Good news from the 2015 NRA Show for those looking to buy their first mil-spec AR-15. Fabrique Nationale has announced AR-15 rifles replicating in semi-automatic their M16A4 and M4 military rifles, coming in Fall of 2015. From the press release:

(McLean, VA – April 9, 2015) FNH USA is excited to announce that three new products, including a brand-new product line, will be making their first appearance on the FNH USA Booth #2324 at the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings in Nashville, TN. Expected to be released in the Fall of 2015 are the mil-spec FN M249S™, a semi-automatic version of the U.S. Military’s M249 SAW light machine gun and two new additions to the company’s modern sporting rifle line, the FN 15™ M4 and M16 Military Collector Series.

“FNH USA has a unique history of commercializing and releasing to U.S. firearms buyers products that were originally developed for military or tactical applications,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO of FN America, LLC. “We are proud to continue that tradition with the introduction of the FN 15™ Military Collector Series and the semi-auto FN M249S™.”

…

FN 15™ Military Collector Series

The FN 15™ Military Collector’s Series M4 and M16 bring to market military replica rifles made to FN’s exacting specifications. The semi-automatic rifles are chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO and feature M4 -profile 16 and 20-inch 1:7” RH, button broached and chrome-lined barrels, respectively.  Each UID-labeled lower receiver is equipped with an ambidextrous selector switch, just like its select-fire big brother.

“Yet another boring AR-15″, perhaps, but if FN replicates the quality of their military rifles, this will add yet another entry in the list of rifles that I would without reservation recommend to a first-time buyer.

More interesting, though, is that unlike other M4-style civilian rifles, FN has elected to keep the FN-15 M4 as close to the military M4 as possible, by using a shorter barrel than 16” and a permanently attached flash hider.