[BigG]

Does anybody have info on the old AR180s that were sold some years ago in the USA? There were the Sterling and IIRC Howa. Which was the better of the two?

Any info would be helpful. I assume they were all preban? I know where one is available for $1000. Is that reasonable? My Blue Book simply says $850 for new but that is sometimes off from my experience.

Any source of the unique magazines they use?

Thanks!

[Tamara]

There are Sterling guns, Costa Mesa guns, and Howa guns. The Howas are the rarest and, IMO, the best fit & finished. The Sterlings are appalling (apparently Krylon semigloss is considered a legitimate firearms finish in Essex :uhoh: ), and the Costa Mesa guns fall kinda in between the two.

[telewinz]

I had the Howa and if it had the best fit and finish, well the other two brands must have been worse off than any AK as far as looks. The old AR180 was more accurate and reliable than the AR15 but it sure didn't win any beauty contest.

[Al Thompson]

IIRC, standard AR magazines work fine.

[telewinz]

to use ar15 mags in the old ar180 I had to cut a horizonal slit in the mag for it to engage the mag lock.

[SelfProclaimedExpert]

The old AR180s have different mag cut, Al. The new "B" ones use AR15 mags. There were some Sterling mags with both cuts. I think AR15 mags can be modified. The SA80 mags would be ideal for such a revision.

Old AR180s are the cheapest preban rifles out there.

[mattd]

http://www.armalite.com/sales/catalog/rifles/ar180b.htm or a preban
http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?ItemNum=4843965