AR-180B experiences

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db22

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Hello -- My first post on this board. A friend bought an Armalite AR-180B some time ago, and the hinge on the lower receiver cracked during firing after only about 200 rounds.

Harry (the rifle's owner and my old fishing buddy), being very computer-averse, has tasked me with gathering info and contacting Armalite via email. Being die-hard do-it-yourselfers, we have tried repairing the broken lower with epoxy and fiberglass cloth (lasted two shots), and now cyanoacrylate and glass cloth (as yet untested). If Armalite repairs the receiver, do they simply install the serial-numbered insert in another plastic lower?

Has anyone here had any experience with this problem? It seems some enterprisoing gunsmith would have designed and produced a steel insert that could be secured to the lower, in place of the weak plastic hinge. Any advice will be appreciated!
 
I imagine Armalite would have replaced the receiver before you tried to fiberglass it. I still would send it back telling them exactly what you did. Perhaps they will replace it.
 
On the AR-180B the upper receiver is the serialized part, so the lower can be replaced without too much fuss.

+1 tell Armalite about this. IIRC there was a batch of bad lowers with this problem.
 
i've heard of this problem before. i have a sterling ar180,never had a problem,of course,its got an aluminum lower.armalite should have beefed up that part or added metal inside it for strength.
 
About three years ago I emailed Armalite about the receiver cracking issue. They said then that all of the bad batch had been recalled and replaced. They claimed that they had never seen a broken receiver, outside of that batch, that had not been seriously abused.

I remain skeptical and haven't bought one. I really would like one, but the fairly high price (raised about $150 1-2 years ago) and the 1-year warranty when they do lifetime on their AR-15's told me a lot. I suspect they have abandoned the design and will discontinue it at some point. This is really disappointing to me because I think with some tiny upgrades, like strengthening the pivot area and shipping with a chrome-lined barrel, it would be a great gun.
 
I would buy one if they filled 2 conditions:
1: They were slightly cheaper
2: The used a gas piston like the pre-B models

Until then, I'm on the fence.
 
Oh, wow. I don't know how I did that. I somehow thought that modern AR180s were no longer piston driven, but used DI. I stand corrected by a quick google search, and really need some sleep.
 
Thank you for all the input -- Yes, the AR-180B is a gas-piston design, which is why I admire it (the design, not the plastic lower) over Stoner's other rifle. The serial number is stamped into a metal insert in the lower receiver, not the upper, so replacing the lower involves all the paperwork and record-keeping associated with replacing the entire gun.

I have an inquiry out to Armalite as to whether they will replace the lower after our repair attempts. If not, we have some ideas about fabricating a sheet-metal replacement for the hinge, anchored to the lower's metal inserts. As goldie noted, a machined steel hinge, or a sheet metal extension of the side reinforcements, should have been molded into the lower.
 
Never had any problems with mine, put probably about 20K rounds through it in 2 years. Loved it, but work said AR-15's only, so had to trade it.

I just was careful to either fully pop the pin when I cleaned, or to leave it sideways to keep the stress off the receiver when it was open.

-Jenrick
 
Yes, the AR-180B is a gas-piston design, which is why I admire it (the design, not the plastic lower) over Stoner's other rifle.
Click to expand...

Stoner's other design, the Stoner 63, which is also piston driven? :)

Just kidding, I know which AR-15 you meant...
 
The serial number is stamped into a metal insert in the lower receiver, not the upper, so replacing the lower involves all the paperwork and record-keeping associated with replacing the entire gun.
Click to expand...

You sure 'bout that? I coulda sworn that the lower being the legal firearm was almost peculiar to the AR-15. The serial number may well be stamped on the lower, but the serial number is on all sorts of places that aren't legally considered firearms. Look inside an SKS sometime.

I reserve the right to be completely wrong about this. Indeed, tell me if I am that I stop spreading nonsense!
 
No the serial number is on the LOWER receiver.

I'm 100% sure about this and if not, I woke up today in the wrong universe.
 
Look inside an SKS sometime.
Click to expand...

well the original serials on an SKS dont mean squat, only the one engraved by the importer has any legal meaning in the US.

i heard that back int he day the BATFE said that any serial engraved part would be constituted as the "firearm", which meant that something like an AK, the front trunnion was actually the Firearm, and not the receiver.

obviously it has changed.
 
Sorry ftierson, I can't access the link, and I have plenty of fora going. What's the gist of it?
 
Sorry, Percy, I must have missed this when it made the last rounds...

It's hard to summarize a couple of pages of information quickly. I started the falfiles thread out with some comments about strengths and weaknesses of the rifle, and then many comments followed, including stuff about the weaknesses of the front receiver pivot area.

You have to register (which is free) on the falfiles and sign in when you visit. Although I don't particularily like that policy (it was initiated about a year or so back when the falfiles was suffering denial of service attacks by 'do-gooder' hackers), I understand why...

Please come join us on the falfiles (another great 'gun' website)...

Forrest
 
PercyShelley said:
and I have plenty of fora going.
Click to expand...
I'm a registered member of dozens of forums.

I only visit a handful regularly (it's nice to have yourself signed up already when folks link to them)
 
Thanks for the invite ftierson. I'm reading the thread now.

I stand corrected upon which part of the AR-18 is the serialized component! I will spread my nonsense no more.
 
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