First Generation AR-180 Scopes

The first generation AR-180 scopes are easy to identify if you know how.

They are marked in meters.

AR-180 Scope Meters

 

The reticle is of the inverted post style.

AR-180 Scope Inverted Post

The practical uses of this style reticle is mentioned in the manual.

AR-180 Scope Manual

To quote from the manual. “The sight incorporates an inverted post as well as fine cross-hairs. When “holding over” at extreme ranges, this precludes the post from blotting out the target.”

The final distinguishing mark that this scope features is a serial number on the bottom of the base. These will all start with 67 followed by four digits.

AR-180 Scope Serial 670037

My good friend and AR-180 mentor, Rich, has collected all the scope serial numbers he has come across over the years and has found none that are higher than 671000. He has further deduced that these were originally produced for the first 1000 Howa rifles.

Armalite never wanted to go into production and make guns as much as they wanted to design them and then license the rights to others to actually produce.

The fact that they had Howa Machinery produce the rifle is documented in the January 31, 1966 issue of U.S. News and World Report. One small paragraph under the heading “Rifles for Asia” reads.

“Armalite, Inc. the Costa Mesa, Calif., firm that took over the former Fairchild gun division, has developed a new combat rifle, the AR18. This model is to be produced by Japan’s Howa Machinery, Ltd., under a provisional agreement. It would be the first mass production of this rifle, with the Japanese expecting to export some units to such Southeast Asia customers as Thailand and the Philippines.”

Original article found hereĀ 

After Howa produced the first 1000 rifles but before they could ship, Japan became neutral and would not ship any guns to nations that were in active conflicts.

“Adopted in 1967, the three principles originally prohibited arms sales to Communist nations, countries under United Nations sanctions and countries in armed conflict, but it eventually grew into a blanket ban on all weapons exports.”

From NY Times article.

Early Howa AR-180’s are known to have been converted from AR-18’s so this is the series of events as I have come to understand them.

Howa produced 1000 AR-18 rifles in 1967. They were complete with serial numbered scopes and flash hiders. The Japanese government changed policy and they were not allowed to export them. The Costa Mesa plant was forced to ramp up production and in order to offer scopes as add on accessories, they imported the scopes from Howa as these were not under any sanctions. These scopes were offered up, in plain cardboard boxes, to any who ordered them with no thought given to matching the serial numbers.

AR-180 Scope Box

Picture found via Google Image Search

In conclusion, this makes for a pretty firm number of these early scopes not counting losses over the years. Less than 1000. Identifying and distinguishing them from the later scopes is pretty straight forward, marked in meters, inverted post reticle, and a serial number starting in 67.

Good hunting and please let me know if you have any pictures of original scope boxes you would like to share.

Please note I have manually added a few email addresses to my subscriber list, let me know if this is a problem and I will gladly remove them.

 

AR-180B Shorty Project Pt. III

The next part that had to made were the hand guards. I first mocked them up to find the approximate length then cut them off with my bandsaw. I left them a little long and figured I could trim them if I had to.

I then trimmed a small piece of the front end of the cut off part and fitted them into the hand guard. This will allow me to use the existing end cap.

AR-180S Inside Bottom Handguard AR-180S Inside Top Handguard

Here you can see that I didn’t get things exactly right as there is a small gap at the front of the hand guards. They will work for function testing but I intend to build a set of new end caps that encapsulate the entire hand guard.

AR-180S Left

Here she is ready to head to the range and dial in the gas port size.

Featuring a Stormwerkz mount and Primary Arms Micro Red Dot.

Stormwerkz.com

Primary Arms Micro

I would also like to ask if everyone could help me test out the site by leaving comments so I can see if it is working.

Identifying Costa Mesa 30 Round Magazines

In the early days of production and sales in Costa Mesa, Armalite offered their own 30 round steel magazines.

These are often misidentified or overlooked because they have no markings at all.

You will notice that the bases plate shown in the picture below have no markings and feature a hole on one end. These are the ones you are looking for. (The top magazine has the incorrect base plate)

Costa Mesa 30 Round Base Plate

Unlike the Sterling magazines, these have no hole on the side of the magazine.

Right side.

Costa Mesa 30 Round Right

Left side.

Costa Mesa 30 Round Left

They also feature a unique spot weld design that I have seen on no other magazines. Three equally spaced spot welds are more prominent than the rest.

Costa Mesa 30 Round Spot Welds

You will also not that these magazines are designed with a full curve and not the partial curve of the Sterling or M16 magazines.

Costa Mesa 30 Round

Good luck with your hunt for these highly desirable magazines.

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Armalite AR-180 Accessories: Sharp Shooter Kit

The Sharp Shooter Kit is an incredibly hard to find accessory that was available for the Sterling AR-180.

I believe these may be the only pictures of said kit on the internet.

Not much is known of these and I am still searching for more information as we speak.

I first heard about the Sharp Shooter Kit in a few forum threads but didn’t even know what it consisted of. In fact I received this kit and didn’t know what I had. I assumed it was some aftermarket accessory that the seller threw in with my gun when he shipped it.

 

It was only after seeing this scan of an old Armalite hand out, that I put it all together.

Sharp Shooter Kit 1

The Armalite Sharp Shooter Kit consists of a neoprene/nylon cover for the hand guard and butt stock. Perhaps you too have had one of these and didn’t know what it was.

Here you can see the overall view, please note that the velcro strips have been added after the fact. I’m not sure I can remove them without damage to the sleeve.

Sharp Shooter Kit 2

The next picture shows the butt stock or “Cheek Pad” as Armalite calls it.

Shapr Shooter Kit 3

The final picture shows the vent holes that are cut in the top of the hand guard sleeve. There is also one hole in the bottom.

Sharp Shooter Kit 4

One of the points made in the hand out is that it “Increases shooter comfort”. Although I have not had this gun to the range yet I can tell without a doubt, that is true. I shouldered this rifle a few times while shooting these pictures and with the cold temps outside, the cheek pad made for a much warmer place to lay my face.

Please let me know if you have one of these kits as I would like to put up more pictures and compare them to mine.

AR-180B Shorty Project Pt. II

Another updated series of pics from John over at Retro Arms Works.

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It will be heading back soon and I will start on the hand guards.

Then it’s off to the range to dial in the gas port and play!