The history of military firearms would seldom come up with a rifle having a career graph as varied as the ArmaLite AR-18/AR-180. Conceived in the 1960s, the AR-18 was the ugly sister of the much-admired AR-15, itself developed into the legendary M16 and mainstay of the United States military.
Although it was never very well known, the design influence of the AR-18 upon modern firearms can be felt. Having been envisioned as a less expensive alternative to the AR-15, the AR-18 had stamped and welded steel, rather than the machined aluminum of that former model. Chambered for 5.56mm NATO and using a short-stroke gas piston system, the AR-18 added the folding stock invention for its time.
However, the AR-18 failed to win any large military or law enforcement contracts. Historians fault this on early teething problems, a lack of military-industrial funding, and manufacturers scattering due to import/export restrictions. Thus, all but relegating the AR-18 and its semi-automatic counterpart, the AR-180, to obscurity.
Nonetheless, the AR-18 found an unlikely spotlight during the Northern Ireland conflict known as “The Troubles.” The Provisional Irish Republican Army adopted the AR-18/180 as a token of resistance. Its ease of use and reliability made it a favorite among the ranks, inspiring folk songs and being an important part of the “ArmaLite and ballot box strategy” of the 1980s.
The AR-18 also saw service in other conflicts with various national militaries and guerrilla groups. One can clearly see its design DNA carried forward in a number of contemporary military rifles—the British SA80/L85 bullpup series and Japan’s Howa Type 89, for example. Modern firearms like the SIG MCX and the Model 516 continue to carry forward the elements brought forth by the AR-18, underscoring its robustness and reliability.
Interest in the formerly forgettable AR-180 returned in recent years. The WK180-C, a creation of the modern era and certainly much more reminiscent of an AR-180B, retains the spirit while offering compatibility with a wide range of AR-15 accessories and parts. Among the more salient features, it retains the piston operating system of its forerunner and has attracted much attention, especially in the U.S. market.
From obscurity to influence, the AR-18’s journey is reminiscent of any innovative design with a lasting legacy. Rejected at first and then forgotten, the AR-18 remains entrenched in the annals of military firearms history as a forerunner to modern rifle designs and a symbol of resistance and reliability.