History
The ArmaLite AR-10 is a 7.6251mm NATO battle rifle designed by Eugene Stoner and produced by ArmaLite, then a branch of Fairchild Aircraft Corporation, in the late 1950s.
Stoner designed the AR-10, which ditched the M1 Garand’s natural wood stock favouring a straight-line layout with raised bolt action, a recoil absorber, and a novel gas supply. Through a small gas hole in the cylinder, gas from a shot bullet would leak into a gas block, in this case, the front sight assembly.
Working procedure
The gas will then go back to the receiver through a metal pipe and into a gas valve on the bolt carrier, driving the bolt backwards and releasing it from the barrel extension.
Stoner’s first ar-10 original model, finished in 1955, was mounted on the NATO 7.62×51 mm cartridge, identical to the commercial.308 Winchester, as required by NATO requirements. The rifle was roughly a full pound lighter than other infantry rifles of the time, thanks to the aluminium alloy receiver and firmer fibreglass pistol grip, supply, and handguards, and the gas system was unique compared to rivals’ pistol setups.
However, using a hybrid cylinder comprised of steel and aluminium was one of the main flaws in a layout that otherwise stood up well against competitive weapons. Despite Stoner’s protests, ArmaLite president George Sullivan specified the hybrid metal for the firearm experiments. It exploded during a hardship test conducted by Springfield Armory in 1957.
While ArmaLite could instantly substitute the prototype cylinder with an all-steel variant, Springfield Armory had already made up its mind. It declined to propose the AR-10 for adoption, arguing that the rifle would need at least five years of research before it could be considered for adoption.
Despite ArmaLite’s protests, the US Army saw the ar-10 original as a mere prototype weapon at the time, one that couldn’t possibly be evaluated and ready to deploy within their time restrictions. The Army voted on Stoner’s rifle favouring the more traditional T44, which became the M14, as their next military rifle.
Impact on America
The AR-10 will never be used in the United States, but it has only started its impact on American weapons. In 1957, as part of the US Continental Army Command rifle programme, ArmaLite opted to attempt its shot at producing a service rifle once more. The aim was to design a.22-caliber select-fire gun that weighed six pounds or less and shot a high-velocity projectile with 500-yard accuracy.
Stoner collaborated with Jim Sullivan and Bob Fremont to bring the AR-10 back to life. In 1958, ArmaLite released the AR-15, which used the.223 Remington cartridge. The AR-15 garnered much attention, so the business started selling the AR-15 and the AR-10A, which was an improved version of their design process.
Is it possible for the aircraft industry to produce a rifle?
In 1952, George Sullivan and Charles Dorchester, a patent lawyer and an engineer with a history in the aircraft sector, founded S-F Projects to increase their compact para Sniper Rifle. S-F Projects was purchased by Richard Boutelle, President of the Fairchild Engine and Aircraft Corporation, two years later, in October 1954. The company changed its name to ArmaLite and functioned as a division of the aircraft company for the next eight years.
