BRN-180

[freedom-lover]

Anyone else check out the BRN-180 upper and now lower?

[Mr. Meeseeks]

[Uncivil Engineer]

The lower doesn't look all that special. I still prefer a NFA C4 lower. It has the threaded bolt catch, capture rear detent spring but also had a set screw to remove slop from the upper. It is available in an 80% and with the kns plug can have the same 1913 rail on the rear. And it's not permanent so you can always convert it back to a rifle with a buffer.

That all said I'm really excited for the upper. On thing I can say it has over the sig Vitus upper kit other than price is it supports drop in triggers. There virtus give you a duo trigger but that is all you can you.

[sigstroker]

You can probably take the firing pin block off of the Virtus upper. Then you could use any AR trigger.

[Uncivil Engineer]

You can probably take the firing pin block off of the Virtus upper. Then you could use any AR trigger.

If that is the case I'm sure we will see someone sell a replacement allowing people to choose their own drop in triggers.

[beanz2]

I'm glad I saw this. I was set to order NoDak Spud's NDS-1815 lower for $199 and still would have to deal with the buffer tube opening. In the past Brownells has had NoDak Spud build their retro lowers. I wonder if this time NDS is also the maker.

I wonder how one can get a classic AR-18 stock to fit the picatinny rail.


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[Uncivil Engineer]

I'm glad I saw this. I was set to order NoDak Spud's NDS-1815 lower for $199 and still would have to deal with the buffer tube opening. In the past Brownells has had NoDak Spud build their retro lowers. I wonder if this time NDS is also the maker.

I wonder how one can get a classic AR-18 stock to fit the picatinny rail.


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There are a few stocks that work well. Of course mcx/mpx stocks but if you want to go featureless most of those include folders. Personally I like the double star ace stocks for a Gailil like look. Using a fixed buffer tube extension just feels wrong.

[beanz2]

There are a few stocks that work well. Of course mcx/mpx stocks but if you want to go featureless most of those include folders. Personally I like the double star ace stocks for a Gailil like look. Using a fixed buffer tube extension just feels wrong.

Anything that looks close to the original stock?



Where I live, I can legally have folding stocks.

Yes, I agree with you about not using an AR-style buffer tube extension.


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[freedom-lover]

I love how the BRN-180 can take any-ol' AR mag and the upper can mate up with any AR lower. When I first saw an AR many years ago, I couldn't understand why they didn't use a similar spring design like Remington uses and therefore, why you couldn't have a folding stock like an AK. Well, come to find out they did design it - the AR18. Way cool, but it took unique mags and lowers. I think what Brownell did is way, way cool.

[Uncivil Engineer]

I love how the BRN-180 can take any-ol' AR mag and the upper can mate up with any AR lower. When I first saw an AR years ago, I couldn't understand why they didn't use a similar spring design like Remington uses and therefore, why you couldn't have a folding stock like an AK. Well, come to find out they did design it - the AR18. Way cool, but it took unique mags and lowers. I think what Brownell did is way, way cool.

Most modern spring rifles can be traced back to the AR18. AR 15 style bolt with a spring loaded carrier. On a short strike piston. It's almost easier to list the guns that don't use this design. Like all AKs and the few HK roller blocks.

As for stock options on the brn180 if you can do folders start with the SIG MCX compatible they will bolt right on to the 1913 rail on the back of the receiver. Almost all of those are folders or collapseable.

As for something that looks like a 18 you might need to do some hunting around and fitting yourself. You would need to find something that isn't too hard to find yet had that 80s styling to not break the bank. If the top of my head I might start looking at FAL and AK stocks . You are going to need to find a way to attach it to the 1913 rail but there are some adapters it there.

Here is a link to Lage. http://max-11.com/LageModularStocks

They make a mcx stock adapter that will allow you to bolt on an AK ace style stock. That might be a good place to start.

If you can sort out the shoulder stock you still still need to do something about the hand guard. There brn180 is a solid one piece free float so the guide rods and front post won't hold a two piece together. My thought would be to fake it with rail attachments. Get some tubing that looks similar cut it length wise and attach it to the rail. If I had a choice is go with carbon fiber. Should take the heat and stress find you might just need to paint it too get a retro look.

The upper, sights and magazines will still look different mostly because they are made better than the 18 that was designed to be cheap to manufacture. So you aren't going to get a clone but you might end up with something "inspired by"

[EvoXguy]

Nice nod to The Terminator score there at the end lol.

[Uncivil Engineer]

You might check out https://ar180parts.com/

They seem to have their own 80% 180 lower that is compatible with a 180 upper.

While not exactly what you need they might have a line on brn180 stock parts.

[Gowking]

You might check out https://ar180parts.com/

They seem to have their own 80% 180 lower that is compatible with a 180 upper.

While not exactly what you need they might have a line on brn180 stock parts.

[Uncivil Engineer]

The brn180 upper fits a milspec AR15 lower. So the brn180 lower is really just AR15 lower with a few extras parts. Threaded bolt catch, captured take down detent spring, and the integrated 1913 rail. Not bad but you can find even better and kns makes a 1913 rail buffer tube threads plug, so really any lower you like, even 80s are gtg.

I'd like to see someone do at least composite or carbon fiber ar180 stock and if possible handguard that fits the brn180 upper.

[BRC]

Although this is not a BRN180, this is a AR180 upper running AR180B hand guards, bushing adapted AR180B front gas piston site assembly, mounted on a NDS18S lower, with a StormWerkz AR180 type 1 stock adapter in order to rigid mount a Magpul MOE rifle stock, which has similar profile to the original AR180 style stock. Only problem is the adapter adds about an inch length of pull to the already long Magpul MOE rifle stock.
Although this combo fits my arm length fine, others may find the length of pull too long.
This weapon is now a fixed magazine configuration, using a MEAN loader, which by the way works perfectly fine in loading through the AR180 breach. Best aspect for a fixed magazine setup is a piston upper, you can separate the upper from the lower on a jam, since no buffer restrictions exist.