Armalite AR-17: A Shotgun from the World of Tomorrow!

The Armalite AR-16 is a rare prototype chambered in 7.62 NATO, bridging the gap between the AR-10 and AR-18. It features a short-stroke gas piston, dual recoil springs, and a unique 5-aperture rotating rear sight. Only two AR-16s are known to exist, making it a significant piece of Armalite's design history.

The Armalite AR-16 represents a crucial, yet often overlooked, step in rifle development, bridging the gap between the AR-10 and the AR-18. It pioneered the use of stamped sheet metal receivers and a short-stroke gas piston system to reduce manufacturing costs. Though never mass-produced, its design innovations significantly influenced subsequent combat rifle designs like the L85, Steyr AUG, and G36.

Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons details the Armalite AR-17, a unique aluminum shotgun from the 1960s. Despite its innovative design, including a lightweight construction and a novel loading mechanism, the AR-17 was a commercial failure due to its poor handling characteristics and limited capacity. The review covers its historical context, mechanical operation, and construction.

This review details AR-15 serial number 6, a rare original configuration prototype from the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. It explores the AR-15's lineage from Project Salvo and its development from the AR-10, highlighting key design features like the original 25-round straight magazine and top-mounted charging handle. The video contrasts early prototype elements with later modifications made after military trials, such as the rear charging handle and 20-round magazine.

This review details the Armalite AR-10B, a retro-styled .308 rifle from the late 1990s. It highlights the revival of the Armalite brand by Mark Westrom and the unique design choices, such as modified M14 magazines to comply with the Assault Weapons Ban. The rifle features brown plastic furniture and a distinctive top-mounted charging handle, differentiating it from original AR-10 patterns.

This video details a semi-automatic Portuguese AR-10 built on a Sendra receiver, highlighting its historical context from Armalite's design to Dutch production and subsequent import into the US. It covers the rifle's technical advantages, adoption by various nations, and the specific challenges of building semi-auto variants from surplus parts kits. The unique features like the charging handle, gas regulator, and grenade launching capabilities are also explored.

This video details the unique 'French Finger Trap' issue with the MAS-36 rifle's bayonet, where two rifles can become unintentionally locked together. A 1951 French arsenal memorandum identified this problem, proposing a simple modification to the bayonet handle. Drilling a small hole allows a tool, like a firing pin, to depress the internal spring, enabling the separation of locked rifles.

The M134 Minigun is a scaled-down 7.62 NATO rotary cannon, requiring 24V DC power and consuming 1.5 kW. Its high rate of fire (3,000+ RPM) is essential for aircraft engagement windows. The complex delinker mechanism is critical for feeding ammunition, and practical hand-held use is impossible due to weight and recoil. Live fire demonstrates rapid ammunition consumption and the need for indirect aiming.

The H&K G11 is a revolutionary prototype assault rifle designed in the late 20th century, notable for its caseless ammunition and unique rotating drum bolt mechanism. Despite advanced features like a 2000 RPM burst fire rate and integrated optics, its development was ultimately halted by geopolitical shifts and cost concerns.

This video demonstrates the assembly and live-fire of the German 1936 pattern light mortar (L.Gr.W.36). It highlights the mortar's leveling mechanism for accuracy and the difficulty in visually tracking its 50mm projectiles after firing. The content showcases historical military hardware and its operational use.