If you've spent time reading comments on social media lately, you've probably seen more than a few uninformed statements about the AR-15 platform. One common misconception relates to the differences between a full-auto weapon and a semi-auto weapon. There are many who conflate the two, leading to descriptions such as the infamous “full semi automatic”. Others wrongly believe making an AR full-auto is as simple as filing down the firing pin.

In order to dispel these myths and take a closer look at how a full-auto rifle really works, RECOIL‘s Iain Harrison met with Jack Leuba of Knight's Armament Co. The pair analyzed the mechanism and different parts that are present in an automatic KAC SR-16, especially the critical auto sear component. Without it, the gun would experience problematic hammer-follow and wouldn't operate in full-auto.

Check out the 3-minute video below, or head to RECOILtv for more episodes.

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Written by Patrick McCarthy