, Subtitle A (Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act), §§ 110102–110105.
  20. US Patent 2,951,424 — Gas operated bolt and carrier system (Eugene M. Stoner; assigned to Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corp.; filed Aug. 14, 1956; granted Sept. 6, 1960). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via Google Patents). [primary] Accessed October 26, 2026.