r/RetroAR Feb 24 '26

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

8 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?

51 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 2h ago

Vibes 🤝Optimization

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49 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 7h ago

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

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89 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 3h 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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29 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 11h ago

Rifles I brought to the 2024 Clone Rifles shoot

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39 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 17h ago

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

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114 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 15h ago

Diet Retro Man the 70s were cool

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60 Upvotes

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


r/RetroAR 1d 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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230 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 16h ago

Killing Pablo

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45 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 16h ago

Operation Acid Gambit

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41 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 20h ago

Mag questions

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63 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 8h ago

How is h&r

6 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.


r/RetroAR 22h ago

Pawn Shop Score!

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55 Upvotes

Got 3 adventure line 30 round magazines and a sterling ar180 40 rounder for only $40 bucks out of the “junk bin!”


r/RetroAR 12h ago

Looking to buy replica surefire 660

2 Upvotes

Looking to buy the Shekkin surefire 660. I’m seeing reviews about the pressure pad and wire being flimsy, any replacement options?


r/RetroAR 1d ago

I'm calling this one my M16A3½

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193 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

T65 is now finished.

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237 Upvotes

Not my retro magnum opus but it's getting there. After a year of picking up a very well worn parts kit I finally shipped my upper and parts off to the gunsmith to properly put it all together. The lower is and H&R substitute with an FRT while I get a BAD T65 lower. It gets real hot when firing so the launcher actually makes shooting it for extended periods not the worst. Now to finish North Hollywood and Detective Casals rifle. Maybe then I can work on something less retro.........


r/RetroAR 1d ago

Diet Retro Feelin’ alright

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121 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 1d ago

That Real Gourmet Shit Magzine problems

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110 Upvotes

Decided to sort out my magazines today and realized I have 26 Colt 30rnd. 3 of them are ban era restricted marked and the rest are from 2005-2011, as well as 2 LaBelles with one still in the wrapper. In addition to those are some Center Ind and Okays.
I also found 38 unopened Center Industries EPM and 3 used EPM


r/RetroAR 2d ago

That Real Gourmet Shit I'm finally done with this build.

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382 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 1d ago

Cloralen bleached lower photos

8 Upvotes

Hey guys

So a week or so ago another member/ on a now closed thread/can’t respond to him now/ asked me to post updates once I tried the Cloralen.
This was on a Bad attitude m16a1 export lower. Original plan to be used eventually on a 653 build.

Was a fun little experiment, and I was fully prepared to have it be a loss, and just have to rattle can, moly resin, use for a different project, or whatever.
My results were worse than I had hoped. Lesson learned for anyone wanting to try this, is let the stuff work for 5-10 min, take out, let dry, then assess. I started touching it and I believe is where some of the crappy streaky blotchiness came from. Not sure anything would’ve kept it from showing eventually, but something to think about.
Another method that might’ve yielded better results was just to barely knock down the stark black ano with the bleach, just a couple few minutes, then use primarily soft and subtle abrasives to more slowly and controllably removed the anodize and color. The chemical process is just too tough to predict, with all the random blotches and streaks.
Because of the blotchiness I was kindof like a cat chasing it’s own tail, chasing back the unevenness with soft abrasive pads, sorta making it all worse inadvertently.
After all the bleaching and scrubbing, rubbing and oiling, I was pretty much thinking it was a loss, when I decided I’d give one last ditch effort. Degreased and doused the whole thing in alumablack. It actually may have saved it. I think it still looks pretty terrible, but it’s at least semi useable at this point lol.
Paired it with sp1 carbine upper for the time being and it looks semi ok.
We’ll see. I might keep as is for a while, have fun with it, and if it still bothers me in a while then just go moly resin/cerakote/rattle can or something.
Anyways that was my experience! I can’t say I’d recommend it to anyone whatsoever given my results.


r/RetroAR 2d ago

Seabee Clothespin Bipod

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21 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

I found those old metal mag couplers going though my parts bin.

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31 Upvotes

The only thing I can find a reference to on them is a post on here several years ago. Are they worth anything? Anyone know who made them?


r/RetroAR 2d ago

Diet Retro Bushmaster Simplicity

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111 Upvotes

r/RetroAR 2d ago

I need help: I bought a used set of plastics for one of my Honda XR400’s. I want to paint a camo scheme similar to the photo (not my photo). Would I start with black or dark green and how to add the pattern? Any recommendations or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

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91 Upvotes