An excellent example of an original and very scarce fully-automatic Armalite AR-18 rifle manufactured by Armalite in Costa Mesa, California. 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 it's 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. 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. A small hole has been drilled in the right side of the rear sight base, which retains the bolt and recoil spring assembly in the upper receiver when the rifle is opened or split apart. Ribbed and vented handguard, with an "AR-18/ArmaLite" marked pistol grip, and a side folding buttstock. An armaLite 2.75x20mm scope and a green canvas sling are included.