ArmaLite AR-18

ArmaLite AR-18
Production information
Country of origin	United States
Manufacturer(s)	ArmaLite Howa Machinery Company Sterling Armament Company
Designer(s)	Eugene Stoner Arthur Miller George Sullivan Charles Dorchester
Production began	1969
Production ended	1985
Technical specifications
Weapon type	Assault rifle
Caliber	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas operated, Rotating bolt Short Stroke Piston
Length	38 in (970 mm)
Barrel length	18.25 in (464 mm) (6-groove rifling)
Weight	6.7 lb (3.0 kg) (empty) 7.18 lb (3.3 kg) (loaded w/20 rd. magazine)
Feed system	20, 30, or 40-round box magazine
Cyclic rate	750 round/min

The ArmaLite AR-18 is an assault rifle chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition. The AR-18 was designed by Arthur Miller, James Sullivan, and Charles Dorchester in 1963 as an improved, more affordable alternative to ArmaLite's previous AR-15 , since production rights had been sold to Colt Manufacturing Company. It was based off a Eugene Stoner design; the AR-16. ArmaLite's interest in the design waned when the Colt AR-15 was selected for production by the US Army as the M16.

Overview

The AR-18 was a gas-operated, selective-fire rifle using a rotating bolt. The upper/lower receiver is made from pressed steel as the bolt/bolt carrier, runners were machined to ease production. The rifle is disassembled in a similar manner to the AR-15.

Being designed to address the perceived shortcomings of the AR-15 and M16 , the AR-18 has a short stroke piston mechanism, which has been credited with greatly increasing the reliability of the weapon. It also lacks a buffer tube, the bolt carrier return springs being housed in the upper reciever, allowing it to utilize a folding stock.

History

The AR-18 was tested by the US army at Aberdeen proving ground in 1964, and was said to have "military potential". Despite being a mechanical improvement on the AR-15 platform, the timing of its creation set it to be finalized one year before the M16 was adopted into the US military, and so it was passed over. As a result it was sold to other countries, typically ones with less abundant money resources, among them Haiti, Botswana, and Malaysia, where it had more success, but never on the same level of the AR-15.

The general intent of Armalite was to gain profit by licensing the design to foreign nations, rather than producing it domestically and exporting it abroad. In 1967 a license was sold to Howa of Japan, but the Japanese Goverment prevented them from selling to military organizations, so most rifles produced in Japan were sold on the United States civilian market in "Sporterized" configuration. The AR-18 was also produced by Sterling Armaments of England, with production beginning in 1975.

The most notable use of the AR-18 became the Provisional Irish Republican Army. During the Troubles in Northern Ireland becoming iconic and synonymous within the scope of the conflict. The folding stock was a possible factor for its popularity, as it allowed it to be concealed more easily than other firearms. The songs "Little Armalite" and "Armalite Rifle" are thought to refer to the AR-18, though Colt M16s and AR-15s were also referred to generically as "Armalites".

Variants

• AR-180 -Semi-automatic only variant made by Sterling Armaments in England and Howa Machinery in Japan for US civilian market. Limited production at Armalite Costa Mesa facility. Howa Variants lack a bayonet lug. As of 2024, value is around $4,200 according to the Blue Book of Gun Values

• AR 180K -AR-180 with short barrel and gas system made by Sterling for US export market and British police. Few sold in US due to NFA act.

• AR-180SP -Planned semiautomatic pistol sized variant made by Sterling. Never sold in US due to NFA act.

• AR-180 SCS -Rare version made by Phil Hart custom with one piece wooden thumb hole stock replacing pistol grip, handguard and stock.

• AR-180B -Formerly by modern day company Armalite. Lacks sheet metal stampings, upper and lower reciever are polymer.

• BRN-180 -Modern AR-15 upper receiver made by Brownells heavily based upon AR-18. Parts not interchangeable.

• AR-18S -Compact full automatic variant. Occasionally seen with conical flash hider and forward pistol grip.

• AR-18 LSW -Sterling prototype with quick change, heavy barrel added, flash suppressor, and bipod in an attempt to make a Squad Automatic. Similar in concept to Colt CAR/Colt 750. Included caliber change to 7.62x39mm Russian AK-47 round. Only one built.

Gallery

AR-18 walkaround.

AR-18 manual.

AR-18K carbine.

Eden Pastora with AR-18.

SBS trooper on RTK Marine JetRaider with AR-18.

Paratrooper testing AR-18 with scope.

AR-18 operation schematic 1.

AR-18 gas piston schematic.

AR-18 operation schematic 2.

AR-18 bolt schematic.

AR-18 upper receiver schematic.

AR-18 hammer/auto sear schematic.

AR-18 trunnion and bolt hold open schematic.

AR-18 selector schematic.

AR-18 handguard schematic.

AR-18 stock schematic 1.

AR-18 stock schematic 2.

AR-18 stock hinge schematic.

AR-18 hinge lock schematic.

AR-18 magazine schematic.

Japanese AR-18 trial rifle 1.

Japanese AR-18 trial rifle 2.

References

• "JANE'S GUN RECOGNITION GUIDE" fifth edition, pg. 330
• https://www.forgottenweapons.com/ar-18-and-ar-180-can-lightning-strike-twice-for-armalite/
• https://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/armalite_ar180_factory_operations_and_maintenance.pdf[1]
• [2]

See also

• AR-10
• AR-15
• Armalite AR-16