r/RetroAR Feb 24 '26

r/RetroAR is looking for a couple of new mods. Comment here to volunteer!

11 Upvotes

I'm stepping down to focus on my "joining the military" and folk music subs, so this sub could use a couple more new mods. If interested in volunteering, ensure your account has at least 1 year on Reddit, and comment below with the following:

  • What is your background or area of interest as pertains to Retro ARs?
  • What would be your priorities, goals, changes if you become a mod?

r/RetroAR Mar 06 '25

Finishing up sub policy updates: what post flairs do folks want to see?

49 Upvotes

The mod team is refining our sub policies to update the “What is Retro?” post that is the core of what we do and do not include on this sub.

I’ve been polling the readership, and so far we’re looking at:

  • Fixed carry handles are mandatory (exception for AR-18, T65, etc)
  • provided the carry handle is fixed, modern accoutrements are still allowed (Keymod, modern optics, etc)
  • builds based on ARs in fiction are allowed.

I’ve seen some strong upvotes for adding post flairs to the sub, so that folks that just want to see historically accurate rifles can single those out, folks who like Retromod can zoom in one those, etc. I conferred with the senior mod and he suggested we have fun(ny) flairs for each category. Once these are made, post flairs will be mandatory to make a new post. What flairs would folks like to have for:

  • Historically accurate (externally) builds. (Still allows “sleeper” internal modern touches like non-historical twist rates and cartridges)
  • “Retromod” builds that have a fixed handle but modern accoutrements
  • Fictional builds based off movies, shows, manga, video games, etc.

Pitch us your ideas, and the best ones will be instituted, along with making post flairs mandatory, in the near future.


r/RetroAR 1h ago

That Real Gourmet Shit 1980s Action Movie Reject

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Upvotes

Got a Gryphon Electronics Professional Laser sight PLS 500 finally fixed and working. I love the look of the early, bulky laser sights. Way cooler than the Amazon slop and used car priced lasers today. I appreciate the quality of modern ones but the retro lasers had style points. Paired perfectly with my Bushnell Holosight and Jhud stock.


r/RetroAR 3h ago

Affix bayonets

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41 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 5h ago

Diet Retro Maybe just one more carryhandle?

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56 Upvotes

I bring a real retro-modern vibe to the function that not alot of people enjoy.

Colt Lower

Random carryhandle upper I found in the parts bin.

FN SOCOM profile 14.5

Troy Alpha 13in with a *very professionally done* FSB cutout

Trijicon MRO

LA-23 *shhh you can't have it*

Found a couple Troy handgaurds so figured I'd play a little bit with them. Cut two for FSBs, one with an A2 upper and the other with a flattop. Will do one more with no FSB cut as an actual rifle and not just yet another carry handle meme.

She shoots and groups well. Haven't tested how well zero with the LAD is but hopefully within the next couple weeks she can be put through her paces.


r/RetroAR 4h ago

H&R XM177E1 10.5”

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26 Upvotes

When I was a little boy my folks got me a hard bound coffee table Book of Guns. I ear marked the Colt commando page as a dream gun for adulthood. I grew up and would’ve been happy to get a Brownells M16A1 clone. Last Friday on a wild hare I decided to buy a 10.5 H&RXM177. My wife told me she was pregnant with our third child and second accident a few hours after I ordered it.

I would not have bought it had I known she was pregnant. It grouped tight at 15 yards at the PSA indoor range which isn’t much of a trial but I am very excited. Does anyone know much about the internals? Just milspec I assume. What suppressors work well with it. It would be my first suppressor of any kind and I am budget minded. Hear a lot of good thinks about Otter Creek.

Thank You


r/RetroAR 11h ago

Lebanon, 2021

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28 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 1h ago

T65 Build Question

Upvotes

For those of you that have built T65s, am I correct it thinking the lower handguard needs to be installed with the gas block, or is there a way to take it on and off once the block is pinned?


r/RetroAR 1d ago

M16 a1

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151 Upvotes

Some might find it interesting. It has a carry handle.


r/RetroAR 1d ago

That Real Gourmet Shit FRTs your Retros

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221 Upvotes

Happy Monday.
Your Retro rifle deserves an FRT.


r/RetroAR 1d ago

80s meme for 80s guns

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78 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

Quad Rail Appreciation Day

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390 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

That Real Gourmet Shit Vietnam Dummy Rounds

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104 Upvotes

Picked these 1969 “experimental” training dummies up at a pawn shop yesterday. One box is open and missing one round. The other is still factory sealed (and will stay that way in my Nam field gear collection). Paid $10 cash out the door for the pair. Google AI tells me the sealed one is worth up to $45. Crazy if true. I’m not mad that one of the boxes is already open. I can use that box as intended and keep the other unopened. Kinda amazing to stumble across something like these, especially the unopened one.


r/RetroAR 2d ago

Vibes 🤝Optimization

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215 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

Colt 635/RO991 barrel length question

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67 Upvotes

I typically see the barrel length described as “10 inches” but does anyone have an exact number? I’m assuming it’s 10.3 but it appears to be shorter on the older guns. I have a spare 16 inch Colt barrel for my AR6951 I want chopped down to the correct length.


r/RetroAR 2d ago

This is an excuse to also show off my MPA 30's

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206 Upvotes

H&R 635 + the two MPA 30's I found almost exactly a month apart. They're a lot of fun for what they are, and hopefully the FRTs for them will be out sooner than later


r/RetroAR 2d ago

A couple of my carry handle rifles and their rim fire cones. The top is my Colt SP1 that I converted into a 602 clone and the bottom is my H&R XM177E2. The two rim fires are both Armi jager AP-74s.

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81 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 1d ago

Had anyone done The Patriot

0 Upvotes

The one from MGS idk if that would qualify as a Retro (I think it does 🤷) but if you do post pics I wanna see


r/RetroAR 3d ago

"I'll be outside, good luck." Honoring one of the legends

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131 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

Diet Retro Man the 70s were cool

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74 Upvotes

My xm16e1ish and my 1972 ford f250 thats been a 3 year project in the making


r/RetroAR 3d ago

You use post 1973 parts and call it a Vietnam build. I use post 1973 parts and call it at Granada build... We are not the same

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284 Upvotes

Got my lower back from my local engraving and Cerakote guy. Happy to finally complete this post Nam A1 build.

Lower is from Bad Attitude

Everything is original surplus (CH upper, C MP Chrome Bore barrel, etc.)


r/RetroAR 2d ago

Killing Pablo

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57 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

Operation Acid Gambit

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48 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 3d ago

Mag questions

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83 Upvotes

Picked up 4 mags from the $10 bin at a military show. The colt and one of the okay mags are a copper color at the corners. What causes that? Are the black followers decent? I’ve heard to skip the green ones but tan are good.


r/RetroAR 2d ago

How is h&r

8 Upvotes

Hello everyone finally have the money since starting work again to purchase a a1 clone and I’ve been eyeing the H&r one mainly in black. but I’ve seen posts on here about their qc and how some rifles people are getting have some issues with canted fsb or mismatch for their grey rifles

So I’m curious how has yalls experience been with H&r and if they are worth it as a first retro rifle or would it be better to look somewhere else.