US Armalite .22 Caliber Survival Rifle

By Crusader1307

Envisioned as a viable USAF Survival weapon (to be used by downed Pilots), The Armalite AR-7 was fired produced in 1959. The weapon, which was a .22 Caliber variant (and not a widely used ammunition round by The US Military), could also be fitted with a shoulder stock (wooden). This created a ''long gun'' variant. Very few versions were field tested by USAF Pilots, who preferred either the .38 Caliber M10 Revolver or standard M1911A1 .45 Caliber Pistol. In long arm form, The AR-7 was 3-feet in length and a semi-automatic (blowback bolt) weapon. Using a .22 Caliber Ling round, it had a 100-yard maximum effective range. Ammunition clip styles ranged from 8, 10 and 15 versions. Although The AR-7 was abandoned by The USAF prior to The Southeast Asia Conflict (Vietnam), a civilian ''self defense'' version became popular in the late 1960s. The Israeli Air Force, (unlike The USAF), did use The AR-7 variant as a Pilot survival weapon in the 1980s.