Dug out an old AR rifle I have had for about 40yrs (not much of a AR guy)..It's a ArmaLite AR 180 has several Magazines with it two are 40 rounders all metal. Do they still make 40rd Mags for anything. are they legal and what would the value be for the gun, and value of the Mags...Thanks for the Info..........................................M*

They definitely still make 40 round mags for ARs. They are readily available from a ton of online retailers, as well as some local stores here in Louisiana. As far as legal, in free states yes. In commie states, a big fat nope. Not sure I've ever seen an all metal 40 round mag though. Any idea who made it? All the ones I see are usually polymer Pmags.

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Find a way or make one.

A quick search shows me that Colt still makes 40 round steel mags. $22.99 with free shipping from a few retailers. Also some made by ASC, KCI, and other manufactures as well.

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Find a way or make one.

If the 40 rounders are Armalite marked they would be very collectable. I don't believe I have ever seen one. They made metal "waffle" mags early on but they were of the 20 round capacity type., Those can be quite valuable. As for the 180 itself, the early Costa Mesa, CA guns bring a premium.

Because everybody and their brothers are making AR-15's, the value, in high would be to collectors due to Armalite's connection in the development of the M-16.

AR-180s vary a bit based on who made them.

Armalite made about 4000 of them in their own Costa Mesa workshop from 1969-72 along with about 1200 of the full auto AR-18. They were not really geared for mass production and many of them show signs of hand fitting. You be the judge if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Howa also produced about 4000 AR-180s under license from 1970-1974, which ended when the Japanese government export restrictions forced them to stop.

Armalite eventually arranged for production by Sterling Armaments Company in Essex England. They made just over 12,000 of them from 1979-1985.

Armalite was sold to the Elisco Tool Company in 1983 and they had plans to produce the AR-18 in the Philippines as a replacement for the M-16. That's actually what Stoner envisioned when he designed it - a select fire service rifle that could be built on low tech equipment by countries that lacked the ability to make the much more complex M-16.

As a result the tooling was shipped from Sterling to the Philippines, but Elisco never got it into production.

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With that as background value wise the Costa Mesa and Howa made AR-180s bring a higher price and higher quality is often claimed - but I've never observed that to be the case. Sterling made examples are the most common and bring lower prices.

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40 round magazines are legal, and from time to time 40 round Mini 14 and AR-15 magazines have made brief appearances. Reliability is always problematic as it's a lot of rounds for the follower to lift and a lot of curve in the magazine.

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In terms of cash price, condition is everything if it's in excellent condition:

Howa or Costa Mesa with Colt scope and mount = $3500-$3700

Howa or Costa Mesa without scope and mount = $2200-$2500

Sterling without scope and mount = $1800-$2000.

Sterling with Colt scope and mount = $3000-$3200.

Original AR-180 steel magazines will bring around $90 with the 40 rounders bringing a little more at around $120. I've seen regular 20 round magazines sell as high at $160, but that was an outlier, with bidders getting to focused on winning an auction.

Again those are prices for "excellent" condition examples. If it's just very good, expect to get at least $500 less.

A friend of the family has an HK 53 A4 (Select fire with 3 round burst, 8" barrel 223, collapsible stock) it only came with 40 round mags. (IT IS LOUD, I MEAN REALLY, REALLY LOUD!)

Ivan

Some AR-180's were made in Singapore also, and I've heard of Australian made 180's but never saw any.

Ivan

I'll bet that's some kind of fire ball coming out the business end of that 53.

I also know the class III dealer that sold it to our friend too. When he was test firing that gun into a dirt mound in his back yard, he was slammed in his stomach. He thought a bullet turned on a rock and gut shot himself. But it turned out, no blood, no hole! The punch in the gut was just the concussion! I have never fired that weapon, nor do I wish to!

Ivan

It is a Sterling, and the metal 40 rounders say Armalite Sterling on the bottom...Also it has a Armalite detachable scope mount and scope.....Hope this helps and thanks again for any Info................................M*

.....Also the gun is in very very good condition has not been shot much. I think I gave around $350.00 for it.........................M*

Looks like you struck AR gold in the back of your safe.