ArmaLite AR-18

Armalite AR-18 - 5.56mm

Armalite AR-18 with 30 round magazine 5.56mm

AR-18 fitted with scope with stock folded 5.56mm

File:Sterling AR-18.JPG

AR-18 with scope and sling fitted 5.56mm

Modernized AR-180B by Armalite that accepts AR-15 / M16 magazines but does not come with a side-folding stock (requires aftermarket parts and modification to the rifle to accomplish this) - 5.56mm

The SAR-87, an advanced AR-18 derivative that was under development by the now-defunct Sterling Armaments of Dagenham.

The AR-18 Rifle was developed in the early 1960s as a low cost alternative to the AR-15 Rifle and was produced by Armalite in the U.S. and manufactured via contract by Sterling of England and Howa of Japan. The AR-18 was a (5.56mm) select fire assault rifle that used simple stampings for ease of manufacture. The Semi-automatic Civilian version of the rifle was called the AR-180. Hoping to capture the third world market as an alternative to the more expensive M16 assault rifle, Armalite was set for a disappointment, when the U.S. Government commissioned, bought and then gave away hundreds of thousands of M16s during the course of the 1960s and 1970s (to stem the tide of Communists arming 'their side' with free weapons). Armalite discontinued AR-18 production in the late 1970s.

Although never adopted officially by any Armed Forces, it did somewhat serve as a testbed for weapons such as the Sterling SAR-87, SA80, SR-88, H&K G36 etc. The AR-18 was notoriously supplied underground to the Irish Republican Army hence the Armalite and Ballot Box strategy. The rifle is now once again being manufactured by Armalite as the modernized AR-180B, with new Polymer Lower receiver that accepts AR-15/M16 STANAG Magazines. The original AR-18/180s had a "similar looking" magazine to the AR-15 but it was a proprietary design and the magazines for the two rifles were NOT interchangeable unless modified; a cut out space on the magazine to catch in the magazine well was on different sides for each weapon, but a skilled armourer could modify one magazine to fit in the other. The new version allows for the usage of the vastly more common AR-15 magazines. Despite being once again manufactured for the civilian shooter market, none of the new Armalite guns with the synthetic lower receiver have appeared in any movies or television shows yet.

Specifications

(1963 - 1980)

• Type: Assault Rifle

• Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO

• Weight: 6.6 lbs (3 kg)

• Length: 38.2 in (97 cm)

• Barrel length: 18.3 in (46.4 cm)

• Capacity: 20. 30, 40 round box mag

• Fire Modes: Semi-Auto/Full-Auto

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The ArmaLite AR-18 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Silver Streak	Ray Walston	Thug Edgar Whiney		1976
The Enforcer				1976
The Spy Who Loved Me		KGB Assassins		1977
Sorcerer		Venezuelan soldiers		1977
The Gauntlet		Phoenix Police		1977
Stingray (AKA: Abigail Wanted)	Sherry Jackson	Abigail Bratowski		1978
For Your Eyes Only	Michael Gothard	Michael Corben		1981
Harry's Game	Derek Thompson	Billy Downes		1982
The Terminator	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Terminator		1984
Tomorrow Never Dies	Pierce Brosnan	James Bond		1997
The Last Train	Treva Etienne	Ark Tribesman		1999
Shergar	Andrew Connolly	Concannon		1999
Serenity	Nathan Fillion	Mal Reynolds		2005
Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia		Colombian Rogue Unit soldier		2009
The Guard				2011

Television

Show Title	Actor	Character	Note / Episode	Air Date
S.W.A.T.	Christopher George	Mr. Bravo		1975-1976
The Professionals	Lewis Collins	Bodie		1977-1983
The A-Team	Ismael Carlo	Salvador		1983-1988