Firearms / Assault rifles / AR 70
AR 70
General Facts
- TYPE
Assault rifle - ORIGIN
Italy - NICKNAMES
AR 70/223 - DESIGNED
1968 - 1972 - DESIGNER
Beretta - PRODUCTION
1972 - early 1990s - PRODUCERS Italy - Beretta
- QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Cheap to manufacture
Reliability issues
Introduction
The AR 70/223 is an assault rifle of Italian origin. It is the result of the SG-530 prototype that was jointly developed by Beretta and SIG. At the time of production it was one of the first rifles to use the 5.56x45mm round after it was employed in the US M16. The AR 70/223 was produced in limited numbers, but paved the way for the more successful AR 70/90.
Design
The AR 70/223 looks very similar to the SG-530 prototype. The AR 70/223 has a conventional assault rifle layout. The stock, forearm and pistol grip are made out of plastics and the rest of the weapon out of metal. The AR 70/223 uses a forward locking bolt system requiring only few parts to be made out of high quality steel.
Firepower
The AR 70/223 is a select-fire weapon that fires the older 5.56x45mm M193 round from 30 round STANAG magazines. The cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute is modest. The effective range is claimed to be 400 meters.
Users
The AR 70/223 saw only limited service with the Italian armed forces. It was exported to several nations, but had a limited service life due to limited ruggedness.
AR 70
The AR 70 is a full size rifle of the AR 70/223 family. It is fitted with a fixed plastic stock. The SC 70 is similar to the AR 70 but differs in having a foldable plastic stock. The SCS 70 is the carbine version of the SC 70. It has a shorter barrel and is unable to fire rifle grenades. The AR 70/84 is a light support weapon derived from the AR 70. It is based on the earlier AR 70/78 prototype which also featured a quick change barrel. The AR 70/84 features a heavier barrel, large metal forearm, a bipod and recontoured stock with shoulder plate. It uses standard 30 round STANAG magazines and is unique as the ability to fire rifle grenades is retained.
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 5.56x45mm M193 |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 650 rpm |
| Barrel length | 450 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 304 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 950 m/s |
| Stock | Fixed |
| Length | 955 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.8 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, 507 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 5.56x45mm M193 |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 650 rpm |
| Barrel length | 450 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 304 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 950 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 960 mm / 736 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.85 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, 507 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Assault rifle |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 5.56x45mm M193 |
| Magazine | 30 round box |
| Operation | Gas operated, rotating bolt |
| Fire selector | 0-1-F |
| Rate of fire | 650 rpm |
| Barrel length | 320 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | 4 grooves, 304 mm right hand twist |
| Muzzle velocity | 885 m/s |
| Stock | Foldable |
| Length | 820 mm / 596 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.7 kg empty |
| Sights | Iron sights, 455 mm sight radius |
| Remarks | - |
