It looks like Diamondback Firearms is releasing an AR15 rifle to the market.  At least, that is the rumor I am hearing.

Diamondback is known for their DB380 and DB9 pocket pistols, but was showing a prototype shotgun at the SHOT Show this year.  So, producing an AR15 is not much of a stretch.  The AR is probably the hottest selling gun on the market, and the production technology is pretty well a debugged process.

The question is:  Will the Diamondback Firearms AR15 be interesting enough to consumers to sell?  Lets take a look at the specs I have on hand.

Overall, the rifle seems to be pretty standard fare for a modern, semi-automatic AR15.

The barrel is 16″ with a black finish.  It is chrome-moly lined and made of chrome-moly 4140 steel.  The lower is a forged 7075 T6 aluminum receiver, and it is mated to an A3-style upper with a Picatinny rail.  The guns are chambered for 5.56 NATO.

The buttstock, pistol grip and fore end on the Diamondback AR15 will be available in both black and flat dark earth colors.  I do not know if the fore end will have any kind of rail system.  The overall weight will be a little over 6.5 pounds.

The Diamondback AR will ship with a single 30-round magazine.  While I dislike any semi-auto firearm shipping with a single mag, AR mags are relatively cheap and can be had in any number of flavors.  A lot of shooters may prefer to buy their own anyway.

I am hearing the street price will be around $900.

I don’t know if the Diamondback Firearms AR15 will sell enough to be a profitable venture for the company.  I do know that there are a lot of companies building AR platform guns, and that the market is likely tough to break into.  A lot of gun buyers are leery about buying a black rifle from a company without a track record building the guns.  Especially, when there are so many alternatives out there.

However, demand for the AR15 is still fairly high, and the guns are likely to be popular for many years to come.  If Diamondback can start selling a few of these rifles, and good feedback hits the forums, sales of the guns could take off.

Regardless, as we get more information about the Diamondback Firearms AR15, we will report it here.  If you have additional information or photos you can share, contact me.

---

Surviving the Street: Guide to Concealed Carry of a Firearm

Essential information on concealed carry. This book has just the basics - not a lot of fluff to get bogged down in. Easy to read, Surviving the Street introduces the reader to the important information you need as an armed citizen.

The author presents frank information about self defense in a way that is easy to understand and use.