Knowing that it's available is a peace of mind improvement but I think people are worrying about something that doesn't need to be worried about. The internet is great at making a small issue seen in a few rifles turn into something that is huge and needs to be dealt with. I see it on this site and on the car site I visit.
We all wish for a low price high quality non restricted semi auto but thinking that because the AR180B was $800 in the US years and years ago somehow makes the $1500+ they go for these days unreasonable is silly, factor in inflation, change in the value of the dollar and all the stupid new laws and rules regarding export and import we can forget about ever seeing that wish come true.
I paid $1400 for mine new back in 07 and I know I could sell it for more but I won't sell it because I like it too much. Even though I have a non restricted ACR and an SL8-4 done up like a G36 I still won't sell it because it's such a fun and light rifle.
I think the guys trying to get $2000 for their rifle are nuts and if someone spends the money on one of these lowers you can pretty much write that money off if you decide to sell it. Most people will still see AR180 and think it's a $800-$1000 rifle, and will still be scared to buy one considering there is no parts support.
Original design idea doesn't mean much 40 years later and after a few model revisions and now discontinuation. Even on an AR-15 billet lowers are not cheap and the cost of everything has gone up. The only reason an AR is cheap in comparison is the shear volume of production and the market to keep them moving off the shelves. We'll never see that on a rifle like this that only really appeals to Canada and collectors.
I'm glad the lowers are available but unless mine breaks I won't be spending the money to fix something that isn't broken.
I agree on all.
I love the design, love the simplicity and practicality of it. No flash or tacticool stupidity, all function.
Huge fan of the 180b. I owned two over the years. I sold them though as much as I loved them as I could not stomach the "what if" eventuality of a critical part breaking ie bolt, cam pin, firing pin etc That's an expensive paperweight...
I still like to think that with the simplicity of manufacture on this stamped sheet metal and plastic rifle, that it could even be reproduced in this country and still stay somewhere under or just above the $1K mark.
I'd buy one. Hell I'd probably buy two.
Similar to the original but just a little different. Keep it light, very simple and very reliable and keep it cheap! Keep components somewhat compat with AR15 to keep costs even lower. Bring it back as the Canadian everymans non restricted, semi auto black rifle!
It's there damn it all, right there! Painfully obvious. We just need someone with the production system in place, knows the channels and has the funding. Tweak two or three things and call it something different like "CA-180-2" or whatever to dance around copyright. With an NR FRT and a price tag around $1K it would make someone a hell of a lot of money real quick.
That's the one thing missing in our market and it amazes me that after 20+ years of the horse s**t Firearms Act, noone in this country has managed to pump out a cheap, simple, reliable semi auto .223 that everyone can afford to fill the gap left by the AR going restricted.
