About two weeks ago purely by chance I located only the second known to exist New-in-the-Box ArmaLite AR-17 shotgun.

Now the literature says about 2000 were made in 1964 and 1965 but actually only about 1400 total were made - 1200 gold and 200 black.

Anyway I received the AR-17 today completely pristine shotgun, box with Leaping Lion logo, owner's manual, warranty card and, parts list a separate booklet showing the AR-17 and the AR-7 and a 'mimeographed' additional instruction.

The AR-17 was 'BLACK" and Serial Number 00046 !!
(Yes, the shotgun serial numbers to the box !)

Edited to add:  Both extra chokes (and the choke wrench) are in their slots in the box.  To the best of my knowledge everything that ever shipped with these guns is here.

Any word on the 3-round magazine?

YOU SIR, make me sick[:D]

I just happen to know the location of the parts for one (1) 3-round mag.

(Arock knew of this deal and sent a great article from a Dallas paper circa 1964.)

I know anyone reading this will wonder why I didn't know the gun was black and the serial number low before the purchase.

Well, I felt as if I was walking on egg shells in this deal and decided to simply concentrate on the fact this was actually an NIB AR-17 and color and number just didn't enter into the discussion.  (I assumed the color would be gold.)

Three round mag?  Wot's that?  My gold AR17 holds one in the chamber and one in the mag and that's it.  Sorta like the Browning "Twelvette."

Congrats on a great find!  However, I can shoot mine, you gonna shoot yours?

OK, put it back in the box before you rub the finish off of it. [:D]

Ranger, there was a separate 3-round detachable mag for the AR-17.  I had heard mention of this before but the Article from 1964 that Arock sent confirmed the existence.

Mark Westrom has the parts for one and I know where the parts are for one more.  What I don't know is whether or not the 3-round mag was ever marketed.

The terminology (clip vs. mag) is wrong but here's the mention from Arock's Dallas newspaper
article dated March 17, 1964:  "....For the two-shot semi-automatic can be made five shot with a clip......"

(I do have a gold AR-17 that I'm going to shoot.)

OOOOkay !

I have no idea what you are talking about but congratulations!!

Hey I'll trade you my 18 year old daughter for it !!

No camera but I'll try and have a friend take some tomorrow.

I just can't get over the box.  Every NIB or LNIB ArmaLite I've ever owned or saw came in a non-descript cardboard box with the serial number scrawled on one end in grease pencil.

This box actually has ArmaLites name, the leaping lion logo, model number, etc., imprinted on the box.

Now I'm bettin we are into 'high' maintenance !

OK 5subslr5, let's open the bidding . . . Where do you find this stuff anyway?

Ranger,
I was trying to help a friend that has AR-180 serial number 21 establish the identity of the person who was presented this gun by ArmaLite - a fellow by the name of Clift.
In trying to help this guy I blundered into a conversation about old ArmaLite with the person who owned this AR-17 NIB.  I bought the gun and Fed Ex'd the cashier's check and FFL that day.

Just as a side note today we confirmed that AR-180 (Presentation plaque set into the stock and gold trigger) Serial Number 21 was presented to Mr. Oliver E. Clift.  Mr. Clift was a director of Capital Southwest Corporation as well as a bank president.  In 1964 Dallas based Capital Southwest held a large equity stake in ArmaLite.
Best I can tell before my friend in Omaha bought serial number 21 the rifle had never been more than fifty miles from where it was presented in Dallas thirty-three years ago.

It has been a pretty good year for me so far as being able to help a couple of friends.  In January I helped authenticate only the second 1919 Rock Island Arsenal National Match rifle known to exist and by far the best of the two.

Now don't choke here but my friend traded a Mini-14 that he had $150.00 in for the 1919 rifle at a flea market !   The 1919 rifle will probably go to auction some time later this year.

[b]DUDE![/b] [:P]

Pictures!  We want pictures!