I see Armalite is re-introducing the AR-180.I've owned a few AR-15's but I've never handled an AR-180.How do they stack up against the AR-15?

None of as yet have experience with the postban AR-180B.

As to the preban AR-180 vs. the AR-15 the AR-180 does quite well.

You might remember that the "AR" in AR-15 stands for ArmaLite.  Both the AR-15 and the AR-180 were invented by ArmaLite.

If I understand, "stack up" I'll repeat the slogan that influenced my buying the AR-10T. What is an AR-15 on steriods..Armalite AR-10T. I loved the advertisement, but the rifle is even better. I may one day buy the standard upper, but for now, the flat top is enough.

The AR180 and AR180B both use a piston type gas system, which some prefer because it is cleaner.  Personally, I don't see that as a big issue because I have preban and postban AR15's and several preban AR180's and will be a postban AR180B as soon as possible.

My old preban AR180 is like a United States "AK-47". The damn thing is reliable to say the least and does not care what magazines are feeding it. From a purely functional design point of view, the 180 is superior but the 30 years of AR development has certainly more than paid off. The new Armalite AR-180 looks like a winner. Checkout the review on cruffler.com..they really liked it.

Quoted: My old preban AR180 is like a United States "AK-47". The damn thing is reliable to say the least and does not care what magazines are feeding it. From a purely functional design point of view, the 180 is superior but the 30 years of AR development has certainly more than paid off.

JSL5150,
Well and accurately said.

For those of us who own or will acquire a preban AR-180 AND the new AR-180B the news is even better.
With the family of uppers and barrels to be made for the AR-180B (and will work with the preban AR-180 also) we'll have an opportunity to finally capatalize on developments made during the last 30 years.

I did some trading almost a year ago with a Class II to get him to build a modern 16"barrelled (1:9 twist), full length picatinney railed, upper for my preban AR-180.  Received the upper last night !!

Although I had accumulated my "trade" items over the years I'll bet my cost was about $1000. plus the one year wait.  (Little dude is cute though.  I had the guy put a pistol grip under the handguard to make an AR-180 appear to be the very rare AR-18S.)

Quoted: ... and does not care what magazines are feeding it.

Gee and how many magazine manufacturers were there for the AR-180?  Considereing it was never really adopted by a military and not that many were sold I don't expect to see a lot of 'aftermarket' magazines.

The new one is made to work with AR-15 magazines, and I'll bet the junky ones that don't work with the ARs wont work with the AR180B.

Quoted: Quoted: ... and does not care what magazines are feeding it. Gee and how many magazine manufacturers were there for the AR-180?  Considereing it was never really adopted by a military and not that many were sold I don't expect to see a lot of 'aftermarket' magazines. The new one is made to work with AR-15 magazines, and I'll bet the junky ones that don't work with the ARs wont work with the AR180B.

Forest,
I expect he is referring to converted AR-15/M16 mags.

I believe there were three manufacturers of the AR-18/180 magazine.  At any rate there are three distinctively different magazines.

Quoted: Forest, I expect he is referring to converted AR-15/M16 mags.

Doesn't this just requie cutting a slot in the magazine?

I believe there were three manufacturers of the AR-18/180 magazine.  At any rate there are three distinctively different magazines.

I'd expect there to be 3 manufacturers of magazines since there were 3 Manufacturers of the rifle.  So it looks like all the AR180 magazines were OEM.

Adapting the mags is easy. It is a slot cut in the magazine. I did this by puting some white-out on the mag catch itself, hold the mag catch in, inserting a magazine, let go of the mag catch. It transfers the whiteout to the magazine for a template for your dremel wheel. It literally takes about 30 seconds to do a mag and they will still function in AR-15's. The dozens I converted all work perfectly....even the ones that stopped working in AR's

Of course the new 180 uses standard AR magazines and lower internals. I have a few of the 40 round Sterling magazines and they are identical to GI mags but black in color.

The folding stock of the originals is not as a major selling point as one might think. The thin sheet metal "housing" on the stock itself is prone to breakage and fatague. I had mine repaired by a welder. Some 180's never have this problem.

JSL5150 must be a better man than I.  Even if he is "5150."  I tried this exact technique and only about half of my converted mags AR15 mags worked in my 180.

You also need to take the "bump" off or down near the square mag catch hole or it is a very tight fit in the 180 magwell.

Also the follower is slightly different in the 180, if memory serves the 180 will lock open with one round left in the mag when using an AR15 mag follower.

Aren't AR-180s the C&R eligble M16.

Aren't AR-180s the C&R eligble M16.

No.  It's a semiauto AR18, a similar rifle to the AR15 but with many differences.

Originally Posted By Forest I'd expect there to be 3 manufacturers of magazines since there were 3 Manufacturers of the rifle.  So it looks like all the AR180 magazines were OEM.

Forrest,
I don't know of anyone that has been able to actually confirm whether or not all the AR-18/180 mags were OEM.  This seems so likely but still I've never found anyone who was sure.

Several aftermarket mags were available for the AR-180.  Both Ramline and Eagle produced plastic mags that had catch holes for both AR-15 and AR-180.  I have a half dozen or so Eagles that are made to work in both guns.  So there were mags made for the AR-180 that were not factory OEM.  

Ross

The original AR-180 format does hold up to the AR-15 rifle. The only big thing I would say is the place of manufactor. Howa is the best made verison. Followed by the Costa Mesa and finally by Sterling. The Sterling model is the most numberous pre-ban verison and subjected to numberous problems. Mainly the poor quality controls at the Sterling plant during the 70's. Original mags where made in 20 rnds. Sterling mags made from 10, 20, 30 and 40 rnds. Eagle and Ramline made only in 30 rnds.