Hickock 45 got more trouble free shots off during that video than I could get out of my AR-7 the whole time I owned it. I figured it was a survival rifle so Henry didn't want you burning up your ammo too quickly so they engineered it to be a single shot with a seven round magazine. I had trouble hitting anything with mine since the slightest bump of the plastic front sight like when taking it out of or stowing it in the stock would move it in the dovetail. I traded mine on a used Ruger Single Six and I don't miss it.
If I was only going to have one .22 rifle it wouldn't be an AR7. I've got a few .22 rifles already. One is a CZ 452 with a 3-9X32 scope on it that will shoot bugholes. But I want something cheap that I can throw behind the seat of the pickup. That ugly ass little Mossberg for $150 might be it. Or it might be the AR7 with a tube stock on it. Or it might be the Marlin.
I'm not really concerned with the take down feature. I just want something lightweight and compact,..semi auto,..and preferably cheap.
I appreciate all the input, though. I didn't know some of the rifles mentioned existed.
My dad had one of the original Armalite models. This was probably in the early '60s. I shot it some, but it's been a long time ago. I seem to remember it was surprisingly accurate for what it was. Very awkward gun, too light and the huge buttstock was way out of proportion for the rest of the gun, but it had to be huge to hold the barrel, action and magazine when the gun was broken down. Plastic stock finally developed a big crack rendering it worthless.
If memory serves, the originals were chambered in .22 Hornet.
If I was only going to have one .22 rifle it wouldn't be an AR7. I've got a few .22 rifles already. One is a CZ 452 with a 3-9X32 scope on it that will shoot bugholes. But I want something cheap that I can throw behind the seat of the pickup. That ugly ass little Mossberg for $150 might be it. Or it might be the AR7 with a tube stock on it. Or it might be the Marlin.
I'm not really concerned with the take down feature. I just want something lightweight and compact,..semi auto,..and preferably cheap.
I appreciate all the input, though. I didn't know some of the rifles mentioned existed.
Dang it, Bristoe. I've been reading/watching more on that Mossberg, and I've almost talked myself into getting it, just for the sake of beating the hell out of it. I can't bring myself to abuse an old "antique" $100 Stevens/Savage or a $150 Remington. I like old Marlin 60's, and actually prefer tube fed guns, but for a "truck" gun, it's a real hassle to keep an empty chamber when the tube is full of cartridges. After you shoot, you have to pull the tube out a bit, so it won't feed another round, then push it back in after you've cleared the chamber and the bolt is closed. With a mag fed, you just pull out the mag, jack the bolt, then stick the mag back in.
The only reason I even looked at that Blaze this morning was because it reminded me of the old Nylon 66's. After reading on them, they look like a real pain in the rear to disassemble for cleaning (they split in half after removing SIXTEEN screws!!). The designers could have come up with a better design, there. OTOH, how many folks are shooting the old Nylon 66's which have NEVER been stripped down for a "proper" cleaning??? I've always heard they are a nightmare, too, if you take them down.
I stand by my statement that the TD 10/22 is a better gun than the AR7, esp when the AR7 is going for $275 and the Ruger is $300-$325. No doubt it is better than the Mossberg. Since NEF discontinued their single shot shotguns, I even feel bad abusing those things. I feel a little guilty beating the crap out of ANYTHING that costs more than $250, for sure. Even a $180-$200 Marlin XT22 would make me feel bad. The ugly Mossberg at $135??? Pretty much guilt-free abuse on that thing, I'll post tomorrow if I get it.
My dad had one of the original Armalite models. This was probably in the early '60s. I shot it some, but it's been a long time ago. I seem to remember it was surprisingly accurate for what it was. Very awkward gun, too light and the huge buttstock was way out of proportion for the rest of the gun, but it had to be huge to hold the barrel, action and magazine when the gun was broken down. Plastic stock finally developed a big crack rendering it worthless.
If memory serves, the originals were chambered in .22 Hornet.
Was there ever a day in history when you weren't a dumbf*ck?
My dad had one of the original Armalite models. This was probably in the early '60s. I shot it some, but it's been a long time ago. I seem to remember it was surprisingly accurate for what it was. Very awkward gun, too light and the huge buttstock was way out of proportion for the rest of the gun, but it had to be huge to hold the barrel, action and magazine when the gun was broken down. Plastic stock finally developed a big crack rendering it worthless.
If memory serves, the originals were chambered in .22 Hornet.
Was there ever a day in history when you weren't a dumbf*ck?
The AR-5 had the advantage of repeat fire over the then-standard M6, using the same .22 Hornet cartridge. When the AR-5 was adopted as the MA-1 but was not placed in issue due to the numbers of usable M4 and M6 survival weapons in USAF inventory, ArmaLite used the research and tooling for the AR-5 in developing the AR-7 for the civilian market.
My dad had one of the original Armalite models. This was probably in the early '60s. I shot it some, but it's been a long time ago. I seem to remember it was surprisingly accurate for what it was. Very awkward gun, too light and the huge buttstock was way out of proportion for the rest of the gun, but it had to be huge to hold the barrel, action and magazine when the gun was broken down. Plastic stock finally developed a big crack rendering it worthless.
If memory serves, the originals were chambered in .22 Hornet.
Was there ever a day in history when you weren't a dumbf*ck?
The AR-5 had the advantage of repeat fire over the then-standard M6, using the same .22 Hornet cartridge. When the AR-5 was adopted as the MA-1 but was not placed in issue due to the numbers of usable M4 and M6 survival weapons in USAF inventory, ArmaLite used the research and tooling for the AR-5 in developing the AR-7 for the civilian market.
They weren't, and I'm happy you can google as well as TRH. This thread is about the AR7, not the frigging AR5. The AR5 was a bolt action.
Following the logic, I guess we could say the first one was chambered in 30/40 Krag.
When the Chinese SKS's hit the market, I tossed one behind the seat, no case, no protection, and it rode there or in the pickup bed tool box for about a year. Didn't to seem hurt it a bit
Yep, memory didn't serve. It was indeed the predecessor design for the Air Force survival rifle that was chambered in Hornet. Last time I researched this stuff was some twenty years ago.
10/22 would be my choice..........wait, already have one.
Browning put out one that would be good, though not cheap. Never ran across one that didn't shoot well, or reliably.
Thoughts generated by experience suggest any mag other than a flush box style or tube is looking for trouble. Hanging a scabbard on the back of the seat makes for a discreet and secure storage locale. Also make for an easy grab. Carried a scoped 77/44 like that for quite a few years.
Or, if disposed toward something that shoots the S,L,LR ammo........
They only hold a week's supply of shorts and my sample of one shot remarkably well with same. Legions of cats died quietly by use of CB shorts going back near 30 years.
I am..........disturbed.
Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass. -Twain
I think this will be it. Marlin Model 795. Basically a magazine fed Model 60 with a synthetic stock. Around $150.
I don't think it can be topped for the money. It would be nice if it was a bit more compact, but they're giving these things away for $144,....and a synthetic stock is about as ugly as it's ever going to be right out of the box,..so riding around behind the seat of my truck isn't going to diminish it too much.
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![[Linked Image]](https://p1.gunbroker.com/pics/763927000/763927700/pix052579857.jpg)
