I’m not an ‘AR’ guy. I’m not passionate about the subject. I think they are the best all-around semi-auto rifles one can own, and I appreciate them, but they bore me. Mostly. Retro ARs entertain me, and H&R has been a big source of my entertainment. They recently released the H&R DOE SMG, a 9mm AR pistol that clones an incredibly rare variant of the Colt SMG. That got my motor running, and I got to thinking what rare ARs should H&R make next?
The Five Rare ARs
I came up with five rare ARs I’m hoping that H&R would choose to tackle.
The Colt Automatic Rifle
Of all the Rare ARs on this list, this one might make it. The Colt Automatic Rifle was aimed at being a squad support weapon in the grand tradition of guns like the BAR. Compared to belt-fed designs, the gun would be lighter and more maneuverable, while also sharing magazines with the rest of the squad.
The design implemented an open bolt to reduce heating and cook-offs associated with automatic fire. It was also developed as a full-auto-only firearm. It features a 20-inch barrel and an extremely distinctive handguard. It’s boxy and squared off with a heat shield to protect it after long strings of fire. Over its life span, the gun was made with both a carry handle upper and flat top upper. Bipods and forward grips other commonly mounted accessories.
Sadly, the full auto and even the open bolt design would have to be eliminated from the H&R offering. They’d be stuck with the distinct handguard, bipod, and even the neat little forward grip. Hell, include a D-60 with it to take things to the next level.
The Colt 605
The Colt 605 was the original attempt to create a short-barrel M16. They trimmed the 20-inch barrel to 15 inches, but they chopped the barrel off at the front sight block. Designs similar to the Colt 605 would be called Dissipators in the future. Dissipator was a reference to the handguard used by Bushmaster, but the name stuck.
The Colt 605 didn’t work well. Colt never increased the size of the gas port to deal with the reduced dwell time. This created a reliability issue that has since been solved. My vision of the H&R version of these rare ARs would have the larger gas port but still wear the classic M16 style furniture.
To avoid the NFA, the H&R 605 would need either a 16-inch barrel or a 15-inch barrel with a pinned and welded muzzle device. It would still be capable and fun to shoot. Rifle-length gas systems are bae.
M231 Port Firing Weapon
The M231 Port Firing weapon is another rare AR that comes in full auto only. The M231 Port Firing weapon was designed for American APCs, namely the M2 Bradley. I’ve heard the M231 was used for two purposes. First, when loaded with tracers, it could mark targets. Second, it acted as a PDW to protect the Bradley.
These guns had an extremely high rate of fire, up to 1,200 rounds per minute. They had a 15.6-inch barrel and a unique set of handguards. They also had a carry handle and flip-up front sight, making them interesting-looking little guns. Initially, these guns were stockless, but a wire stock was later developed for using the gun out of the Bradley.
This wouldn’t be a tricky conversion. It couldn’t be full auto or open bolt, but a wire-stocked AR with a 16-inch barrel would be neat. The retro look and design would certainly be something different.
The Mk4 Mod 0
This is one of the most obscure and rare ARs ever created. The Mk4 Mod 0 namesake tells you it comes from the Navy. Specifically the SEALs. There isn’t a lot of information out there about the Mk4 Mod 0. There are a few things we know for sure about it. First, it was made for ship-to-shore use and had holes drilled strategically to drain water from the gun.
O-rings were locked into the buffer tube to help prevent water from getting into the receiver extension. The gun wore an extremely durable, corrosion-resistant finish inside and out to prevent rust. Additionally, the gun was designed from the ground up to use a suppressor, specifically the early HEL suppressors. Interestingly, the gun even featured a modified charging handle to help limit gas blowback through the gun.
Making one of these would require an included suppressor or a faux suppressor. PSA has started selling cans, which seems like a natural extension of their business. Add in the MACVSOG-style camo furniture, and you’d have a slick Vietnam-era AR.
The Colt 608 Survival Rifle
Colt wanted to provide pilots with a compact but capable weapon, and thus, they designed the 608. The 608 was intended to be ultra small and light, and the AR series’ natural breakdown design made it incredibly compact. It featured a 10-inch barrel and was 29 inches long overall. Colt minimized absolutely everything they could.
They chopped the grip in half, minimized the stock, and equipped the platform with 20-round mags, which made the rifle super small compared to other rifles of the era. The Colt 608 Survival Rifle didn’t win the contract and faded away.
H&R could easily revive this design. It’s just a short AR. Chop the grip, make the stock into a minimalist brace, and boom, we have a Colt 608. The H&R Survival rifle might be a loud little beast, but it would be extremely fun to shoot.
Rare ARs and You
H&R has a fun opportunity to produce some awesome and rare ARs. The old AR platform has a huge history that’s chock full of rare and weird designs. I hope H&R sees nothing but success because I love the weird and rare ARs.
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