While the AR180 series was catapulted into mainstream attention among firearm owners in the aftermath of Canada’s May 1, 2020 Order in Council that banned AR15s and so many of their analogs, it spawned a growing market for AR180 variants and a related aftermarket of parts, which have opened up possibilities for non-restricted rifles for Canadians.
A civilian variant of the AR18, the AR180, had been banned in Canada; however, the AR180B carved out an excellent niche for itself with a polymer lower and STANAG magazine compatibility. Once available for around $1000, inflation has pushed the AR180B well over $2002, which is a pretty astonishing price, considering it’s a discontinued weapon with some very questionable design elements – the most obvious being the rather fragile nature of its polymer lower.
Canada’s Kodiak Defense offered the WK180C, a domestically produced clone of the AR180 that took off fast. In contrast to the Armalite model, the WK180C featured an aluminum lower and upper, a standard buffer tube for mounting stocks, and many shared AR15 parts. As such, the WK180C is the cheap AR180 clone, going from $1,200 to $1,300. Of course, it does have issues with the screw-in charging handles and pistons, especially when users have reported issues when used in competitive settings.
The WK180C Gen 2 was on display at Shot Show 2022, with improvements from its predecessors in an ergonomic bolt release lever, a non-reciprocating charging handle, and improved mag well. MSRP is $1479, and multiple variants exist including the WK180C Steel, Magpul Edition, and a 7.62×39 variant.
The WS-MCR is another AR180 variant, this one also made in Canada. It has a steel upper and a brass piston bushing so it’s just a little beefier. Having had some teething problems initially, that are now seemingly ironed out, the WS-MCR represents quite good value for money at its price of around $1600. Spectre Ltd recently released its Crusader Arms Templar with a mid-length gas system and a price of approximately $2000.
Sporting an ambidextrous bolt release and left-side non-reciprocating charging handle, the Sterling NR R18MK2 separates itself from the rest with a few other changes. These include its proprietary barrel nut and forend for a price tag of $2700 in the AR180 marketplace.
The newest entry into this family of rifles is the BCL SRV2 Siberian, which boasts a mid-length gas system and a non-reciprocating charging handle. Pricing at $1650, the SRV2 takes another turn at this well-established FRT-based market already congested with established competitors such as the WK180C or WS-MCR.
Options for a lower and conversion kit to fit an AR180 are also very good in the Canadian market. Notably, these would be inclusive of the SBI Lynx180B lower and the TNA upper+lower kit, and, last but not least, the Jard J180 build kit. These components give a good deal of headroom to the end-user in terms of accessorizing their rifles with lightweight lowers and enhanced trigger groups, amongst other things.
From the very affordable WK180C to the loaded Sterling NR R18MK2, this market has certainly traveled a great distance from where it was with the AR15 ban. Nowadays, there’s an AR180 model for every kind of need and every wallet. Provided that manufacturers keep coming up with new ideas, and constantly improving in quality, this AR180 series is going to stay at the very top of most popular lists among Canadian shooters.