AR-18, ArmaLite INC

Hello to all Milsurps Members.
I hope this is a good time to also post my first question, so here goes.
I have collected firearms for over 45 years and decided recently to downsize.
While going through my storage area a came across an item that I had forgot was in my collection. At first glance I thought that it was just another typical aluminum constructed AR15/M16 20 round magazine. When I turned it over I noticed that the "slot" is not normal sized. The slot is very narrow, so I turned it to the bottom plate and it is marked as follows:
AR-18, ArmaLite INC
Do any of you Members have information on these ArmaLite AR-18 magazines?
I have tried, with no success, to determine how rare the item is and the value.
I can find no internet records of availability or cost.
So - what do you think?
Thank you for your advice and feedback.
Best Regards,
Robert - Missouri USA.

It's for the AR 180 rifle and they were more common a few years ago(like many things) but they aren't particularly rare or expensive. They were made in three different places through time ( Costa Mesa, Howa, Sterling) and it was only a marginally successful rifle(in my opinion). Piston driven instead of direct gas like the AR, and it was an attempt to corner some of the market the AR had at the time.

Depending on condition, it will be worth what someone will pay if it goes on Ebay...

I had an AR-180 back in the 80s. It was a neat Rifle it had a side folding stock, a bent wire charging handle and a 3 prong suppressor. It was a stamped square receiver with a special scope mount base welded to the top. It was not as neat as a Garand though that's why I sold it. The Magazines were just AR mags with a slot on the left side. I was once looking for spare mags when a guy just told me to modify AR ones. It would be worth something to an AR-180 owner for it's originality. Chances are he uses modified AR-15 mags but an original mag would be a nice addition.

I have owned several AR-180s, and actually think it was a better weapons system than the AR-15. I had to sell my last one prior to moving back to Kalifornistan in 2011, because possession of an Ar-180 is a felony in Kalifornia. It was like an AK47 and an AR-15 having an illegitimate child - the AR180

Don't get me wrong...I liked mine. I traded it for a Jap navy Katana...a real nice one. Don't have that any more either.

I held an AR- 180 about 4+ years ago at a Gunshop near Detroit. The asking price was somewhere around $1,200+ for it (IIRC). Was very tempted to buy it as "something different". And like what was said... it was a cross between an AR and an AK... rather neat combination. I don't remember any scope mounts. Or what the magazine looked like.

The scope mount was a little flat plate fixed to the receiver top. Right in front of the rear sight.

The first AR-180 I saw was in a surplus store in Montreal Quebec .
The price was $200 .
I did not purchase one at that time unfortunately.

I am sure that it was more accurate than the AR-15's sold then.

I did have a Singlepoint shotgun sight for a while .

Glenn

Sorry for the well delayed response to the original question about magazines.

I will call "early" rifles as those made by Costa Mesa and Howa. Sterling are the 3rd gen company, but not a "3rd Gen" rifle in the classic sense that improvements had been made over it's production cycle. Although Sterling made vast improvements in magazine production specifically.

The 20 round aluminum was the original AR-180 magazine. They are now a bit rare, as most have been squirreled away for many years. When they do pop up, the 20 round aluminums sell for a range between $50 on the low side to nearly $100 on the high. The earliest 20s will have the Armalite leaping Lion on the base plate. I have never discerned whether Armalite made these in house on their own machines, or they were coming from outside contractors. The "cross hairs" & Armalite AR-18 without Lion came later.

There is an "early" steel mag, but I have also never discovered who made these mags. I do not think it was Costa Mesa Armalite, but could have been. You see the early versions, usually with NO manufacture markings. The base plates will be null and void of any markings. The feed lips are sharp on the edges. They function well, and you can find images of soldiers n Viet Nam using them in their XM-177E1s and E2s. Most were probably secured and mailed through private sources to the soldiers as I do not believe they were in the military supply system. The aluminum 30 rounder, with the compound curve was the first 30 round military M-16 magazine. These early steel 30s had a low radius curve of what appears to be single central point. These mags are often mistaken as run of the mill AR-15 mags since they have the AR-15 mag slot (and the AR-18), but will not have the hump, that acts as a magazine stop, right under the AR-15 slot. They sell for surprising low money at times because of this. The last one I picked up only cost me $18.00 in 2014. That was an exceptional and rare opportunity. They should be valued right under a Sterling 30 rounder and I will tell you why, even though they are more rare.

The 3rd gen Sterling made steel magazines were the finest steel magazine ever produced for the AR rifle series, including the M-16, at that time. Sterling must have taken it to task that there was not a reliable magazine source for this rifle they were manufacturing and trying to sell around the world. So when they put their minds to it, they did a heck of a good job. These are the guys making the Sterling MkIV 9mm sub machine gun with an uber reliable roller follower. Why shouldn't they make a high quality AR magazine? They were the HK "Maritime" hi reliability mag before anybody knew the M-16 needed one. Sterling mags now bring a deserved premium. They all came with the "Sterling" logo stamped onto the floor plate. You have to know the mag body of a Sterling, as sometimes plates are removed and put on other magazines. They can be a bit "chopped" as the gap on one side of the mag body and floor plate will be larger. Not a real issue, but I have noticed it. ALL Sterling Armalite magazines were parkerized in a smooth, medium to dark gray finish. They are NOT blued. If you see a blued 40 rounder (or any capacity for that matter), with an "Armalite AR-18" floor plate, it is a misplaced floor plate.

The Sterling mags came in 20 round curved, 30 round curved and the highly regarded 40 round curved mag. They all had black plastic followers made from high quality plastic. They did not feature anti-tilt as mag followers do today. I have even been known to replace those black followers with green anti tilt, but not too often. I like to keep things original.

Due to quality and scarcity, 20 and 30 round steel Sterling mags can sell for $65 or nearly $100 per mag. The 40s go for $85 to $135! I do see some trying to get $200 out of new old stock, showing no use, but they don't seem to move at that price. I wouldn't pay that! But then I have been doing this awhile and have my stash.

I hope this helps determine what is available on the market for these fine rifles. There are a few other aftermarket makers, some in plastic (Thermold) and some in steel (Federal Ordnance and USA mag) but are mostly inferior to the original makers. Thermold made a dedicated AR-180 mag and it works, but can be difficult to remove from the mag well. They usually do not drop free.

One more point made by another member. The AR-180 could be superbly accurate. If you hand loaded and did you part, the triggers were never light, but could be crisp. The fact that Armalite 180s did not have chrome lined bores attributed to that accuracy. Early M-16s lacked chrome lining, but we all know that changed after time in the Viet Nam jungles.

I have an early Armalite AR-180 Operation and Maintenance manual from Armalite in Costa Mesa Calif. The photos show both the early and later charging handle, so this is an early manual. The only magazine listed is the 20 round aluminum magazine.

The book "The World's Assault Rifles" by Musgrave & Nelson state under the AR-18 section, that a 30 round magazine is now available for the AR-18 - but there is no indication if it is steel or aluminum ?Attachment 60434

Photos show a few Armalite and Sterling magazines for the AR18/180 and also used in the AR-15/M16Attachment 60551Attachment 60550

first photo shows: Arnalite 30rd, Sterling steel 30rd, Colt 30rd and Sterling 40rd