Benefits of the U.S. Survival AR-7 Rifle
Originating in the late 50’s, the Henry U.S. Survival AR-7 rifle was designed by Eugene Stoner who was known as the father of the AR-16. Eventually, the design was sold to other manufactures. Today’s AR-7 .22 is manufactured solely in the U.S.and has evolved in many ways. Its design changes and updated manufacturing controls have provided advancement in this unique rimfire. Some of the improvements include a new barrel bushing which has increased the feeding reliability. In addition, the magazines have been upgraded which also improves feeding. The magazines are now manufactured from steel and have an eight-round capacity with a feed ramp that guides each round into the chamber.
Acquired by Henry Repeating Arms in 1997, the U.S. Survival AR-7 has a long list of benefits that make it one of the first choices in survival rifles. The president of the company states that the new version is the most reliable of the AR-7’s. As far as strict versatility, besides carrying the most popular cartridge in the world, it has many other outstanding qualities.
.22 Cal
While there is no single best weapon for every situation, the .22 rifle is the perfect survival weapon for the majority of circumstances. First of all, you probably can’t find a more accessible gun in the U.S. or Canada. Most shooters learn on a .22 and are familiar with how it works. Since it is so common, it doesn’t have as many restrictions as other caliber weapons. Any place that sells ammunition, you are going to be able to find .22 rimfire ammo.
Some of the other features that make it an ideal survival weapon are that it requires less cleaning and maintenance than a centerfire. How many of us have left a .22 sitting in a closet and pulled it out years later. It still works! In addition, the low weight of both the rifle and its ammo are a definite advantage. You can carry 500 .22 rounds for the same weight of 25 12 gauge shells. It does its job on any small game as well as animals the size of large deer. There are reported accuracy shots of 300 plus yards and it has enough retained energy to neutralize prey.
Dismantling
Let’s talk about convenience in dismantling and stowing. The .22 AR-7 can be dismantled quickly and without tools. The main components are the barrel, magazine and receiver. These can be stowed in the ABS plastic stock which is both waterproof and dust-resistant. The receiver is made of aluminum while the 16-inch barrel is made of a steel liner cased in a composite housing. The rifle can be stowed in a backpack or in the trunk of a car, all wrapped up neatly in its polymer stock.
As far as ease of shooting goes, the sights on the AR-7 are easy to see due to their bright orange color. The rear sight has a tube built into the receiver. If it was alone, it would work like a ghost ring, but it has a cap which is similar in size to a Popsicle stick, that screws into the back of the receiver. It can be flipped so the two holes, one set wider and one set narrower, can be used. It can also be adjusted for personal preference either up or down.
