ArmaLite AR-7

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Armalite AR-7 rifle - .22 LR

The Armalite AR-7 is a semiautomatic .22 LR takedown rifle based on technology developed for the AR-5 (USAF MA-1) air crew survival gun by the ArmaLite Division of Fairchild Engine & Airplane Corp.

The Armalite AR-7 Explorer was designed and marketed as a survival/backpack gun for campers and hunters due to its light weight (2.75 pounds) and compact size when broken down. The receiver, magazine, and barrel pack inside the buttstock. Like the AR-5, the AR-7 was designed to float if dropped in water. The basic sights are a peep rear adjustable for elevation and a front post adjustable for windage. The receiver is made of aluminum, the standard 8 round magazine of steel. Aftermarket magazines have been made in various capacities and of different materials.

Armalite began production of the AR-7 Explorer rifle in 1959 then sold the rights to Charter Arms in 1973. Charter Arms produced the rifle and introduced a detachable 3/8 inch tip-off rail for scope mounts. Charter introduced the Explorer II pistol version from 1980 to 1986. In 1990 Charter Arms sold the rights to Survival Arms who made the rifle up to 1997. Survival Arms then sold the rights to AR-7 Industries who continued production into the early 2000s.

When the patent expired in 1998, Henry Repeating Arms Company reverse engineered the AR-7 maintaining backward compatiblity but with changes to the reciever and stock. Henry renamed their rifle the Henry U.S. Survival Rifle due to the changes. In 2007 Henry added a 3/8 inch tip-off rail to the receiver. The U.S. Survival stock holds the disassembled rifle with two magazines and a third optional in the receiver but is not as buoyant as the original. Henry's rifle is about 8 ounces heavier.

The AR-7 can be seen in the following films, television series, and anime used by the following actors:

Armalite AR-7

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
From Russia With Love	Sean Connery	James Bond	With scope, erroneously described as using .25 ACP ammo	1963
	Pedro Armendariz	Kerim Bey	With scope, erroneously described as using .25 ACP ammo
Goldfinger	Tania Mallet	Tilly Masterson	With scope	1964
On Her Majesty's Secret Service			Seen in Bond's car	1969
Violent City	Charles Bronson	Jeff Heston	With scope and suppresor	1970
Rage	George C. Scott	Dan Logan		1972
The Killer Elite	Robert Duvall	Hansen		1975
Futureworld	Peter Fonda	Chuck Browning/clone	Pistol based on AR-7 rifle	1976
Colt 38 Special Squad (Quelli della calibro 38)	Ivan Rassimov	Marsigliese	With sniper scope and sound suppressor	1976
Umbrella Coup (Le Coup du parapluie)	Gordon Mitchell	Moskovitz	Custom short-barreled version	1980
Firestarter	George C. Scott	John Rainbird	Appears as a tranquilizer dart gun	1984
Malibu Express		A hitman	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1985
Hard Ticket to Hawaii	Harold Diamond	Jade	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1987
	Ronn Moss	Rowdy Abilene
	Dona Speir	Donna
Night of the Sharks		A henchman		1988
Picasso Trigger	Roberta Vasquez	Pantera	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1988
Savage Beach	Eric Chen	Erik	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1989
Savage Beach	Al Leong	Fu	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1989
Do or Die		An assassin	Two-toned with customized barrel cover, hand grip and synthetic stock	1991
Return to Savage Beach	Eric Chen	Erik	Two-toned customized; footage from Savage Beach	1998
Assassin in Love	Damian Lewis	Milo 'The Baker' Shakespeare	With scope and suppressor	2007

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Air Date
Get Smart (TV Series)	Don Adams	Maxwell Smart	Stocked like a "Tommy Gun" (modification from commercial T62 variant)	1965 - 1970
Strike Force	David McCallum	ICE		1981
Boston Legal	William Shatner	Denny Crane	"Hired Guns" (S01E10)	2004
Hawaii Five-O (1968) - Season 11	Rodney Philip Aiu	Assassin	"The Execution File" (S11E18)	1978-1979
Magnum, P.I.		Juvenile Delinquent	"One More Summer" S02E17	1980 - 1988
Sledge Hammer!	Adam Ant	"Lionel Dasham"	Suppressed; "Icebreaker" (S02E12)	1986-1988
JAG - Season 2	Nanci Chambers	Meghan O'Hara	"Washington Holiday" (S2E09)	1997

Anime

Title	Character	Note	Date
Case Closed: The Private Eyes' Requiem	Assassin	w/ scope	2006

Henry US Survival Rifle

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Henry US Survival Rifle with stainless steel finish and M68 Aimpoint red dot scope - .22 LR

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Interpreter		Assassin		2005
Lord of War			With stainless steel finish and M68 Aimpoint red dot scope, seen on a wall	2005

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Air Date
Law & Order: Criminal Intent		Assassin	"Assassin" (S7E14)	2008

Hy Hunter Bolomauser

The Hy Hunter Bolomauser is a pistol version of Armalite AR-7 that was manufactured in the 1960s.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Murderers' Row	Dean Martin	Matt Helm	Hy Hunter Bolomauser	1966
	Karl Malden	Julian Wall	Hy Hunter Bolomauser
	Tom Reese	"Ironhead"	Hy Hunter Bolomauser

Charter Arms Explorer

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Charter Arms AR-7 Explorer - .22 LR

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Charter Arms Explorer II - .22 LR

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Spy Hard	Alexandra Paul	Woman in murphy bed	Explorer II	1996

Video Games

Game Title	Appears as	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City			AR-7 Explorer; unusable	2002
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas			AR-7 Explorer; unusable	2004
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades	Explorer22		Explorer II	2016

T-62 Civilian Defense Weapon

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T-62 Civilian Defense Weapon - .22 LR

The T-62 Civilian Defense Weapon is a "Tommy Gun"-styled version of Armalite AR-7.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Ambushers	Dean Martin	Matt Helm		1967
		Guards
The Green Berets		Two Vietcong in assault		1968