I picked one up a little while ago and now notice they're on sale.  I'm wondering if this will be a supported item by Brownells?  I like it and was thinking iof getting a 10.5 S upper but don't want to get too heavially invested in an upper that spare parts might not be readily available for.

Also, has anyone removed the FH yet? I don't want to bugger it up and can't tell if it's a 1 or 2 piece with a locking nut?

Thoughts or insights?

I was ready to buy a BRN180S till I read that they do not support full auto operation.  Deal breaker.

In any case, for your flash hider question, try sending Brownells an inquiry email.

Best of luck.

MHO, YMMV, etc. Be well.

I recall reading that it's a two piece flash hider using a jam but.

It is a two piece jam nut.  Solid padded vice, heat gun and a little elbow grease gets it right off.  Replaced both of my factory flash hiders with relative ease.

Other than bolt catches and stock hinges for 1st Gen 180s, good  used and NOS 1st gen 180 parts are obtainable. Not bad for a gun that has been out of production for 30+ years. Since the BRN-180 uses AR15 pattern lowers they are even more supportable than 1st Gen 180s.

pws makes the upper for brownells so I highly doubt you'll ever have an issue getting parts. Brownells also has that forever warranty to fall back on

The select fire AR-18 and its semi auto only progeny AR-180 were buffer tube-less design firearms, which was why I had hoped that the BRN180 would include the option of a full auto carrier.  The potential market is probably just too small to make it worth doing.

MHO, YMMV, etc.  Be well.

That's what Mrgunsandgear said on his YT review.

It is.

I vice'd the upper used a heat gun and then wrenched the jam nut. The FH came off fairly easy.

I've owned 4 or 5 "real" AR180s (1 Costa Mesa, 1 Howa, and at least 2 Sterling) over the years.  I haven't had one in 2-3 years, but the originals had some parts fragility issues that I didn't like.

1) The stock hinge plate was easy to crack.
2) The BHO was SUPER easy to break.
3) The last one I owned cracked the bolt through the cam pin hole with low round count.

While I like the IDEA of a 180 the reality of the originals has turned me off to the design.  The Brit SA80 is basically a bullpup 180 and it is notoriously lousy too.

I have no experience with Brownells made firearms so take my comment to follow with a pound of salt ...

Most of the "clone" guns I've owned over the years were of low overall quality, and the manufacturer quickly lost interest in producing them (and spare parts).  This included all sorts of HK90-series clones, Robinson Armament's M63 Stoner clone (M96), etc.  I would expect the BRN180 to be no different.

Forgot to mention, back in the late 90's I was interested in building a Class 3 collection.  Over a few years I bought five Form 4 machine guns through a Class 3 SOT that ended up being a good friend.  His collection was prodigious and I was allowed to shoot anything I wanted EXCEPT his AR-18.  He was worried about bolt failure because it had cracked one in the past.

ETA: Jerry (my C3 SOT friend) had Colt Thompsons, Savage Thompsons, Owen, Austen, MP38, MP40, MP41, Beretta 38, 1919, M60, five or six M16 variants, MP5, MP5k, MP5SD, SW76, Suomi, Valmet, Sten Mark IV and V, M3 Grease Gun, M2 Carbine, BAR, MG42, Sturmgewher 43, Madsen M50, Uzi, and many many many more.  I shot all of them, except the AR-18. I never bought any FA that wasn't a pistol caliber at Jerry's encouragement.  I was really tempted to buy a Colt 603 from him, but he discouraged it heavily.  When I sold all of my Class 3 guns (last one sold in 2001 IIRC) I watched the internet market carefully and SMGs sold much better than non-SMGs.

Sorry for the derail, but there were comments about the AR-18 in this thread.

you probably shouldn't make assumptions about something you've never used or have even bothered to look at in this case. Its not even a clone its just a modern upper using the 180 style operating system and visual cue's like the side charging with dust cover. They basically did the same thing as what sig did for the mcx and took the good parts of the 180 and married it with modern technology so you could have a folding stock with a piston system.

That's a fair statement, but I stand by my comment about non-mainstream gun manufacturers not making products on par with "mainstream" gun manufacturers.

I did watch Mrgunsandgear's review (prior to my original post), and it is a AR180esque upper marketed by Brownells which just recently started selling "their own brand" of firearms. I have no idea who actually manufacturers their products.  Hopefully for you, its nothing like Century Arms' operation (or others who put their name on subpar parts assembled by unskilled labor).  Your earlier post claims:



PWS may be making the upper (and perhaps assembling it), but from my rather extensive experience with novel guns your assumption about "doubt you'll ever have an issue getting parts" is very optimistic.  Just ask any Daewoo owner...and Daewoo made rifles for an entire military. Or a Valmet 76 owner. Or a Robinson M96 owner. Or an AR180 owner. Or a Australian Leader Dynamics owner. Or a Beretta AR70 owner. Or a Sig 550 owner. Or a Springfield 223/556 SAR-4800 FAL owner. Or a Beretta BM59 owner. Or a Bushmaster 17 owner. Or a Sterling MK-6 Semi-Auto owner. Or a FNC owner, but who is this FN company compared to PWS?  I could go on, but it'll be lost on you. (NOTE: I've owned all of these firearms).


Again, I agree that I shouldn't comment on a specific product that I haven't personally owned.

I disagree that my general feeling about "novel" guns by "new or offbeat" manufacturers will not enjoy the engineering / support / quality of manufacture / quality control / component material quality / parts availability of widespread / commonly adopted firearms manufactured by known and experienced entities isn't valid.  However, my opinion is only based upon 36 years of collecting, testing, shooting, and owning military style arms (you'd be shocked by the number of them I've owned ... from mild to wild).

ETA: I won't pollute the thread with any additional rationale supported by nearly four decades of experience.

The fact remains that the due to the higher AR15 parts content the BRN 180 is more future forward supportable than any 180 that came before it. I have had several AR180 and 180b models. Other than a stock hinge the only wear parts they could have needed are still available on the secondary market today.

You don't need a vice or heat to remove the flash hider. I just laid the gun on my bed and used a crescent wrench on the jam nut, and a flat head screwdriver in the flash hider. Flash hider you turn left (loose) while turning right (tight) on the jam nut. Took half a second.

Anyone making a stock for the BRN180 that looks like the original?


.

I remember the shot show a Video with Ian and Karl at the Brownells booth talking about the WWSD carbine. Later guy from Brownells was talking about the BRN180 and an AR-18/AR-180 folding stock that would look like the original.

Maybe Magpul???

I think the biggest difference here is that Brownells is one of the biggest parts houses in the world and has a very stable financial base, unlike some of the startups that were making other clones. They’re not disappearing as long as the 2A remains intact.

And unlike your list of past firearms that no longer have support, there are no importers or import restrictions involved.

On a side note, why aren’t we stripping our preban guns down and 3D scanning everything? Technology has advanced to the point where we should be able to fabricate new parts for some of those older guns.

Though I am VERY dedicated to the original design, regardless of some of it's weaknesses; I think your aluminum lower and a repro of the original stock with a beefed up (but NOT operationally changed) hinge would be a damn fine piston gun.