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Posted: 7/23/2006 4:35:15 PM EDT
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Im new here but i figured this was the place to ask. www.southernohiogun.com is selling AR 18's made by sterling arms. From what little information I was able to find it seems these are basically a cast receiver ar 15 design modified with an ak style gas system. Is this description correct? does anyone have any more info on these? Buy one or run away as fast as I can? |
They come in 16" and 20" barrel lengths with FAL handguards and an FAL buttstock, right? I am 99% sure these are the ones made by Vulcan arms- the half AR-15 half FAL creature. They list them in their current paper catalog, not on the website. |
if it is a sterling, (actually an AR-180) go for it, stamped steel receivers, folding stock, great shooters, gas system is not like an AK, try this link for a good pic they are very nice rifles, esp the NFA version (AR-18) if you are talking about the V-18 by Vulcan(Hesse), general consensus is to RUN, not walk away |
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I have a Sterling AR-180. It is the design where Stoner added a gas piston. The gas system is very good and has been copied by several other designs including the HK G36. If you get a chance to try one, I think you will be pleased. The original mags are similar to AR-15 mags, but they have a notch for the the mag catch on the right side. The new AR-180B in interesting given it taks standard AR mags and trigger parts. I hope one day Armalite introduces an updated design. I would stay away from Hesse (Vulcan) if I were you. I made the mistake of buying one of their G3 receivers. It is trash. That rifle has never worked correctly. Don't make that same mistake. |
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i think i found what you were looking at, SOG issue 184(july 2006) flyer has an AR-18 listed on the bottom of page 12, NOT a sterling/howa/costa mesa gun, in fact the ad has no makers name at all, however since the ad next to it is for a Vulcan tanto style knife, i'm guessing that's who made the rifle save your $ and pick up a real 180 if that's what you want, JMHO, YMMV, etc |
There used to be a really good ar180 website at "sterlingwebpages" (can't remember the exact url), but it appears to be gone now. Too bad. It had lots of info on the old original 180/18 rifles. Armalite designed/produced them after they sold the AR15 design to Colt. The idea was to make a stamped rifle with a better gas system than the ar15. They succeeded, but their timing sucked as the army was already buying the ar15, etc. They made some in the USA marked "Costa Mesa" and others were farmed out to Howa in Japan and Sterling in England. The story goes that basically everyone ripped off their gas/bolt system. Sterling used it in the SA-80 / L85 and HK used it in the G36. From pix, it does appear to be just about exactly the same. I have a costa mesa 180 and love it. Damn fine rifle. Don't confuse the original 180's with the new 180B ones. Quite different internally. Especially in the lower receiver and fire control parts and the mag catch, etc. I'd love to see Armalite produce the original 180 again. 
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