When Armalite developed the AR-15 in the late 1950's, they probably had no idea as to how popular it would become with civilian shooters. They had limited success in selling it and finally, in 1959, Colt purchased the gun. In 1963, the US military selected a fully automatic version to be their standard rifle, replacing the reliable M-14.

Without getting into a discussion of politics, suffice it to say that the anti-gun folks in the country mislabeled the semi-automatic civilian versions of the AR-15 as an "assault rifle." Whether on purpose or unintentional, they used the term to malign the rifle for the next 50+ years, ignoring the FACT that AR stood for "Armalite Rifle," NOT Assault Rifle.

Over time, AR platform rifles have been developed with an infinite number of variations, from barrel types, calibers, stocks and accessory rails. There has never before been a firearm that allowed the end user to modify it to where it bore no resemblance to the factory original. AR platform rifles have truly morphed into the Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR), capable of being tuned, tweaked and polished into a personal rifle fitting each user's individual requirements.

With the capability of modifying your AR-platform rifle to suit your personal preferences, it makes sense that you have the proper tools to do the job. Without the proper tools, you wind up paying a gunsmith $50 - $100 to make changes, or you wind up possibly damaging an expensive piece of equipment. Therefore, enter the Real Avid Armorer's Master kit.

This kit has every tool that you need to either build an AR rifle from the ground up, or take an existing one apart for a complete cleaning, as well as making the modifications to it that you have been planning on. The tools are tough, well designed and cover all aspects and variations of the AR rifle. Although not cheap, it is worth the investment if you ever plan on modifying your MSR.

The components of the AR-15 Armorer's Master Kit are:

• Armorer's Master Wrench with Replacement Hammer Heads
• Lug-Lok Upper Vise Block
• Smart-Fit AR-15 Lower Vise Block
• AR-15 Master Bench Block
• Torque Wrench
• Easy-Grip Handguard Tool
• AR-15 Pivot Pin Tool
• AR-15 Pivot Lock
• AR-15 Pin Punch Set
• Pin Alignment Tool
• Accu-Grip Picks
• Bore Illuminator/Safety Flag
• Front Sight Adjuster Tool
• Professional Tool Case which keeps the tools organized

The MSRP for the Armorer's kit is $249.99. It will pay for itself in short order if you plan on modifying your rifle.