Found me a $100 deal and picking it up tonight. I know, I know...they're completely unreliable, according to any accounts. But, for $100 I had to take a chance and intend on making it my kitchen table project to make it a "sure fire" deal!
I've wondered about picking one of these up, too. It's a machine, right? So it must be capable of tuning to make it a reliable, repeatable process...I think...
I hope, but for $100, it would be a reasonable single shot rifle. We shall see...lol I've already got a Savage Model 30, so I'm covered for a light, dependable "meater". But, the AR-7 looks way cooler! HAHA
I have had 2 A-R 7's and both were very reliable semi auto's. I wish they were still in my safe but the 1st wife took care of that for me. And the M-1, the M-14 and a couple of 1911's but I digress.
Seen good ones and bad ones. A co-worker found one in her dad's house after he passed and asked me to look at it. After I funcion tested it and it failed to load/ eject a few times I took it apart and cleaned it and it shot well. Keep them clean. At 3.5 pounds and floating could be a good forage/ BOB gun, but I prefer my Nylon 66.
After you clean it COMPLETELY and you know your mags work, just figure out what ammo it likes.
Got it, love it! Was really, really dirty and probably didn't function well due to that. Hence, the $100 price tag. Cleaned up great, can't wait to shoot it. Once it's proven, I'll tuck it away in the BOB. Well worth the 3 hour round trip!
I myself purchased a Carter Arms AR-7 a while back for around $100 and didn't have very high expectations. I got it home and checked it out and the barrel was really dirty. I scrubbed it and scrubbed it. To this day I can not get the barrel completely clean. Regardless, it doesn't seem to affect the function of the rifle much. It shoots great. The only problem(s) I have had was with cheap ammo and I think that was the result of the ammo and not the gun. It is surprisingly accurate for what it is. I would say 30 yards or so easily, maybe more if I practiced with it more often. I have never taken it to the range but it plinks cans well enough. I wouldn't feel ill-equipped hunting squirrel with it. The little peep sight does the job, and it is adjustable with a screw in the back of the rear sight. I used a little of the girlfriend's expensive white nail Polish on the front sight and that made sight alignment much easier. It is light weight, fits in a backpack, and is easy to use. The Carter arms version has the all metal barrel. The Henry version has a polymer barrel with a steal insert, if I am not mistaken. I can't complain much for the price of a nice pair of work boots.
I only have one significant complaint about the AR-7. There is no means to hold the bolt open. It makes cleaning the receiver a bit of a pain. I just use a piece of para-cord and tie it around the charging handle, pull it back, wrap the cord back and around the other side of the receiver, then tie the other end around the front of the trigger guard to hold the bolt open while cleaning.
Good luck with your new rifle. I doubt you will be displeased. If nothing else it is a good functional novelty piece. Everyone seems to get a kick out of mine when I bust it out.
I love mine - it's lightweight and a great shooter. It's more accurate than I am out to 75 yards, and I've had pretty decent reliability with even cheap ammo, as long as it's high velocity - not much worse than the 10/22 that is often alongside it.
It has a rear peep sight - really just a bit of sheet metal on the back of the receiver with a hole in it. It works very well though, as long as it's zeroed.