Guns International #: 102896563
Seller's Inventory #: CM24-BHD

Category - Armalite Rifles - Military Rifles - US

Category
Armalite Rifles
Military Rifles - US

Pre-Ban Armalite Sterling AR-180 Rifle in .223/5.56 NATO w/ Factory Magazine * Exceptionally Clean & 100% Original *

Description:
This is a beautiful, all-original, un-modified, VERY-lightly used Armalite Model AR-180 rifle in .223/5.56 NATO made by the Sterling Co. in England.  This AR-180 appears like-new and has definitely spent the vast majority of it's life in storage.  This AR-180 was made by Sterling on-contract for Armalite in England, a firm which made around 12,000 of these between 1979 and 1985.  Prior to that, Armalite made them from 1969 until 1972, at which point production was moved to Howa in Japan on-contract.  Howa made these from 1970 until 1974, with about 4,000 made in total before Sterling took over.  
     The AR-180 is a semi-automatic only version of the AR-18, a select-fire military rifle which was the primary competitor to the Colt M-16 design from Eugene Stoner.  The AR-18 is a scaled down version of the AR-10 from Armalite, which was chambered in .308 Winchester.  The AR-10 was intended to compete with the Springfield M-14, but was designed and built too late to be seriously considered in place of the M-14.  The U.S. Military decided to adopt the Springfield M-14 in .308, but experiences early in Vietnam convinced the top brass that a high-velocity .22 caliber select-fire rifle would be a much better choice, as it was easier to shoot accurately in bursts, the soliders could carry a lot more ammunition due to the smaller size and lighter weight of the cartridge, and the high-velocity small bullet was more apt to seriously wound the enemy soldiers, which was a MUCH higher drain on their resources and equally taxing on enemy morale.  A wounded soldier laying on the battelfield required 1 or more soldiers to retrieve them, to get them off the battlefield and to safety, then be cared for by multiple people, and eventually take space in a hospital.  All of these things kept them from fighting as well as the people that cared for the wounded.  A enemy soldier killed required no more time, attention, or resources. Ultimately the AR-18 and M-16 went head to head competing to be adopted by the U.S. Military as that next .22 caliber weapon. 
      There was a few huge differences between the two systems.  The AR-15 or M-16 is a direct gas-impringment action, and was made from cast and/or machined steel and alloys. It required the use of a recoil spring and housing that protruded from the rear of the receiver.  This prevented the use of a folding stock, rather they made a collapsible stock on the carbines and fixed stock on the rifle.  The gases were bled from the barrel and directed to the bolt, where those forces powered the bolt to the rear, and the recoil spring returned it to battery while picking up a round along the way.  The AR-18 is a short-stroke piston action, and was built primarily from stamped sheetmetal wherever possible.  Gas is bled off of the barrel as well, however the gases are directed to the piston housing just above it which drives the piston and bolt assembly rearward.  Two recoil springs located above and to the left and right of the bolt head, which have guide rods inside them, powers the bolt back forward, during which it strips a round from the magazine before the bolt rotates into battery with the barrel.  This short-stroke gas piston action did not require a recoil spring housing protruding out of the rear of the receiver, allowing it to have a true folding rear stock.  In addition to having a true folding stock, the gun can be fired with the stock folded with no issue.  Another difference most people will notice is that the M-16was made with an integral carry handle, which does have a hole at center to secure an optic, but only has two positions for the rear peep sight, and required tools to do any sight adjustments.  The AR-180 has a fully adjustble raer sight with a two position peep, and the front sight post is near identical to the Colt M-16's.  The AR-180 has a spot-welded wedge-shaped piece of metal on the top of the square receiver, which is undercut at an angle, wider and the top than the bottom.  This is used with a special optic mount which slides onto the block using an undercut lip that slides under the sides of the block on top, and is secured there by a spring-loaded plunger in the mount that acts against the rear sight assembly, pushing it forward which tightens it on the guns wedge-type mount.  From what I have read and heard, it was a very close decision by the U.S. Military, which chose the Colt AR-15 / M-16 over the Armalite AR-18 / AR-180.  Ultimately, losing that competition sealed the Armalite's fate, which went to the commercial market instead.
      As you can see from the pictures, this is a very handsome example of these cool weapons.  It is 100% original and unmolested.  This rifle has spent the vast majority of it's life in storage, and shows little to no wear or evidence of having been fired.  Sterling used two different finishes during production. The first 5000 of their production was given a gloss black enameled finish, while the remainder of their production was given a much nicer blued finish starting at S20,000 or so.  This example is serial number S24,508, which has the proper blued finish.  This blue finish is in great shape overall, particularly when their fit and finish when new is considered.  Sterling did not spent much time on the blue finish on these, so many little marks or spots you will see on various examples were there from the day they left the factory.  

Price: $2,950.00

Manufacturer: Armalite Sterling
Model: AR-180
Serial Number: S24508
Condition: Excellent
Metal Condition: Very Good / Excellent
Bore Condition: Minty
Action: Semi-Auto
Finish: Factory Blue
Sights: Adjustable Iron Battle Sights
Manufacture Date: Early 1980's
Extras: Original Sling & Original 20rd Magazine