http://www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=2259&cid=4 MilSpec Criteria Here’s the deal, and it’s very simple: Only rifles made for the U.S. military are MilSpec. For more than 50 years and through numerous iterations, experimental models and improved variations, the U.S. military has developed a detailed list of specifications for its service rifle. These “military specifications” are iron-clad. MilSpec criteria include every aspect of the rifle, from the materials it’s made from to the treatment of those materials, the dimensions of components made from those materials, testing of these parts, wear and durability, accuracy, service life—every excruciating detail is specified. Finally, and most importantly, a MilSpec rifle is approved by a U.S. government inspector. The inspection process assures that all rifles bought on a government contract meet the MilSpec and a related criteria called “military standard” or MilStd. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I present you with the first piece of irrefutable evidence in the case of the falsely advertised AR. A manufacturer cannot claim that its AR is “MilSpec.” By definition, a MilSpec rifle must be tested and inspected by the government. If that’s not proof enough, consider this: There’s no such thing as a civilian-legal MilSpec rifle. A MilSpec rifle is a rifle made to fulfill a government contract and, as of now, there are only three such “animals” walking around: the M16A4, which has a three-round burst-fire selector; the M4, which also is equipped with a three-round burst-fire selector; and the M4A1, which is a fully automatic rifle. These are all classified as machine guns and no civilian transfers can take place for any machine gun manufactured after 1986. You cannot legally own a MilSpec AR.