Made a run of Retro ARs?

I started a thread in the Armalite forum to put the bug in their ear: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=27&t=192459

So if this interests you, have at it.

I agree with Hal... if their AR180 and AR10B are examples of what they would put out, I am not on board to buy one. I appreaciate them making the AR180 and AR10B, but they are not very close to re-issues of historical rifles.

John Thomas

Yeah, when they came out with the AR-10B, it was sort of like the original Sudanese AR-10 but not quite. I asked Armalite if they had plans of making their AR-10B a "screw-for-screw" copy of the original AR-10 (ie. swap out the A2 rear sights for the original sight design, same handguard design, etc) and was told that they wouldn't do it because it would involve seperate machining and expense. Oh well, guess I will always just lust after the original AR-10 in my dreams.
The AR-180B is another example of managing to not quite get things right. I was hoping again for a screw-for-screw copy but alas, they came out with a polymer lower. Now there is talk they are looking at coming out with a newer AR-180 design that uses a metal lower but will look at adding rails to it. Again, just missing the mark all together as far as we true retro-heads go.
Another related story like this involves Toyota. When they said they were going to come out with the FJ40 again, I thought, "great, I always loved those old "Jap jeeps." Then they came out with something that only resemblance to the original was the white roof tops. Not necessarily a bad vehicle but a real let down for folks that love the older stuff that we grew up with.
No, I don't see Armalite coming out with a correct retro without managing to screw it up. No, I'll stick with my surplus parts builds and NDS lowers for that authentic taste!

I'll use the Sig556 as an example.

When people heard that Sig would be comming out with the 55X line in the US people were thrilled. Some people wanted an updated modernized model, others wanted the originals.
Sig delivered the 556. The purest called it an abomination and claimed they wanted the original at any cost. (Many people on ARFCOM said they would buy the original at a higher cost). Later a small run of high prices 556's configured the same as the older models were released, and people whined about the cost.


If Armalite made a run of retro rifles. . .

any deviation from the originals would case some people to complain and not buy them.
the cost would be higher preventing many people from buying them.
people would say, "well they made one model, but I'm waiting for this other model) (Ie they made a 601, but I wanted a XM177)
they would be making it for a limited market. Face it, the retro crowd is very small.

I prefer to use the term "Elite!!!"

Hate to say I agree with all above.Hell I called Tactical Machine and asked if they would/could supply me with 80% lowers that did not have the SAFE and FIRE on the right side of the receiver.Was told NO as the work they do is all done with CNC machines and it would require "re-programming" the computer.They weren't even willing to do a small thing like that,imagine trying to set up for an entire rifle?

This idea - I LIKE!!!

I started building ARs a couple of years ago and I don't think I'll ever again buy one that is factory built.

The retro crowd is huge , The guys who see a retro & think that would be more fun than another Flattop or M4gery build happen every day ...

I wouldn't buy a factory built retro rifle for several reasons.

1)
I already have all most of the retro rifle versions I want.
The rifles I have left to build are H&R (almost complete) and Hydramatic M16A1s and Colt 606.
Why would I want an ArmaLite logo on those?

2)
The only rifles that had the Armalite logo were the prototypes and the Colt 601 (which was not made by Armalite)
I doubt Colt would allow ArmaLite put their name on a rifle for nothing.

3)
The current ArmaLite logo looks nothing like the original Armalite logo.

4) ArmaLite would use an A2 lower which would not work for me.
I'd end up replacing their lower with an NDS lower.
Why pay excise tax and inflated factory prices just to have to fix their short sightedness.

5)
The only company I would trust to build a correct retro rifle because they're as anal as I am is NDS, and they're not going to build complete rifles.
Nor would I ever want them to.
I prefer they concentrate on bringing new reproduction parts to the market.
If they started to concentrate on complete rifles then that would take time from more important work.
Plus I don't think they would sell very many complete rifles.

That sucks. I didn't want to butcher an NDS but since I won't be gaining anything from buying an 80% it looks like that's the way to go. Less work overall, and it's already milled out, plus their blem lowers are a steal anyway.

EDIT: Are you sure they come marked already? I saw this thread here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=503992. Is his lower not from TM?

110% sure,I have 3.If you want to do some hands on,you CAN do what I did.BEFORE you cut the fire control pocket out,set the lower on a VERY solid surface.Then take a ball peen hammer (ball end) and start tapping away all around the and on the letters.Few hundred times.Take time out and hit it with the flat side of the hammer too.(sheetmetal 101),I also ran a file over it during the process every once in a while.The idea is to displace the metal around the letters enough to close in the recesses.Also hit it several times with emory cloth wrapped around a nice flat piece of oak.Takes time but comes out nice
ETA pic added of my 601.I reprofiled the 80%er to slabside configuration and tapped out the safe fire.

I've never heard of Ident, but I admit I'm not up on some things.

Got a link?