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Imagine (or remember) if you will…the 1950’s.
Cars were hearty, Elvis dominated the radio, people attended sock hops, and the space race was just getting kicked off.
America’s military was looking for a weapon to replace the venerable M1 Garand.
Best Classic AR-10
$1,600
at Brownells
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Available Coupons
-
25% off all OAKLEY products – OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Bad Rap
The thing that comes to mind about the AR-10 is that they had a reputation for being unreliable. There is plenty of history out there but it is interesting how a reputation set, may not necessarily be deserved. With the U.S. Army looking for an alternative to the aging M1 Garand in the 1950s, several companies rushed to the competition. Stoner designed the AR-10 as a submission and things went well in the beginning. The rifle had several advantages over the Garand in that it had greater capacity, was lightweight, and fully automatic—redefining what a “machine gunner” had to lug around to be effective. Additionally, it was chambered in the 7.62×51 NATO or .308 Winchester with a 20 round, detachable box magazine. The AR-10 was staged to be a potent weapons system. An ill-fated decision over barrel materials caused the AR-10 to be scrubbed from consideration and based on that incident, the AR-10 never saw service with the U.S. Military.
Rebirth
Brownells has tapped into a lurking sub-market among the firearms community. There are those who have guns strictly because they are tools and serve specific functions like hunting, defense, etc. Some people own guns because they are heirlooms or they are collectible. Still, others have guns because they love them, and this includes a broad category of guns that look cool, have historic significance, or fall into some other niche or category. The BRN-10 checks a lot of these boxes.
Historic Looks with Modern Day Performance
I took the BRN-10 out to the range with a few different ammunition types and I found myself amazed at its size. The box barely fit in the trunk of my Charger. In addition, I knew I would be hitting that 100-yard MOA with straight iron sights, no fancy optics here.
- Hornady Avg. velocity 2,630 FPS 2.75-inch smallest group
- Winchester Avg. velocity 2,863 FPS 3.4-inch smallest group
- Federal Avg. velocity 2,624 FPS 3.2-inch smallest group
By the Numbers
Accuracy 4/5
I was impressed with the accuracy of this rifle and although I’ve never been through basic training, I bet there are some shooters out there that could really make this thing sing.Reliability 4/5
I had two strange failures to feed with the first two rounds but these cleared up afterward and never appeared again. While this was no long-term test, I fired close to 100 rounds through the rifle and had solid performance. This gun will likely go a long way toward healing the reputation of the original, whether fairly deserved or not.Customization 2/5
I hate to give this a lower rating because this gun comes from Brownells pre-customized! It is a 1950’s era, AR-10 remake, a historic (fully functional) replica if you will. The only thing you could really customize on this gun is the strap and perhaps the magazine, though no one had heard of Magpul in 1955 so don’t try those magazines with this gun. This rifle hails from a time when we didn’t mount scopes, flashlights, or other geegaws to our guns—we simply picked them up and shot the enemy. Frankly, this is a gun you buy because you like it as is.Looks 5/5
If you get what the BRN-10 is about, it is truly beautiful. Remember, this shooter hails from the times when over-modulated announcers in television commercials promised the benefits of products using “space-aged polymers”.
Price 3/5
The brown furniture BRN-10A comes in at $1,600 and is a close facsimile of the original AR-10. The black BRN-10B is priced at $1,700 and better matches the improved version later released by the Dutch. These prices are par for the course for a .308 semi-auto rifle of quality.Best Classic AR-10
$1,600
at Brownells
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Available Coupons
-
25% off all OAKLEY products – OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Overall Rating 4/5
The BRN-10 is a wonderful way to look back in time and enjoy the original AR-10 as Eugene Stoner imagined it. This rifle is a collector’s item and, in that respect, offers a great deal of value to someone who cherishes this era of guns. However, it is also a fully functional rifle, mayhap, an improvement on the original with modern materials, treatments, and processes.
Conclusion
The BRN-10 is a faithful reproduction that enjoys the benefits of the modern era using space-aged polymers and other materials. While this is not a purchase you make for your truck gun, or perhaps as your sole home defender, it can serve in those roles. Brownells has built-in accuracy and reliability to make it so much more than a collector’s item or relic of an older era—it is a modern weapon with 1950’s flair. What do you think about the BRN-10? Looking to get one? Or if you prefer something more modern…check out our Best AR-10s article.
5 Leave a Reply
I bought the original BRN-10 from Brownells. Nice rifle. I also bought a pair of spare upper and lowers to have on hand when Brownells was dumping the BRN-10 stuff for about 1/3 the original price. I also bought spare barrels, 16" and 20" they were offering for next to nothing (Faxon barrels at that). I put it all away and sat on it figuring there'd come a day when I wanted to play with it all. Today (12/20/2022) is that day. I think I will start with finding a machinist to mill one of the spare uppers I have, mill the carry handle down and drill and mount a 1913 rail atop the milled carry handle. One does, for all practical purposes, need a scope to test accuracy of the rifle.
Don't worry, I won't touch my original Brownells BRN-10, only the spare parts I bought. The complete BRN-10 stays original as it came from Brownells.
Merry Christmas to all,
Don
Idaho
I bought one because i always wanted one but couldn't afford them when the originals could be easily found at fun shows. It's fun to shoot and i like the brown stock. I do, however, think the black stock version was cheaper than brown when i bought mine.
JUST HAD A FLASHBACK OF BASIC TRAINING AT FT. BENNING.. THANKS FOR THE ARTICLE SEAN, ENJOYED IT..
Mickey,
Thanks for stopping by, and thank you for your service.
Sean
There was a reason the 3-pronged flash suppressor was re-made into a full ring on the M-16. Don't try sneaking through the brush and expect it to fire with that barrel. Course, you wouldn't need a bayonet!