Why would they? It was designed to be a home owner version of an actual military weapon. How is this even something we have to debate
All M-16s and M-4s are AR-15s that have been redesignated with the M number. For instance, the M-16 full size is a AR-15 Model 604 that is stamped as an M-16 before it's sold to the Military. The M-4 is a Colt Model 733 which is nearly identical to the the Model 750. Carbine we know as the AR-15. All of them are Mil Spec if made by Colt and can fire the hotter 556 Nato Rounds. And all three are equally as deadly in a firefight. And yes, the Model Colt 750 Carbine is exported to Militaries outside the US who are barred from buying either the AR-15 Model 604 or the Model 733. Yet every one of those will be stamped M-16 as well.
so you're now making the M16 an AR15.
again - show me a modern organized military using the AR15 any civilian is allowed to buy.
You have it backwards. The M-16 starts out as an AR-15 at the factory. It's just stamped as a M-16 when the Military buys it. And the Military and approved militaries are the only ones that can purchase the AR-15 Model 604 stamped M-16. Same goes for the Colt Model 733 which gets stamped M-4 prior to leaving the factory..
Poland used the AR-15 up until 2008.
It's hard to find solid data on this since even the AR Civilian Models sold to the Militaries that are barred from the M-16 and M-4 sales also have theirs stamped as M-16 and M-4. Even the AR-15 Model 750s that the US Army purchased are stamped M-16 which are sometimes used for gate duty (don't have an answer why).
You fail to realize over the counter ARs are not military grade… They would never pass military muster... fact
They do not have the same barrels, they do not have the same gas chambers, they do not have the same bolts and no m-4 ramps... To even mention select fire among other things...
I realize that I can order a Colt Model LE6920 or a Colt AR-15 model 750 Carbine just up the road at Jerry's Gun Shop anytime I wish. But I'll need a bit more than 400 bucks to do it. These have the same Barrels as the M-16 and M-4 respectively and are chambered for the 556 Nato Round but also can easily fire the 223. They have the same gas chamber as well. The same Chromium Coting, Aluminum parts, etc.. Come from the same parts bin sans the uppers and the bolt. You also cannot use the M-4 barrel as it's too short. It's 14.5 inches and you can't have anything less than 16 and be legal (I find that a bit questionable). But you can virtually use every other part intended for a M-4 or a M-16 to upgrade your AR-15. In many cases, you may not want to. Many AR-15 variants will out shoot or be even more versatile for some uses than either the M-16 or the M-4. Like the barrel guard on the M-4 is too short and you really don't want to rest your barrel on that tree limb to many times to steady your shot.
You seem to be doing it again. You assume I know nothing about the various AR families. Hell, cupcake, I got a ton of time on the M-16 from the AR-15 Model 601 (M-16), the M-16A1, A2 and A4 along with enough time working around the AR-15 to get around. Most of us old hands do have. You young kids are so busy trying to make everyone think you are the brightest kid in the world, you forget, you aren't even the brightest kid in the room. And I know of a few more versed in this than I am. If I need to know something about this I don't already know I know who to ask and it ain't going to be you.