THE ARMALITE AR-10: WORLD'S FINEST BATTLE RIFLE

387 pages. Over 350 illustrations. Hardcover with a dust jacket. This is the most complete account of the history of the invention, development, manufacture, and use of the ArmaLite AR-10 Rifle ever published. The road to the U.S.-built AR-10 is followed faithfully and meticulously, with descriptions and numerous illustrations of all the 'AR'-numbered designs--such as the "para-sniper", a lightweight, .308 caliber bolt action spoiler fitted with a composite aluminum/stainless steel barrel and foam-filled fiberglass stock (the AR-1); a prospective survival rifle for the U.S. Air Force (the AR-5), and its civilian offshoot, the popular AR-7--through the series of one-off experimental prototypes that led to the 7.62mm NATO caliber ArmaLite AR-10B, a remarkable rifle in many ways. Further improvements and a new lease on life for the AR-10 in series production at the state-owned arsenal Artillerie-Inrichtingen in the The Netherlands followed, with the potential world market carved into sales territories for the several arms merchants eager and willing to promote it. The book describes and illustrates all the different "country" and other military models of the AR-10 "family", which included scoped AR-10 sniper rifles and magazine--and belt-fed light machine guns, as well as the experimental carbine and sporting (semi-auto-only) versions produced in Holland before program termination. Uniquely, this book continues with extensive, illustrated coverage of the successful use of the perfected NATO model of the AR-10 in combat, largely with Portuguese forces, under some of the harshest and most grueling conditions on the planet. In every instance the AR-10 acquitted itself with high honors, earning praise and devotion from its users. The modern-day rebirth of the 7.62mm AR-10 in several guises; the fate of surplus returns; and a look at the latter-day designs of ArmaLite Inc., are followed by a Bibliography and an extensive Index. Outstanding.…