At a recent editorial roundtable hosted by InterMedia Outdoors, Taurus threw its hat into the already crowded AR ring. Rather than bring out a standard model, though, Taurus decided to go big with a new gas-piston design built on machined-billet upper and lower receivers.

With a retail price close $2,000, it was greeted with a collective yawn by writers, despite its good looks. When it was announced on GunsAndAmmoMag.com news spread across the Internet, it received a likewise ho-hum reception.

A few days later, Taurus pulled the plug on the project. The AR died on the table before its umbilical cord was even cut.

Why did Taurus receive such a lukewarm reception in the hottest segment of the market? Now that the post-election panic-spree is all but over, we find the AR market incredibly crowded. Colt, ArmaLite, Rock River, Bushmaster, DPMS, Les Baer, Smith&Wesson, Ruger, Remington, Stag, Double Star, Model 1 Sales and a veritable host of other companies, both large and small, all offer ARs. FNH of Belgium manufactures ARs, as do two German companies and the Chinese. Even the latest Iranian bullpup is based upon an M16A1, and Taiwan first fielded a piston-operated AR in the 1970s.

It seems as though ARs, and their parts and accessories, are everywhere. Today the market is literally flooded with every type imaginable. Target rifles, hunting rifles, self-protection models, piston guns, handguns, plinkers - name it in almost any caliber you can think of and you can buy it.

A Taurus AR? Not anymore. Taurus pulled the plug on the weapon shortly after its industry debut. (Photo: David M. Fortier)

As the dust settles in the aftermath of the panic buying, the market will sort itself out, and in so doing, I suspect some players will disappear. Plus, as Taurus found out, the market's becoming harder for new players to enter. It certainly requires more now to catch the market's long-term attention than another piston system or caliber or throw-lever. What the market desires more than anything is fresh thinking.

While I certainly agree that the AR-15 is one of the best rifles of its type in existence, it's still a 50-year old design. In reality, it's only a mere 3 years younger than the M14 it replaced.

It would be nice if some of the major US firearms companies would develop a modern design to compete with it, instead of pumping out knockoffs. Sure, it would take hard work, talented engineers and a layout of cash, but the results would be worth the effort.

The market's waiting for a design from a major domestic manufacturer that can actually compete with the AR. Perhaps Remington/Bushmaster will eventually offer the ACR commercially. If they do, at a competitive price, I think they'd be shocked by the response.

The opinions contained in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of TacticalGunFan or its staff.

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