The BRN-180 is the latest product from Brownells’ Retro line. It’s an upper receiver group designed for use with AR-15-style lowers but use the piston operating system from the AR-180, including the reciprocating side charging handle.
Naturally, this means that it doesn’t require the AR’s action spring and buffer to function, making use of a folding stock a cinch.
It features an original 3-prong flash hider, M-LOK handguard and a barrel with 223 Wylde chamber and 1/8 twist.
Might fall into the category of you could do it but ask yourself if you should do it.
As a 18 lover, yes, you absolutely should. For no other reason than nostalgia meets spare sbr lower.
Hope they make an 11.5” version.
So confused…if its been modifed to fit an AR-15 lower, why not scale down the charge handle too?
Brownell’s is planning to design additional charging handle options. They have mentioned a paddle design, and also a knob.
Why not just recreate the whole rifle?
They did, listening to the rep.
Modified design of the carrier, bolt, barrel, upper receiver, hand guard, etc.
It strongly resembles an ar180. If they didn’t constrain themselves to visual similarity, they may have been able to develop a more compelling rifle. But then again they couldn’t appeal to my irrational nostalgia.
The rep said that doing so would have cost them about $500,000 (making stamped sheet metal is not cheap these days apparently). They had no idea what the interest in the AR-180 would be so they couldn’t justify the investment.
God the AR18 is ugly…
Probably one of my favorite things I’ve seen this week. Totally wasn’t expecting it, and I’ve been saying someone should modernize the AR-180 for a while now
Uh, yep! I am getting my paws on that! To quote Gandhi,”Dat shitz bad azz!”
Does anyone know how much the upper weighs?
Did SIG just do this with the MPX?
Probably the first AR product I’ve actually been excited about in years. Very cool.
i want .. no… i need this !
If they make the upper a 10.5in and at an SB pistol brace that could with relative ease be converted to SBR (with proper paperwork), after market charging handle and maybe a standard AR15 Bolt then I am down. Less proprietary parts and designs the better. With a few mods this could be a real compeitor to the Sig MCX for a lot less money.