>>509444490>That would be an AR-22, not AR15.No, AR-22 is just some made up terminology gun newbs use to refer to AR-15 style rifles chambered in .22lr. It isn't an official model or designation or anything like that.
>AR-15 refers to a default specification:Technically AR-15 only refers to ones produced by Colt. Colt bought the patent and trademark rights to the AR-15 from Armalite and eventually the patent rights expired, but Colt still holds the exclusive right to the AR-15 name.
Other manufacturers have been able to produce similar looking and operating AR-15-style rifles that are fully parts compatible with Colt's AR-15 rifles since the patents expired, but can't actually call them AR-15. Legally, an AR-15 is whatever Colt decides to call an AR-15.
There are also the issue of the TDPs (Technical Data Package) which list all of the technical specifications for the government's M16, M16A1, M4, etc. There is some kind of complex situation where Colt owns the TDPs but the government gets to control who has access to them, but enough of it has made it to the public over the years that now everyone knows exactly makes up a "mil-spec" AR-15 style rifle.