First Look: Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 Dissipator Rifle

AN ICON OF THE VIETNAM ERA, THE DISSIPATOR IS BACK

Originating in the 1960s, the Dissipator was a way of making a shorter, lighter, and easier-to-handle rifle out of the M16s in service at the time. Basically, cut 4” off the end of the barrel. While great in theory, the Dissipators of the time often had reliability problems due to the decreased length from the gas port to the end of the muzzle. 

Today, modern Dissipators that are built with the idea of being a rifle-length gas system on a 16” barrel can overcome this.

The Anderson AM-15 Dissipator is a rifle with a 16-inch barrel, chambered in 5.56, and equipped with an A2 flash hider. The front sight is based on a government profile and is adjustable, serving as the gas block for the rifle-length gas system. 

The handguard is a 12-inch polymer A2 style with an internal heat shield and secured by an A2 barrel nut. The upper and lower receivers are forged from 7075 T6 aluminum. A Magpul MBUS rear flip-up sight is attached to the upper receiver's flat-top rail. 

The rifle also includes an Anderson M16 Profile Bolt Carrier Group, a Premium Lower Parts Kit, an A2 Rifle Buttstock with sling points, and a 30-round ASC Magazine, among other accessories.

MSRP is $600

“The A4 Dissipator gives a classic rifle a slight refresh, maintaining a true to original rifle gas system while adding a flat top receiver to mount modern optics. The rifle gas system on a 16″ barrel offers an extremely smooth recoil impulse and long sight radius, while maintaining a short overall length. This rifle answers the question: ‘What would have happened if the original chopped m16 made it all the way to the A4 generation?’” -Truman Brough, Anderson Manufacturing’s Product Engineer.

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