New from Armalite: AR-10A

Armalite is introducing two new AR-10 rifles at SHOT. Both rifles will bear the designation “AR-10A,” but they will be two distinct builds (thankfully avoiding my pet peeve of minor differences warranting a completely new model designation). The first (pictured above) will be a Semi-Auto Sniper System, and the second one (after the jump) will be a M4-esque .308 rifle. While that’s cool and everything, the biggest difference with these rifles is that they will be designed to accept Magpul’s .308 PMAG as well as Armalite’s typical waffle magazine design. Make the jump for the presser…

(Geneseo, IL) ArmaLite, Inc. is pleased to announce the AR-10A. This new option of the famous AR-10 will accept traditional ArmaLite “waffle” magazines and some 3rd party magazines.

ArmaLite customers asked for a choice, and that’s just what we’ve provided. The AR-10A family of ArmaLite® firearms is functionally identical to our AR-10B family. Operation, controls, and maintenance are the same. However, the AR-10A family is designed to accept early ArmaLite AR-10 “Waffle” magazines and good quality magazines copied from them, instead of ArmaLite’s proprietary aluminum magazines that are used in our AR-10B family. Neither family of firearms will function correctly with the other family’s magazines.

We have tested, we recommend, and we ship polymer Magpul PMAG® 20LR magazines with our AR-10As. Other similar derivative magazines such as the KAC, M110, and DPMS / Remington 19 round magazines may fit and may function, but we have not tested them so we can’t assess their reliability. You can purchase extra PMAG®s from our website, www.armalite.com.

The first members of the AR-10A family are the AR-10 Super SASS and the AR-10 A4 Carbine. Both will be formally introduced to the public on Tuesday, January 17th at the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. If you will be attending SHOT, please visit us at Booth 11771.

ArmaLite has one of the broadest product lines in the firearms industry. We manufacture and sell semiautomatic rifles in a variety of calibers including 5.56mm and 7.62mm, long range super-accurate bolt action rifles in calibers including .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum, .338 Lapua, 50 BMG, and classic 9mm pistols. Visit ArmaLite at www.armalite.com.