SAR West: After Action Report

Plenty of AR-180 action at SAR West this year.

I saw 5 Sterlings and a Costa Mesa, all over priced and I’m sure the dealers took them back home.

I looked over an early Howa on Saturday morning but wasn’t prepared to spend that much money. (I had to sell something first)

Turns out good friend on the site Tommy snagged it along with a Hybrid scope, Colt scope with an Armalite base. He brought it by for me to look at and take some pics. Serial number S000045. The earliest one I have seen.

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There are far too many of these hybrid scopes for them not to have come from the factory like this.

The furniture had been painted but Tommy reported back that a few hours with paint remover brought it back to it’s former glory.

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I was able to pick up a stripped Costa Mesa lower and an AR-15 barrel that had been sort of converted to work on an AR-180. Another project in the making. It’s an early three digit receiver and a C MP C barrel that has had the shoulder turned back to line up the gas port. I think I might turn this one into a more accurate AR-18S Clone. Of course this project is not going anywhere till I get the internal parts. The search continues.

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Oh and a new scope to add to the collection. A second gen, inverted post, marked in yards with serial number 712116. A pretty high number.

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I was also given access to another Hard Times Armory full auto conversion from the guys at AZFirearms.com and I was able to open it up and take some pictures of the inner workings. There will be a full article on this one forth coming. Special thanks to those guys for allowing me the access.

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I also picked up a very few flats from Chuck. Now the question is, how to bend them properly.

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I also did a lot of horse trading and came home with a couple project revolvers. Before 180s I was a die hard Colt Double Action man. I guess I still am in many ways.

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SAR West Gun Show

I just got back into town from Vegas about 12:30 this morning and I am preparing to head to Phoenix for the SAR West gun show. I have never attended this show and I hope to get the most out of it. I will be wandering around with my AR-180S Shorty and a backpack full of AR-180B Lower Parts Kits. I’ll be stopping by the NoDak booth to check out his retro stuff and I am hoping he has some NDS-18S lowers with him. (Ok, I’m hoping he has one in particular, the one I ordered some months back.) I’m also hoping to run into Bill, a great gunbroker seller who I have purchased some AR-180 parts from before.

Make sure you say “Hi” if you see me walk by.

The best part however is going to be staying with Chuck and Shirley and all the other guests at their house. I can’t wait to meet all the great folks.

Sleep has been a little lacking for me this week and I don’t see that trend changing anytime soon.

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