DoubleStar’s Constant Carry Carbine is a lightweight 5.56 go-to rifle that is adaptable for a wide range of applications.

The 1973 sci-fi film classic Soylent Green depicts an over-populated Earth that has depleted its natural resources and food supply. Forty million people now inhabit New York City, with most living under the most squalid conditions imaginable.

I remember watching the movie as a college student: In one scene, an individual is shown brandishing an AR-15 rifle as he guards the entrance to his building. At the time I thought that was a bit odd because, after all, the AR-15 was going to be obsolete by 2022. Obviously, my ability to predict the future was a little clouded. Like the 1911 pistol and the B-52 bomber, the AR-15 will remain in service well into the 21st century, simply because nothing better has come along.

The original AR-15 was conceived as a lightweight weapon system, and original copies weighed less than 6 pounds. Over the years, the AR-15 design has morphed into a wide variety of configurations, including short-barrel carbines, precision rifles, new chamberings and even different operating systems. One thing for sure is that they are all heavier than the original Stoner concept.