I think that everyone knows about the M16, since it is very often opposed to the Kalashnikov assault rifle. It's no secret that the main problem of the M16 as a mass weapon is the automation system, which took a very, very long time to work on in order to achieve acceptable results. Maybe not everyone, but many also know that the M16 is a very close relative of the AR-15, it still cannot be called a twin, and no less a close relative of the AR-10, but this is far from the whole family of weapons. We will talk about one of the samples, also related to these machines, in this article, namely the AR-18, also known as the "Widowmaker".
A weapon with such a big name could well be an early replacement for the M16, since it had a lot of advantages, the main of which was the automation system with the removal of powder gases from the bore with a short piston stroke, and not with a direct effect on the bolt carrier. It should be noted separately that the weapon even competed with the M16 for adoption by the US Army and successfully passed all the tests, but the preference was given to the "Kolt" M16 and, it seems to me, in vain. After the US Army abandoned this model of weapon, they decided to sell it to another company, but again no one was interested in the weapon, although it had no obvious shortcomings. Only the Japanese company NOWA was interested in AR-18, as a result, the rights to production and modernization were sold to it. But the Japanese company produced weapons for a very short time, just over 4 thousand weapons were produced. It seems like they forgot about the weapon, but the British company Sterling became interested in AR-18, which subsequently produced the largest number of these weapons and continues to produce it now.
Personally, it is completely incomprehensible to me why this sample of weapons did not receive attention from the military, in terms of reliability, simplicity of production, the AR-18 significantly surpasses the first M16, and this is precisely what the designers were striving for. The main goal in the design of the weapon was to create a sample that could compete with the Kalashnikov assault rifle in production costs (this does not mean the first "golden" AKs with a fully milled receiver), while not inferior to him in reliability. And the designers managed to achieve this goal. The weapon was designed in such a way that its production could be set up anywhere, with a minimal equipment base, and this is a huge plus for any weapon. It was decided to abandon light alloys, as a result, production became simpler, but the weight of the device increased, which, most likely, was the reason for the loss of the M16 competition. All parts and even the butt had a simplified shape and could be easily made of wood in the absence of plastic, and so on.
The weight of the weapon could reach 3 kilograms, which, in my opinion, is quite a bit. The barrel length of the apparatus was 457 millimeters, while the total length of the weapon is 965 millimeters with the stock unfolded and 738 millimeters with the folded stock. The weapon is fed from detachable box magazines with a capacity of 20, 30 or 40 rounds 5, 56x45, rate of fire 700-800 rounds per minute. The main sight is diopric, but another one can be installed, including optical sights. Officially, there are 4 models of weapons: AR-18 - the basic version of the device; AR-180 - deprived of the ability to conduct automatic fire; AR-18S - barrel shortened to 257 millimeters and AR180B - updated 2002 model with a fixed stock, plastic lower receiver and an AR-15 firing mechanism.
Naturally, it is easy to say that good weapons are not enough, facts of their successful use in hostilities are needed and they are available. Of course, they are not so large-scale due to the fact that weapons are not widely used, but they are. The most important of them is the use of weapons in the Irish Republican Army, where the apparatus got its nickname "Widowmaker" and it is well deserved, but how many widows this weapon left can not be exactly counted, but not a little. You can, of course, say that it was a move to intimidate, and that there were simply no other options for weapons, but nevertheless, the AR-18 is an excellent example that was completely ignored. But do not forget that this weapon served as the basis for many other more common samples.
