Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles AR most like the original AR?

Who makes a decent, accurate, semi version of an original military looking AR?
A few lefty friendly options would be ok, safety, etc. An original looking hand guard, but floating. An Original butt stock, not some folding, collapsing thing. Carry handle not needed.

Brownell's does old-school AR's.

https://www.brownells.com/.aspx/bapid=615/ClientPage/brownells-601

https://www.brownells.com/.aspx/bapid=616/ClientPage/brownells-16e1

https://www.brownells.com/.aspx/bapid=617/ClientPage/brownells-16a1

I hear Palmetto State Armory is going to be marketing an A1 as well in the near future.

For a lefty, I'd look at stag. Montana marine listed some good ones. Windham also makes the A2 retro (Actually called the M4A4 20" Gov't Rifle), as does Aero precision (m16A4 special edition). They use the detachable carry handle. You could always get a left hand receiver and swap with either of those upper receivers, if you wanted to do more than just the safety.
As for the handguard, you're probably not going to find a freefloating handguard specimen that looks like the originials. Sometimes freefloating handguards can be overrated as well. I've seen many of the old ones shoot lights out with the original handguards. Is there a reason it needs to be freefloating? A left handed A2 would be bad azzed. However, not necessary for a left handed shooter. I also hear you about the collapsible thing they call a stock. Not my cup of tea either. A1 and A2 look much better and work just fine.

WOA has the free float tube A2 handguards.

https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/handguard-set-modified.html

https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/service-rifle-float-tube-assembly.html

Brownells BRN-601 is like the AR-15 the USAF had before there was a M-16.

I'm not looking for a carry handle.

So you want a triangle hand guard, non collapsible buttstock and the early contour barrel. All my uppers have the brass deflector but it would still make for a light rifle that with a 1-12 twist could sling just about any of the old soft point bullets at coyotes. There are even deer bullets suitable for 1-12 out there.

Does anyone make an honest A2 AR? All the versions I see that are listed as A2 models have removable hand guards. The GI issue A2 did not.

I've noted the same.

Managed to find a DPMS A2 upper receiver on Midway a few years back and put together a Dissipator.




But it seems nobody is making a real A2 upper, or even selling the upper receiver any more. I heard some chatter about PSA offering retro upper receiver at some point, but it's not happening yet.

DPMS "Panther" is a very nice 60's era style rifle.

PSA has an “A2”, but I believe it has the removable carrying handle.

Yep.

If you aren’t looking for a fixed carry handle, you aren’t looking for a retro gun. Both the A1 and A2 have a fixed carry handle and non-free float removable hand guards.

M-16A2 and A3 have the fixed carry handle sights, M-16A4 has the picatinny rail (flattop removable carry handle).

BCM has a good page describing the different variations.
https://bravocompanyusa.com/blog/m16-rifle-general-information-m16-m16a1-m16a2-m16a3-m16a4/

As to what each manufacturer calls their AR15s, well, you are on your own.

Non-removable hand guards? WTF? Got a pic?

Tony

I think he is thinking of the A4. The replacement for the A2. Also, the Designated Marksman Rifle has a free float hand guard. IN the A2 style the National Match rifles had a free float hand guard. The link shows the free float sleeve. Just scroll down.

free float sleeve and hand guard

Lol think he might have meant carry handle??

Sounds like I'll have to buy it in pieces and assemble.
Yes, removable carry handle, preferably none at all.
Mil spec style butt stock.
Mil spec looking hand guard, free float. (Is there a down side to the free float?)
20" barrel (is it needed to get all the fps out of 5.56 ammo?)
Ambi safety.
Don't really need a forward assist (I hope).
I don't really need to carry a cleaning kit in the butt stock either.

An ‘original military looking AR’:

1. Will have a fixed carry handle, not a removable handle/flattop.
2. It won’t have a free float handguard.
3. It won’t have an ambi safety.
4. It will have a forward assist.
5. It will likely carry a cleaning kit in the stock of a ‘mil spec’ buttstock (if it’s an A2).

Your specs are literally the opposite of a ‘original’ (by that most assume you mean A1 or maybe A2) AR. If you are deviating this far from originality, why not just get a modern gun that fits your needs?