ArmaLite AR-7

Reliability of the AR-7 is highly dependent on the condition of the magazine and on the ammunition used, perhaps more so than with other models of semi-automatic .22 caliber rifles. The feed ramp is part of the magazine and subject to damage from mishandling. Flat-nosed bullets tend to jam on the edge of the chamber of the barrel. The transition of cartridge from magazine to barrel can be smoothed by minor beveling of the chamber of the barrel, by using round-nosed as opposed to flat-nosed bullets and by paying attention to condition of the feed lips and feed ramp of the magazine. Later production magazines include an external wire spring to align the cartridge; earlier magazines used two pinch marks at the top of the magazine body, which in use could become sprung open or worn.

All iterations of the AR-7 from the ArmaLite to the Henry U.S. Survival rifle use a bolt and dual recoil springs that are heavy compared to most other .22 semiautomatics. The AR-7 requires high velocity ammunition for reliable functioning. The manufacturers recommend use of 40 grain round nose bullets in high velocity loadings. It is possible to manually load a single round into the firing chamber, allowing use of flat nosed bullets or low velocity or subsonic ammunition.

The barrel takedown nut tends to loosen during firing and may need hand-tightening to maintain both accuracy and reliability.

ArmaLite sold the design to Charter Arms in 1973. According to some accounts posted by enthusiasts, this is when quality began to deteriorate.[7] Barrels were said to have a tendency to warp. Other sources state that the first production at Charter had problems which were corrected in later production runs.[3]

(Summary of information available in The Blue Book of Gun Values)

• 1959-1973: ArmaLite
• 1973-1990: Charter Arms
• 1990-1997: Survival Arms - Cocoa, Florida
• 1998-2004: AR-7 Industries - LLC, Meriden, Connecticut (bought by ArmaLite in 2004)
• 1997–2007: Henry Repeating Arms Co. - Brooklyn, New York
• 2007–present: Henry Repeating Arms Co. - Bayonne, New Jersey

Original ArmaLite barrels had a steel liner in an aluminum shell. The stock was a foam filled plastic shell with internal recesses for the receiver, barrel and one magazine and did not accept the receiver with a magazine in place. The original ArmaLite stock retained buoyancy longer than some later stocks by other makers. The receiver did not provide for a scope mount. The rear sight was a peep aperture, adjustable for elevation. The front sight was drift-adjustable for windage.

The AR-7 was also manufactured in Argentina as the Sistema de Armas .22 LR Fire de Brenta.[8] It came with various barrel lengths, shrouds and fixed rifle stocks as well as pistol grips with retractable stocks.

Herter's, Hy Hunter and American International Distributors marketed .22 replicas of the Broomhandle Mauser (as "Bolomauser"), Thompson submachine gun (as "T-62 Civilian Defense Model") and M1 Carbine made on AR-7 receivers and barrels.[9]

The Charter Arms AR-7 Explorer rifle replicated the ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer with variations in finish.

Explorer II pistol with 8 inch barrel

Explorer II was a pistol version of the AR-7.[10] It resembled a Broomhandle Mauser. The receiver had a built-in pistol grip with no provision for the rifle stock (the internal parts are interchangeable between rifle and pistol). The rear sight of the pistol was an open notch adjustable for windage and elevation. The Explorer II front sight was integral with the barrel shell and was not adjustable. The magazine well in front of the trigger guard would accept any magazine designed for the rifle. A spare 8-round magazine could be carried inside the grip. The most common barrel was six inches. Optional barrel lengths included eight and ten inches.

Alignment lug is on barrel underside

Because the U.S. 1934 NFA regulations set the minimum rifle barrel length at 16 inches, Charter Arms made the barrels of the Explorer I rifle and Explorer II pistol non-interchangeable to prevent installing the pistol barrel on the rifle. The AR-7 barrel has an alignment lug that mates a notch in the receiver. The rifle receiver notch and barrel lug are on top; the pistol notch and lug are broader and on the bottom. If a Charter Arms factory-made pistol barrel were installed on a rifle, the extractor on the bolt would be opposite the extractor slot in the barrel, preventing the bolt from closing (plus the front sight would be upside down). Modifying the pistol barrel to fit the rifle, or modifying the rifle receiver to accept the pistol barrel, would be "making a short barrel rifle" legally requiring federal registration on an ATF Form 1 with payment of a $200.00 tax.

Conversely, after the Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Thompson/Center Arms Co.,[11] modifying the pistol to accept the rifle barrel and/or stock, or modifying the rifle barrel or stock to fit the pistol is legal so long as you do not have the rifle stock attached at the same time as the pistol barrel. It is legal (as a pistol) to have the rifle barrel attached with the pistol grip; there is no federal maximum pistol barrel length.

In the United Kingdom this rifle is a Section 1 Firearm requiring a Firearms Certificate to buy or acquire.

AR-7 Industries made solid steel barrels much heavier than the AR-7 barrels by ArmaLite, Charter or Henry.

In 1980, the design and production rights passed on to Henry Repeating Arms and the compact rifle was slightly revised, resulting in improved reliability and durability. The AR-7 is now (2018) known as the Henry U.S. Survival AR-7 rifle. An ABS material replaced the original stock plastic, which was prone to cracking and failure. The receiver recess in the Henry stock allows storage of receiver with a magazine in place and the rifle is normally sold with two magazines. The latest versions of the Henry allow for storage of three magazines total, with two in the stock recess, and one in the receiver. The modern Henry U.S. Survival Rifle floats on water for a while either assembled or stored, although it is not entirely waterproof and will sink eventually. The rifles now include a full Teflon coating on the outer surface. Henry added a 3/8 inch Dovetail rail (aka Weaver .22 Tip-Off Mount rail) on the top of the receiver for attaching a wide variety of optics. Henry introduced a 5-round magazine for jurisdictions that limit magazine capacity for hunting wild game.

Another variant was made by ArmaLite and sold to the Israeli Military for use as pilot/aircrew survival weapons, replacing the 9mm Beretta 1951 8-shot handgun. The Israelis further modified these rifles, adding a telescoping stock, a pistol grip from a FAL-type rifle, shortening the barrel (to 13.5 inches), and adding a front sight based on the K98k Mauser. The shoulder stock held two magazines, with a third magazine in the receiver, plus forty rounds of ammunition stored inside the pistol grip. After Israeli service, some of these rifles were re-imported into the U.S. by Bricklee Trading Company for sale on the civilian market. The barrels are marked with the BTC identification as required by U.S. law on imported guns. The Israeli version commands a premium among collectors. In order to comply with U.S. Federal law on minimum rifle barrel length of 16", a 3-inch muzzle brake was permanently attached.[12]