New Armalite AR-180B

B

bad_dad_brad

New member
After my disapointment with the Mini-14, and put off by the 900 dollar plus prices of AR-15's, I see that Armalite is now marketing a new version of the AR-18 called the AR-180B, argued to be the the .223 that should have been. And for under 600 bucks!

Man, this rifle is ugly, but I have read a lot that says it is a better rifle than the AR-15. Any opinions? Does anyone have one of these new Armalites?

I really want to dump my Mini-14 and this rifle seems to be just the ticket.
 
A few years ago a friend let me use HER Howa ar-180 for a carbine course. The gun was very accurate and reliable with issue magazines. It also worked with one ar-15 mag w/ dremel tool cut on right side. Another dremel cut mag did not always work. There were two plastic AR-15,Ar-180 mags that did not work.

The 180 came w/ a fixed power removable scope that was very handy and returned to zero after removing and replacing. It even had these neopreen type buttstock and front handguard covers.

After the class I asked if she wanted to sell it. She declined.

Ever since that class I have been after a 180. THe new 180B is going to find it's way home to daddy.
 
Thanks for the comment Neil.

I am really turned on by this rifle. I have heard more than one story like this.

I am also going to talk to my dealer next week about getting on the list to buy one, and I am going to trade in that very reliable, but can't hit sh*t with Mini-14.
 
FWIW, I am one of those who feel that the AR-18 (the AR-180 is the civilian semi-auto version) is a better gun than the AR-15/M16. Its only weakness was the folding stock attachment, which I assume has been corrected because of the new law. The gun is simple to clean, has a standard medium stroke piston (no gas tube), and the bolt rides on rods like the M3 SMG. It also uses a real bolt handle which can be used to chamber/extract a round, unlike the weak AR-15/M16 arrangement. Very hard to see anything in the way of dust or dirt stopping it.

One change they might have made (I hope they did) would be to make the bolt and springs a captive unit, like the M3.

The earlier version used mags that differed from the AR-15/M16 mags, but the latter could be altered. The rumor is that the new version uses AR-15/M16 mags. The AR-18/180 is not a Stoner design (I think the designer was named Smith, but not sure.)

It was designed to be made on simple stamping and milling machines, so it could be produced by nearly any country with even the most basic industry.

Jim
 
Jim I hear what your saying about a few improvements that the Ar-180 could use.

The Howa I used had a rock solid folding stock. A Sterling I saw two years ago had a very loose butt stock. The new 180's have a fixed buttstock.

The new 180's are supposed use a new mag release so the gun will take AR-15 mags. (Great Modification!!!)

The only other item that I hope makes a reappearence is the 180's very handy scope setup. I have heard that B-square has a mount for this great rifle, I hope that this is true. Does anyone know this for a fact?
 
Correct Jim and Neil, here is the web site:

http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/rifles/ar180/ar180.htm

This looks like a real winner to me and even worth taking a chance at getting one of these even before any bugs are worked out. The price is very reasonable, not much more than a Mini-14, and it has to be better than that rifle, at least in the accuracy department!

Still one does like others to work the bugs out. Be patient! But it does forgo my decision to buy an AR15. I will wait for the reviews.

It may be ugly but I have read that the AR18 (used by the IRA a lot and nicknamed "the widowmaker") is very reliable and very accurate. That makes it beautiful to me.
 
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