The AR-18 cannot be compared to the AK-47 or the AR-15 in terms of its popularity; however, its impact is not shallow, as it can be traced down to the lineage of the most cutting-edge and dependable rifles of today. In fact, through the usage of low-cost production, modular construction, and a short-stroke gas piston system and these three principles are now widely used in the armaments of elite military and police units in different parts of the world, and the design of rifle engineering that AR-18 conveyed has changed the scene. Below are the ten current rifles that are the AR-18’s successors.
10. SIG MCX
Even if the SIG MCX is perceived as a very chic and modular firearm, the AR-18 is the first medium under its frame. Recoil springs on both sides, a rotating bolt head, and a short-stroke piston system are just some of the features that can be traced back to the original’s engineering. Its adaptability and faithfulness to function earned it a place among special forces that operate under severe conditions.
9. FN SCAR
The FN SCAR might be quite a spectacle thanks to its unique look; however, it is very close in functions to the AR-18, being its next generation. Be it the fundamental modularity, the piston system, or the sturdy construction of the weapon, all of these point to the fact that the first gun has not ceased to exist. The extension of NATO and U.S. Special Operations legitimized the far distance that the AR-18’s influence had reached.
8. HK433
The HK433 merges technical concepts of the G36 and HK416 with the AR-18’s internal framework. Its gas system, monolithic upper, and ambidextrous controls are the implementations of the AR-18 doctrine in a contemporary context, even though the availability for civilians is still very limited.
7. CZ BREN 2
The short-stroke piston, along with the modular layout, really helps the CZ BREN 2 to bring out the enduring features of the AR-18, which are reliability, simplicity, and adaptability. It is a standard-issue rifle for multiple European militaries.
6. Steyr AUG
The Steyr AUG is well known for its bullpup design, but it also happens to have a mechanical ancestry that leads to the AR-18. Its above-barrel gas system and bolt carrier configuration are just some of the examples of how even a vastly changed format can still hold on to its original concepts.
5. SA80 (L85)
The initial stage of the British SA80 was full of problems, but the AR-18’s bolt, carrier, guide rods, and stamped construction were the main components that the SA80 heavily relied on. Gradually, these basic features serve as proof that good engineering can survive even the most trying days.
4. HK G36
The HK G36 is equipped with the AR-18’s piston system, modularity, and polymer construction, which is light in weight. It is a very reliable and versatile weapon and has been a favorite with the military and law enforcement agencies all over the world. In addition, it managed to maintain the durability that was first introduced by its progenitor.
3. Howa Type 20
The Howa Type 20 developed in Japan is very closely related to the AR-18 family tree. Howa made AR-18 under a license, and the Type 20 not only continues with the gas system and folding stock but also features modern rails and polymer construction that brings back to the classic rifle roots a really contemporary one.
2. FB MSBS Grot
The MSBS Grot from Poland is extreme in its modularity to the point where a bullpup and a conventional design can both be derived from one platform. Besides that, its short-stroke piston and monolithic design are the things that keep the Earthside legacy of AR-18 alive in Eastern Europe.
1. HK416
The HK416 is the most well-known firearm among them all. Its short-stroke piston system is the main reason for the improved reliability as compared to direct-impingement rifles, and that is why it has been chosen and used by very special, elite forces all over the world, including the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. Its origins are undoubtedly from the AR-18. The AR-18 was a very good have been a great success in its era, but the design innovations that it contained have never ceased to be heard in the firearms of future times.
Durable, straightforward, and progressive, the AR-18’s criteria are still being applied in the rifles that are used by the toughest people in the world. The AR-18 did it, quietly, efficiently, and effectively. The game was different.