As a follow up to our posts last week, here is some additional information on the AR180B project. I’ll try to keep it short (but probably won’t) and sweet
Pricing for the full rifle will range from $2100 MSRP for the base model with 12” handguard…up to $2250 MSRP for the upgraded model with 18” handguard, Ambi Safety and bolt catch release.
As we touched on previously, things have changed throughout the development process as far as how the firearm was to be produced as well as how it could be purchased. So hopefully the following will help clarify things for everyone.
First some history….
When we first started designing, it was done with using the NoDak Spud Lower in mind, as it already had an FRT and was good to go. However, because initially RWA was started as primarily an accessories manufacturer, and had no plans to produce firearms, we never applied for a BFL.
Even with this particular project in mind, it was going to be a joint venture, where NoDak produced the lower, RWA produced the parts for the lower as well as a completed upper, and then IRunGuns would sell them both completed. The end user had to do put them together, push in the pins, and hit the range.
As the project evolved, it was decided that in order to keep costs low, and to best serve all involved, that IRunGuns would continue to sell the NoDak lower but in its stripped form, and RWA would sell everything needed to put together the rifle.
And here’s the rub….because we were not planning on selling or making lowers, we did not apply for the BFL. I won’t bore you with all the details of what is required for the process, but it is important to know that without it, RWA cannot sell or produce lowers. That puts us in a bit of a pinch, as even though we would love to buy up stock of NoDak Lowers, put together the firearms and get them out the door, it would be illegal until we get the BFL… and well, we just aren’t going to do that. It also meant, that now RWA had to source things like stocks, triggers, etc that we were not doing before (as that was originally part of the IRunGuns completed lower).
We have the rifle developed, and tested, and working. We cannot however sell it to you, as we do not have lowers to sell, even if we were allowed to. We have worked in conjunction with a dealer in the area, who can buy, and subsequently, sell the lowers. And that dealer will have some limited release availability of full build rifles that will be put together by their gunsmith.
What RWA WILL have for sale in the very very near future on our site, is everything else that would be needed for the rifle, except the lowers. It will be broken out into various kits so that if you happen to already have a NoDak lower (there are quite a few out there), you can purchase everything you need to build the rifle, or we can provide you with our outsourced gunsmith who you can send the lower to and he can build the rifle for you. This will also allow you to use your own items that you may already have kicking around your gunsafe. We don’t want to sell you a stock that you’re just going to take off and replace for instance.
It will also allow you to buy everything you need for the build, if you wanted to source the lower on your own. We know this is not optimal right now, but it is what it is, and we have learned a lot from the experience. Our application for BFL is in and we hope that in the very near future we will be able to ship out completed rifles to whoever wants one, as well as provide assembly service to anyone with all the parts.
The end result is that since the original rollout plan has changed, there will be a couple phases to the current way we will have to roll out. Uppers and associated components for the build will be available very soon. Some completed rifles will be available but limited to the number of lower receivers that can be sourced by a dealer in the Calgary area. Then, when the BFL is in place, fully completed rifles will be able to be distributed direct from RWA.
Based on the availability of lowers, through dealers and/or IRunGuns, there should be roughly 30 completed rifles available in the first rollout, by 1 Oct.
If you had previously bought full rifles from IRunGuns, those will be completed and shipped to you by IRunGuns.
Over the next couple of weeks, rifles will get released to reviewers so that they can review and post their thoughts on the build.
We were also guests on the RebelRebel podcast, which will be released around the 24th of September, so keep your ears out for that.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to let us know at info@rangewarrioraccessories.com