AR-180 Round Up

[AmEngRifles]

All right guys, let's here it from all you closet case Armalite fans. And I am really talking to the guys that own and fire the original AR-180 as produced by the original Armalite company their first time around, not Mark Westrom's Armalite.

Nothing against you AR-180B fans, but it just ain't the same.

I still think it is one of the best AR/Mil style rifles on the market. Still cheaper than the Sig 556 or an original Galil, or even Valmet folder. Folding stock, pistol grip, quick detach scope mount and quick acting, light weight little pellet shooter.

A few people still think of the AR-180 when producing product, but I wish someone would take that initiative and help us old collectors out a bit. I thought SIG was doing a cool thing by putting what APPEARED to be a 180 slot in their new synthetic mags. Unfortunately, I have never confirmed WHAT that slot is for, as it does NOT work on any of my Armalites and I have samples from all three manufacturers!? What the heck? What IS that little slot for SIG?

Chime in if you LOVE the AR-180! Yeah.

 

[alemonkey]

I'd love to have one, does that count?

 

[Shear_stress]

The AR-180 was like the Velvet Underground of the black rifle world--nobody bought them, but everybody who did started their own gun company.

 

[modifiedbrowning]

I love the Ar-180, but I don't own one. I make do with an Ar-180B.

 

[jhco]

whooot whooot
I was given an unfired one by my grandfather a few years ago. It was my first AR. Needless to say it has been fired now and I love her. Funny thing, I feel like it kicks more than it should, maybe its just me?





EDIT: Its a Sterling

 

[HorseSoldier]

I'd love to have one, does that count?

+1. Would love to have the disposable income to lay hands on an original AR-180 (and Valmet and HK93, but those are other threads, I suppose)

 

[me26245]

Sterling

I had a Sterling, I traded it to the guy that then owned/ran Armilite. Maybe they used it to introduce the new AR-180B I don't know.

Somewhere I still have two 40 round Sterling magazines one's never been out of the plastic the other had just been inserted into the rifle a couple times.

 

[goldie]

i have one that i bought in 1985 for 450.00.what a bargain.its a sterling,the only jam i ever had was with a real bad out of spec reload that i got from someone.otherwise works great,& its nice to have something different.....

 

[Maverick223]

Funny thing, I feel like it kicks alot more than it should, maybe its just me?

I don't think it has a bad recoil, but it definitely has a different feel than a AR-15 due to the massive (read durable) bolt carrier reciprocating at every shot. I don't have a AR-18/180 but I have fired one and it is similar in feel to my M17 (based upon the AR-18) except for the balance (pretty obvious reasoning for that) and I find the M17 to be a bit more steady. Great rifle platform...it is a much better rifle than a AR-15 IMHO.

 

[Jaws]

I always liked the AR 180. It looks like a baby FAL.

 

[Maverick223]

It looks like a baby FAL.

I always thought it looked like the combination of a AR-15 and a Thompson sub-machine gun.

 

[jhco]

I didn't say the recoil was bad. It is as you said different from the ar15

 

[jhco]

This thread inspired me to look the 180 up on GB. Never seen this before.


http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=129613161

 

[alemonkey]

Heck, I wouldn't even mind having an AR-180B.

 

[Jaws]

I wouldn't mind having any flavour of them, but they are prohibited in Canada.

 

[jhco]

Deleted

 

[Threeband]

Catchy song about the AR 18.

I don't know how reliable a YouTube comment can possibly be, but here's a quote:

I read a section in a book stating that the British were so worried about the IRA getting Armalites, they were trained to distinguish it fron any other gun, and that when the first AR was used, a british soldier said "F***, Oh f***, the F***ing Yanks sent them Armalites"

 

[jhco]

WOW someone wrote a song about the 180, thats um... great?

 

[otomik]

That IRA video is confusing. they should be talking about the AR-18 but they show a lot of AR-15s. Anyway the AR-18 was simply the first modern black rifle available to civilians. So whatever crazy causes were up at the time be it the IRA or Symbionese Liberation Army a few got them.

WOW someone wrote a song about the 180, thats um... great?

interesting.

"With a habit of looking men straight in the eyes -
At Blenheim and Ramillies, fops would confess
They were pierced to the heart by the charms of Brown Bess."
--- Rudyard Kipling

 

[Threeband]

thats um... great?

Yeah, the ambiguity is well justified.

Great song though, except for the "clip" thing. Who can identify all the various guns? That looks like an AR18 at 19 seconds.

Here's another take on the AR18:

The AR-18 is a cheap and sleazy rifle. Intended as a low-cost alternative weapon for countries that could not afford the latest Western rifles, it never achieved commercial success, but it has won a nasty reputation as a terrorist weapon, particularly in the hands of the Provisional IRA. Despite its pressed steel receiver and spot welds, it is a highly effective 5.56-mm rifle. The gun can be broken down for concealment without ruining the zeroing, so it can be pulled out of hiding and used immediately and accurately.

 

[kellmark]

I have one of the original Armalite Costa Mesa AR180s. It is a great rifle. It is accurate. I bought it back in the 1960s, new. It has the telescopic sight and the bayonet and the bipod. As far as I am concerned it is as good as anything that is made today in its class. And it was a bargain at the time. I have enough magazines with the cut. Some people just take a dremel tool and cut the slot in AR15 magazines. But mine are original ones.

I love the combination of folding stock, high capacity magazines, accuracy, light weight, reliability of the piston system and low recoil of the 5.56 round. It is also very easy to strip and clean. I still believe it was a superior design to the AR15.

If anybody remembers, the AR-180s claim to fame (actually an AR-18), was in the Arnold Schwarzenneger film Terminator, where he assaults a police station with one, after he utters those famous words, "I'll be Back".

 

[Trebor]

Anyone know what the going rate is on a "loose" AR-18 factory 20 round mag?

I have a single Armalite marked AR-18 20 rounder I want to sell, but have no idea on the value as I've never seen a loose mag for sale.

Any thoughts?

 

[HorseSoldier]

Anyway the AR-18 was simply the first modern black rifle available to civilians. So whatever crazy causes were up at the time be it the IRA or Symbionese Liberation Army a few got them.

And the IRA never had all that many of them (or any other guns) -- the same small number of AR-18s got shuffled around and used in different attacks and operations through the years, etc.

 

[AmEngRifles]

Trebor, I have sold a single 20 round AR-180 mag (marked AR-18 on base plate) for just under $50.00. IF you have any of the Armalite, steel, 20, 30 or 40 round mags, they bring a real premium. Lately, the 40's have been selling for $120.00–$135.00!! Wish I had bought more "back when". :banghead: As has been pointed out, the 40 round steel mags are some of the most reliable of the type. I think that is mostly comparing to all the aftermarket AR junk that can be run across. I don't think they intend to compare them to something like a Galil 50 rounder, or AK-47 40 rounder.

Jhco, I think the increased recoil impulse you are feeling is the fact that the 180 has no polycarbonate type buffer in the action, like on the end of a recoil plug for the AR-15. You pretty much get metal to metal contact as the bolt carrier bottoms out against the recoil plate that the guide rods attach to. One solution, since no one makes plastic buffers for these rifles, is an auto(car) type fire-wall rubber groumet. I purchased a mixed size pack and found one I can work into the hole on the rod guide plate. This is a perfect example of the type of aftermarket product I wish someone would make.

The rifle does have great handling characteristics. Light, low sights that come up fast, instinctive pointing, good pistol grip design, positive charging handle feel, etc. The only real critism I have heard was the stock pivot point is somewhat weak. Keep in mind, that is from the US Army's review of the weapon. Yes, if you beat the stock over someone's head, it probably would break, but the great thing is the rifle would still be operative, unlike the possibility of a bent recoil buffer tube on an AR-15.

If shopping for an AR-180, an important thing to check is on the internals. Make sure the bolt hold open arm is not broken. I have witnessed a couple of 180s with this condition. It stems from pulling the trigger with the action broken open and the bolt hold open arm forward so full force of the hammer strikes it. Other than that, I have not seen many parts break on these rifles.

NOTE ON DIFFERENCES between Costa Mesa, Howa and Sterling produced rifles. Keep in mind, this is my generlized observation over years of shopping, owning and handling AR-180s.

Costa Mesa's have nice finish, but none of the reinforcing welds that Sterling added to later models. Costa Mesa's have workable bayonet lugs. 90 degree throw from "Safe" to "Fire" lever. Parked finish.

Howa's have beautiful finishes, a smooth green parkerizing. Non–workable bayonet lugs. Awkward 180 degree "Safe" to "Fire" throws.

Sterlings have a range of finishes. I have seen anything from early paint over parkering, to a dull blueing. Even observed one with a gray parkerizing, but I think that was a refinish. Sterlings have working bayo lugs. 90 degree safety lever throws.

There were a few "accessories" back in the day. The scope of course. There was also something called a "Sharpshooter Kit" that consisted of a neoprene cover for the buttstock and the forearm. I have not seen a complete kit in years. I have one rifle with the butt stock pad. There is actually a 180 on GB now with the same butt stock portion, no forend cover. I have also found the sling Sterling made are of a heavy cotton or cotton/synthetic blend, that are wide, comfortable and quiet. An excellent sling. They are highly recommended.

Anybody else know of other accessories?

 

[jhco]

Thanks amengrifles, very informative.