Warning

 

Close
Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Cancel Confirm
AR15.COM
Armory Sponsor
7/17/2013 12:20:53 PM EDT
I was bopping around wiki and wondered if anybody wanted to have a discussion on non-mainstream, hardly hear of them firearms that may or may not be in circulation in the U.S.

Here's a small, incomplete compilation of .223s:

SIG Manurhin F.S.A. and the SIG Manurhin C.S.A (SIG 540 clone) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIG_SG_540

LM4 (South African based Galil) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R4_assault_rifle

Sako/Valmet M62S - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rk_62

Robinson Armament M96 Expeditionary - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M96_Expeditionary_Weapon_System

FN CAL (FNC predecessor) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_CAL

Pindad SS2 (Indonesian updated FNC) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pindad_SS2

FARA 83 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FARA_83

INSAS rifle (Indian based AK/Galil) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INSAS

Leader Dynamics Series T2 MK5 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leader_Dynamics_Series_T2_MK5


308:
SIG AMT (SIG 510 clone) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sig_510


Canadians
Type 97NSR - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QBZ-95
7/17/2013 2:48:44 PM EDT
[#1]
I'd include the FAMAS and Leader Dynamics.
7/17/2013 4:15:40 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote History
Quoted:
I'd include the FAMAS and Leader Dynamics.
View Quote


Well I wasn't actually compiling a list, just wanted to discuss obscure firearms, like the SIG Manurhin F.S.A. and the SIG Manurhin C.S.A. On the wiki page it said that these were semi-autos made for the European civilian market. Has anyone ever tried to import them here? Anybody have any hands on experiences; maybe some of our European members?

P.S. I don't think the FAMAS could be considered obscure, it's pretty well known.
7/17/2013 9:37:42 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote History
Quoted:


Well I wasn't actually compiling a list, just wanted to discuss obscure firearms, like the SIG Manurhin F.S.A. and the SIG Manurhin C.S.A. On the wiki page it said that these were semi-autos made for the European civilian market. Has anyone ever tried to import them here? Anybody have any hands on experiences; maybe some of our European members?

P.S. I don't think the FAMAS could be considered obscure, it's pretty well known.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'd include the FAMAS and Leader Dynamics.


Well I wasn't actually compiling a list, just wanted to discuss obscure firearms, like the SIG Manurhin F.S.A. and the SIG Manurhin C.S.A. On the wiki page it said that these were semi-autos made for the European civilian market. Has anyone ever tried to import them here? Anybody have any hands on experiences; maybe some of our European members?

P.S. I don't think the FAMAS could be considered obscure, it's pretty well known.


I've seen a few Sig AMTs up for sale here and there.  Everything I have read says they are amazing guns, but they are expensive.  There is one on gunbroker right now with a starting bid of $5,000.  

My uncle had a Valmet and said it was a good rifle, but he sold it many years ago.
7/18/2013 6:35:52 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote History
Quoted: Has anyone ever tried to import them here? Anybody have any hands on experiences; maybe some of our European members?

P.S. I don't think the FAMAS could be considered obscure, it's pretty well known.
View Quote


There are some in America. I didn't research it a great deal beyond asking on here, but it sounded like they were very unusual, expensive pre-bans. The military version is a very good rifle.

I haven't fired an R4, but my father has, and he quite liked them. They are heavy firearms. There are South African shooting forums which would probably provide a lot of info about them.

The FAMAS is pretty rare outside France. In Europe, I've heard the civilian versions are very uncommon, maybe more so than in America. Several members on this site have them. You could certainly buy one, like this, it's just prohibitively expensive.


7/18/2013 11:54:21 AM EDT
[#5]
Holloway Arms HAC-7 needs to be added to the list.
7/18/2013 12:10:00 PM EDT
[#6]
I had an M96 when they first came out.  Front heavy but not a bad shooter.
7/18/2013 6:14:03 PM EDT
[#7]
Have to add the British Aerospace SA80 Sporter...
7/19/2013 12:03:20 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote History
Quoted:
Holloway Arms HAC-7 needs to be added to the list.
View Quote


Interesting:
"The Holloway Arms HAC-7 rifle was a hybrid 7.62mm battle rifle using design elements form the AK, AR, and FAL, built in the mid 1980s."

ETA: That looks like an extremely small ejection port.



7/19/2013 12:07:38 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Quoted:
I had an M96 when they first came out.  Front heavy but not a bad shooter.
View Quote


Have any experience with the Stoner 63 to compare?
7/19/2013 12:08:15 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote History
Quoted:
Have to add the British Aerospace SA80 Sporter...
View Quote


I've only heard of one person in the US owning one.  Rumor has it there are a couple floating around, but I have never seen them pop up on gunbroker.
7/19/2013 1:12:51 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Quoted:


I've only heard of one person in the US owning one.  Rumor has it there are a couple floating around, but I have never seen them pop up on gunbroker.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Have to add the British Aerospace SA80 Sporter...


I've only heard of one person in the US owning one.  Rumor has it there are a couple floating around, but I have never seen them pop up on gunbroker.


There are a few of these out there, probably never to resurface until an estate sale. They were brought into the country in the late 1980s as sales samples by Golden State Arms, the prospective importer. With the pound/dollar exchange rate at the time, they could not get a retail price that could compete with other imported semis. The estimated MSRP in the mid/late 80s was going to be over $3000 compared to the $700 established MSRP of the whole HK and FN lines.  There was no interest at that price and British Aerospace dropped plans for production.

One popped up on Shotgun News about 1996, NIB with an entire box of spare parts collected during Gulf War I by the owner, enough to rebuild the entire gun several times over: $10k. Saw another one go for $19k in 1999 or so. Never seen any since.

There are a multitude of super rare guns like this that came in as sales samples for purposes of pre-order, especially before 1989.  The deals never materialized for a number of reasons and these samples got sold off to lucky people. Larry Vickers recently bought a 1980s semi-auto sales sample of a Chinese Type 81S.  There are about 5 of those in existence.

ETA:  There is also at least one SA80 parts gun out there on a scratch-built receiver done by The Arms Room out of Nevada. Saw that one go for sub-$10k about 15 years ago and it included the parts necessary to convert to the L86A1.
7/20/2013 7:24:46 PM EDT
[#12]
SIG AMT was in .308 Winchester not .223.
7/21/2013 10:55:58 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote History
Quoted:
SIG AMT was in .308 Winchester not .223.
View Quote


Yes, excuse me, the majority was in 5.56 and I accidentally threw it in with the lot.
7/21/2013 10:59:17 AM EDT
[#14]
Does anyone have any knowledge about the FARA 83?
Armory Sponsor