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ArmaLite AR-18
Derived from the 7.62NATO calibre AR-16 in the early 1960s and produced by Armalite in the U.S. and manufactured via contract by Sterling Armaments Ltd of England and Howa of Japan, the AR-18 was a (5.56mm) select fire assault rifle designed 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 officialy 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. 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. Chances are that you are seeing the original Armalite production run in the 1970s. (Of course that could change with time).
The Armalite AR-18/AR-180 has been used by the following actors in the following films:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in The Terminator. The character acquires a semi automatic AR-180 in the gun store and (as explained by director James Cameron in later interviews), it is assumed that the Terminator used his own 'technical knowledge' to convert them to fully automatic fire in the hotel room.
- Ray Walston as Thug Edgar Whiney in Silver Streak
- Nathan Fillion as Mal Reynolds in Serenity
- Derek Thompson as Billy Downes in Harry's Game
- Treva Etienne and Ark Tribesman in The Last Train
- Michael Gothard and various henchmen in For Your Eyes Only
- Sherry Jackson as Abigail Bratowski in Stingray (1978) - Jackson keeps her AR-18 with the stock folded on the front handlebars of her motorcycle and fires it from the bike throughout the film.