POTD: An AR-14
Probably my favorite “retro” AR-15 build comes from ar15.com poster and master AR builder John Thomas, and isn’t a faithful representation of any actual historical AR-15 at all. Rather, it’s a “what-if?” that John calls the “AR-14”:
The historical AR-14 was a civilian sporting rifle, but John’s AR-14 concept combines several early AR-15 and AR-10 features like the “can” compensator and brown furniture with a very 1950s-esque flattop upper receiver with a folding carry handle. The removal of much of the details on the firearms certainly help sell the rifle as a concept/very early prototype.
Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. He can be reached via email at nathaniel.f@staff.thefirearmblog.com.
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Love the bakelite, the fence-less featureless receiver, wire carrying handle, straight (25rd?) magazine, and the finish. retro done right.
The only thing I would have tried to add is a top-mounted charging handle like the AR-10 instead of the standard rear, but that probably would have taken so much more engineering to pull off.
Everyone knows they put carrying handles on rifles just to piss My Gunny off.