GAU-5

CAR-15 Commando XM177
Colt XM177
Type	Carbine
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Manufacturer	Colt Defense
Specifications
Weight	5.35 lb (2.43 kg)
Length	32.5 in (83 cm) (stock extended) 29.8 in (76 cm) (stock retracted)
Barrel length	11.5 in (29 cm)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt (Direct impingement)
Muzzle velocity	2,750 ft/s (840 m/s)
Feed system	30-round box magazine or other STANAG magazines.
Sights	Iron sights or various optics

Colt Model 653
Civilian CAR-15 with scope and 16 inch barrel
Type	Carbine
Place of origin	United States
Specifications
Weight	Empty: 5.6 lb (2.54 kg)
Length	Buttstock extended: 33 in (838 mm) Buttstock retracted: 29.8 in (757 mm)
Barrel length	14.5 in (368 mm)
Rate of fire	650-750 RPM
Muzzle velocity	3,020 ft/s (920 m/s)

GAU-5/A and GUU-5/P
GUU-5/P carbine
Type	Carbine
Place of origin	United States
Specifications
Rate of fire	700-1000 RPM
Muzzle velocity	2,611 ft/s (796 m/s)

The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of the AR-15 and M16 rifle–based firearms marketed by Colt in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Due to their compact size, the short-barreled Colt Commando and XM177 versions of this family continued to be issued to the U.S. military after the Vietnam War.

The CAR-15 name was an attempt to re-associate the AR-15 name with Colt, since the AR initially stood for ArmaLite Rifle, the original manufacturer of the Armalite AR-15. Colt later abandoned the CAR-15 concept, but continued to make variations, using the M16 brand for military-oriented models and the Colt AR-15 brand for law enforcement and civilian models. However, in present usage, CAR-15 is used as a generic name for carbine-length M16 and AR-15 variants from before the M4.

Specifically, "Colt Commando" currently refers to the ultrashort 10.5 barrel of the model 609 and 11.5-inch (290 mm) barrel assault rifle of the Model 733 series. By comparison, the M4 carbine has a 14.5-inch (370 mm) barrel, while the M16 assault rifle series has a 20-inch (510 mm) barrel.

Following a long series of tests by the U.S. Army and U.S. Air force, resulted in an order for 8,500 AR-15 (redesignated M16) rifles for the Air Force in 1962. About the same time, the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense became interested, and 1,000 rifles were procured for field test in Vietnam. Starting in 1965, Colt attempted to market the M16 rifle as a modular weapons system that could fulfill all of the various needs of an army, similar to the marketing plans for the AR-10, its predecessor, and the Stoner 63, its rival. In order to compete with the Stoner 63 which could be converted into a belt-fed light or medium machine gun, Colt also included the short-lived CMG-1 and CMG-2 machine guns in the CAR-15 Military Weapons System, though the CMG-1 and CMG-2 had few parts in common with the CAR-15s. By using various upper assemblies, , and pistol grips, the weapon could be configured as an assault rifle, a heavy-barreled automatic rifle, a carbine, a submachine gun, or as a survival rifle.