AR-180 comback?

D

Dave T

New member
A friend told me last night he heard that Armalight (sp?) is bringing back the AR-180 only it will take AR-15 magazines this time. Anyone know anything about this possibility?
For those of you who don't know, the 180 is the "improved" 5.56 that Armalight designed but could not sell to any large government (ours was deep into the M-16 by then). The 180 design is much more rugged and reliable. Only real downside is a crappy trigger.

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Dave T
PCSD Ret
AMBUSCADE
Arizona CCW and Renewal Classes
Tactical Self -defense training.
ambush@theriver.com
 
FWIW, I consider the AR-18/180 design to be far superior to the AR-15/M16 design. It is better under adverse conditions (dust, dirt, mud) and easier to clean. It is also cheaper and easier to manufacture, which should have made it appealing to nations with limited production facilities. Its main defect is a poor folding stock arrangement, but I presume that with the current law that is a moot point (at least for civilians) as it could not be sold with the folder anyway.

The main reason it never took off was that the US government was handing out M16s like Crackerjack prizes to any country or guerilla movement claiming to be anti-communist, so a commercial rifle did not have a chance.

The AR-18/180 is not, by the way, a Stoner design; I think the designer was a guy named Smith.

Jim
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jim Keenan:
The AR-18/180 is not, by the way, a Stoner design; I think the designer was a guy named Smith.[/quote]

The design goes all the way back to Gene Stoner's 7.62x51mm AR16 rifle prototype. Made primarily of metal stampings, AR16 was to be less expensive to produce than the AR10/15 with its alloy forgings. After Stoner left ArmaLite and the AR15 design was sold to Colt, the AR16 design was left behind. Realizing that the future market would not be for 7.62x51mm rifles should Colt succeed with the AR15, ArmaLite went to work 'down-sizing' the AR16 to 5.56x45mm. Most of the work was done by Arthur Miller, and the end result became the AR18.
 
I'd like to know what the stock will look like. Will it be just like the original except fixed? I'd like to see the gun look authentic as well as be priced reasonably. With a polymer lower, it should be light also.
 
I had a Sterling and modified some USGI AR mags, which worked extremely well. This thing outshot my Colt R6530. I had no complaints with the trigger. My folding stock was pretty tight also. Of all the guns that I regret selling, it is this one. I've been looking for another one to show up around here ever since. I'd eventually like to get all 3- Sterling, Howa, Costa Mesa. I think they are one of the best kept secrets in the gun world. Just my 2cents.

[This message has been edited by SuperCell (edited November 05, 2000).]
 
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