An excellent example of an original and very scarce fully-automatic Armalite AR-18 rifle manufactured by Armalite in Costa Mesa, California c.1969-1973. Designed after Armalite had sold their interest in (and patents for) the AR-15 rifle, the AR-18 went in completely different directions in terms of materials and function. The result is a piston driven select fire assault rifle, with a lightweight stamped steel receiver assembly and a recoil system that permitted a native folding stock as factory standard. Delivering hard-hitting firepower in a compact package, the AR-18 had many things in its favor but wound up overshadowed by the "older brother"; large military contracts or license deals never arrived like they did for the AR-15/M16 family of weapons, resulting in a very limited production. Somewhat infamously, some of the most prominent users of the Armalite were on both sides of "The Troubles" in Ireland, being adopted by both Loyalist militia units and some factions of the Irish Republican Army, the latter embracing the arm to the point of it being the namesake of the "Armalite and Ballot Box Strategy" of the late 1980s. Primarily a design and engineering firm rather than a volume manufacturer, relatively limited numbers of AR-18s were made at Costa Mesa, the bulk of the production happening at outside firms like Howa and Sterling. Post front and adjustable two leaf peep rear sights, with a three-prong flash hider, maker's marks on the upper receiver, and the ambidextrous three position selector on the lower with "SAFE", "SEMI" and "AUTO" markings. The bolt carrier and chrome plated bolt head are unmarked. Ribbed and vented handguard, with an "AR-18/ArmaLite" marked pistol grip, green canvas sling and a side folding buttstock.