ArmaLite AR-7

AR-7
ArmaLite AR-7 survival rifle with 8-, 10-, and 15-round magazines
Type Survival rifle
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1959–present
Production history
DesignerEugene Stoner
Designed1958
VariantsArmaLite AR-7 Explorer;
Charter Arms AR-7 Explorer;
Charter Arms Explorer II Pistol;
Israeli Pilot's Survival Rifle;
Henry U.S. Survival .22
Specifications
Mass2.5 lb (1.1 kg)
Length35 in (889 mm)
Barrel length16 in (406 mm)

Cartridge.22 Long Rifle
ActionStraight blowback-operated
Rate of fireSemi-automatic
Muzzle velocity1,080 ft/s (329 m/s) to
1,280 ft/s (390 m/s)
(varies by type of .22 Long Rifle cartridge)
Effective firing range109 yd (100 m)
Feed systemStandard 8-round magazine. 5-, 10-, 15-, 25-round magazines available.
SightsAperture rear and drift-adjustable front.

The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer is a semi-automatic firearm in .22 Long Rifle caliber, developed in 1959 from the AR-5 that was adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon.[1] The AR-7 was adopted and modified by the Israeli Air Force as an aircrew survival weapon in the 1980s.

The AR-7 was designed by American firearms designer Eugene Stoner, who is most associated with the development of the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle that was adopted by the US military as the M16. The civilian AR-7's intended markets today are backpackers and other recreational users as a takedown utility rifle. The AR-7 is intended for users of recreational vehicles (automobile, airplane, or boat) who might need a weapon for foraging or defense in a wilderness emergency.

  1. ^ The AR-7 exotic weapons system, Paperback: 63 pages Paladin Press (1982), ISBN 0873642422