I sent Armalite an e-mail the other day because I read their "war time footing" statement. I asked if the AR180B's were going to be delivered as scheduled. I have had one on order since June and was told to expect it in Sept./Oct. The last time I talked to them, about 2 weeks ago they said they were shipping orders from January. Their reply to my latest e-mail was the will resume shipping "Decemberish".
I've been pretty patient but by then I'll have the money for an SP-1. I'm not canceling yet, but I'm thinking about it. What do you guys think are they B.S. ing all of us or are they really going to deliver on these things?

It'll be a long long long wait.  Keep the order, but spend the money on something else and start putting  your pennies in a jar at the end of each day.  By the time it's in, you'll easily have enough.

The "General" at Armalite is looking to capture some beefy military contracts but it's at the cost of their civilian customers.  I suspect they are making a fatal business mistake.  While it is laudable that they are going into a "wartime" production for the government, I've yet seen a call or need for this.  FN and Colt will have no problem keeping up with needed arms, while Armalite will lose their base to the many other excellent manufacturers.

Sukebe, I talked with ArmaLite late last week about the AR-180B's.  My understanding is a sub-contractor supplying some part in the upper receiver decided to make the part from some material other than what was specified.  The substituted material caused very rapid wear.  I'm very sure that at least some AR-180B's were in the warehouse when the problem was discovered.

Please, please don't take this as fact but this is my understanding.

The only thing I know for sure is that the ArmaLite people are good folks and need to deliver this product - they are not B.S.'ing.

Dogbert, the "General" is actually a retired Light Colonel.
The military contract/s has absolutely nothing to do with delivery of the AR-180B.

No flame or insult intended.