More Retro-Cool from Brownell's

I like that 4x optic the originals are getting hard to find and when you do they are expensive.

A little spendy for me for a somewhat novelty toy, but that's really cool. If they drop down below $1k, I'll probably pick one up. I have always had an affinity for the original pre-production Armalite pattern guns, and this is as close as you get without spending $40K+ on a transferable MG.

the prototype one should be in 222.

MistWolf said:

Only if Brownell's wants them to sit on the shelf, collecting dust.

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Bold and unreasoned statement.

Beyond historical accuracy there is the fact that with a 1:12 twist, it will not shoot heavier 223 bullets but will be ideal with 55 grs bullets perfectly well suited to 222. And, as was established in a recent thread, the triple deuce remains popular among the cognoscenti.

LRDGCO said:

Bold and unreasoned statement.

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Not at all, why in the world would Brownells introduce the rifle in a chambering that probably doesn't sell in 5% of the quantities of .223 while offering absolutely no tangible advantage? Satisfying a few erudite diehards at the expense of the vast majority of their potential customer base doesn't seem like a great business plan.

In other news, I must get my hands on a BRN-180 upper. I need a side folding 5.56 in my life, and these uppers seem like a well developed and reasonably priced standard AR alternative.

My jaw was hanging open for half the BRN-180 commercial. That is just way too damn cool. Can't believe an internet retailer of all people would be the ones to bring the AR-180 back.

LRDGCO said:

Bold and unreasoned statement.

Beyond historical accuracy there is the fact that with a 1:12 twist, it will not shoot heavier 223 bullets but will be ideal with 55 grs bullets perfectly well suited to 222. And, as was established in a recent thread, the triple deuce remains popular among the cognoscenti.

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thank you!

MistWolf said:

Finally and most surprisingly, the BRN-180 upper. It's an upper that uses AR type action that fits on an AR lower. Want to be able to shoot your AR with the stock folded? Now you can!

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Gtscotty said:

In other news, I must get my hands on a BRN-180 upper. I need a side folding 5.56 in my life, and these uppers seem like a well developed and reasonably priced standard AR alternative.

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Mosin Bubba said:

My jaw was hanging open for half the BRN-180 commercial. That is just way too damn cool. Can't believe an internet retailer of all people would be the ones to bring the AR-180 back.

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That BRN-180 upper is somewhat intriguing, but at $799 it is not an impulse purchase. There are also two marketing shortcomings here -- not offering a barrel other than in a 16" length, and not having a folding-stock kit available to go with it. It seems the main rationale for this would be for use with a folding stock.

I have two original AR-180's -- a Costa Mesa and a Howa -- that I bought new back in the day. Although they have some interesting features, overall they are clearly inferior to the standard AR-15. The reason the AR-180 got a toehold in the market, in the early 1970's, is that Colt had temporarily discontinued the AR-15 due to concerns about disconnector removal.

If you want a piston-driven gun with a folding stock, a Daewoo K2 would be a far better choice. It's made of forgings rather than stamped and welded sheet metal. (It also uses standard magazines.) That would be a far better gun to resurrect than the AR-180.

I would want one of those 4x scope... Isnt it there s a chinese copy ?

I have a plastic yellow lensed Chinese "copy" of that scope on an old Crossman AiR177 or whatever Not the semi current one but from way back. It would not hold zero on an AR15 it is fun on a BB gun and that's about it.

Would not mind having one of these new ones from Brownell for a rifle with an A1 upper at all, but you run into the same problem they had back in the day, scope height/cheek weld issues. There is a reason the HBAR rifles sold with scopes had that removable cheek piece added to the stock.

The BRN-180 would be a lot more interesting if that upper alone did not cost more than a lot of fine complete AR15s

-kBob

MistWolf said:

Boys and girls, The Good Ol' Days are now and they just keep getting better!

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No kidding! I got an email from PSA for a carbine build kit with a bolt carrier group for $269. Shipped. A local store has stripped lowers for $40. That means you can build a complete AR15 for $310+ a rear sight. Its nuts!

I really like that AR180 upper, but not for its $800 price tag...

LRDGCO said:

Bold and unreasoned statement.

Beyond historical accuracy there is the fact that with a 1:12 twist, it will not shoot heavier 223 bullets but will be ideal with 55 grs bullets perfectly well suited to 222. And, as was established in a recent thread, the triple deuce remains popular among the cognoscenti.

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I dont want a 222 AR, that turns it from a practical gun to a collector novelty due to brass availability.

someguy2800 said:

I dont want a 222 AR, that turns it from a practical gun to a collector novelty due to brass availability.

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Especially in an auto loader.

nathan said:

I would want one of those 4x scope... Isnt it there s a chinese copy ?

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The original was Japanese. I have a Colt-branded one for the AR-15, and also an Armalite-branded one with the mounting for the AR-180. There was some evolution in these. People look for, and collect, the variations. There are better scopes out there if you want one for practical use.

Pretty neat retro-cool stuff indeed (especially the BRN-Proto and the BRN-180 upper receiver), but with a hefty price tag for it.

I like that gas piston upper. Sure it costs more that a regular AR due to economy of scale and all that.

ARs nowadays are pricewise the SKSs of the mid 1990s.

someguy2800 said:

I dont want a 222 AR, that turns it from a practical gun to a collector novelty due to brass availability.

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Why are you under the impression that 222 brass is not readily available?

Gtscotty said:

Not at all, why in the world would Brownells introduce the rifle in a chambering that probably doesn't sell in 5% of the quantities of .223 while offering absolutely no tangible advantage? Satisfying a few erudite diehards at the expense of the vast majority of their potential customer base doesn't seem like a great business plan.

In other news, I must get my hands on a BRN-180 upper. I need a side folding 5.56 in my life, and these uppers seem like a well developed and reasonably priced standard AR alternative.

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Because " Retro".

Incremental volume is not to be discouraged.

AlexanderA said:

That BRN-180 upper is somewhat intriguing, but at $799 it is not an impulse purchase. There are also two marketing shortcomings here -- not offering a barrel other than in a 16" length, and not having a folding-stock kit available to go with it. It seems the main rationale for this would be for use with a folding stock.

I have two original AR-180's -- a Costa Mesa and a Howa -- that I bought new back in the day. Although they have some interesting features, overall they are clearly inferior to the standard AR-15. The reason the AR-180 got a toehold in the market, in the early 1970's, is that Colt had temporarily discontinued the AR-15 due to concerns about disconnector removal.

If you want a piston-driven gun with a folding stock, a Daewoo K2 would be a far better choice. It's made of forgings rather than stamped and welded sheet metal. (It also uses standard magazines.) That would be a far better gun to resurrect than the AR-180.

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My first thought about the 180 involved the folding stock -- one really obvious advantage to this platform. Since Brownells hybridized things to use the more common AR15 lower, there are plenty of aftermarket options for a folding stock, but aesthetically they take us even further from the original AR18/180's look.

FWIW, I bought the SB Tactical folding stock adapter on my CZ527 chassis rifle, which fits a standard AR15 lower, through Brownells. Pricey, though:

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-p...g-buffer-tube-folding-adapter-prod122057.aspx

Ignore -- my bad.