Les Jones

Had an AR-7 for a while. Kinda liked the looks of it, but I don't think I was EVER able to go through a complete clip without it jamming. Accuracy was only "OK" at best. Finally got tired of fooling with it and sold it. If it would have fed reliably, I probably would still have it, just 'cause it's cool looking!

My AR-7 feeds well, but only with the brand of ammo it likes. I agree with your assessment, but I think it does fill a niche: it's the perfect gun to throw in the back of your modern, trunkless car, just for the sake of having some sort of firearm around.

I used mine to put a carstruck deer out of its misery once. We're not allowed to carry handguns in these parts.

Mike: I'd prefer a handgun, but you're right. A takedown rifle would be handy where handguns aren't allowed.

One Christmas back in the '70s when I was a teenager I was gifted with a Charter Arms AR-7 rifle. The only other firearm I owned then was a bolt-action single-shot .22 scoped rifle, I think an old Stevens.

I found my AR-7 more accurate than I could shoot and with much more practical accuracy than a handgun. Reliability was fine, at least for the first 50 rounds. After a box or two of ammo the action became sluggish and jammed occaisionally from accumulated ammo goo. Another problem was the tendency of the barrel nut to loosen during firing, so I would have to tighten it back down from time to time.

Poverty forced me to sell my AR-7 in the late 1980's, but sometimes I miss it. The removable barrel and action sideplate at least made it the easiest to clean of all the .22RF rifles I have owned.

One of my friends in high school owned the 1960s version of the AR with a wooden stock. That gun was featured in the James Bond movie "From Russia With Love"

http://www.jamesbondmm.co.uk/q-branch/frwl-gadgets.php

It was pretty cool to think we were shooting the same gun as Agent 007.

If you're looking for a take-down .22, you might want to take a look at another Marlin...the Model 39A. They've got a re-release of one that's almost exactly like the original Model 39. It's a beautiful lever-action tube-feed rifle, and the accuracy with high-velocity ammo, regardless of manufacturer, is superb. I bought one of the originals from a buddy of mine who'd left it in a basement for 30 years, and it's still (despite some surface rust on the end of the barrel) a beautiful piece of history, with an incredible-grained stock and color-case-hardened receiver. you can't shoot high-velocity ammo, thought, and my wife loved it so much that I had to go buy a new one for her. The new ones are made almost as well, but are blued throughout, and incorporate a rebounding hammer safety to satisfy the tort lawyers. The MicroGroove rifling makes them much more accurate than I'll ever be able to shoot.

I always liked the concept but haven't been willing to risk wasting the money. Good review, and I think I'll keep my money!

I just had my Survival Arms AR-7 out to the range today.First time in several years.The main feeding problems seem to happen when I use hollowpoint ammo that has a cone shaped bullet.Solid,roundnosed ammo(CCI Minimag)worked just fine even when I rapid fired.Federal makes a hollowpoint with a roundnose shape that might also work.I tried to zero in at 100 yd. but the rear sight wouldn't go up that high so next time I'll sight in at 50 yd.Besides,Foster's beer cans at 100 yards is probably asking a bit much of it anyway!

They all have problems out of the box. I own several different models and have had to do a minor throat job on the bottom of the breech with a dremel. The auto feed ramp inside of the receiver is too steep due to the short action. This really affects the bun when shooting hollowpoint or SSS. I found that the remington subsonic hollowpoint is the best performer for this rifle/explorer pistol.
I found that it also helped to buy some of the ramline 25 round mags. These are awesome once you figure out how to superglue them together permanently. In all, unless your a bit of a gunsmith, stay away from this gun.

I currently own an AR 7 from Vietnam. The rifle is an excellent Surival Rifle. I know a little bit about its history which makes it a better fire arm.

the ar7 is the only gun i was able to inherit from my father's collection. why? when the rest were stolen, the thieves apparently just thought it was a stock and didn't take it!

I just recieved an old charter arms from a friend and am looking for an 8 shot magazine to replace the original//
Any ideas on source?...I do have an after market 10 round but it won't store in the stock.

I plan to use it on canoe trips and the waterproof aspect will far outway any disadvantage for shooting accuracy. I have not shot it in the field yet however.

I just recieved an old charter arms from a friend and am looking for an 8 shot magazine to replace the original//
Any ideas on source?...I do have an after market 10 round but it won't store in the stock.

I plan to use it on canoe trips and the waterproof aspect will far outway any disadvantage for shooting accuracy. I have not shot it in the field yet however.

i just wanted to say that some of your guys storys are true but some of them are not. however in the fall i use henry ar-7 for coon hunting. this gun is light wight and for the most part accaret. at a distence of 25yd. but i would not try to use it at night with the oringel sights. you just cant see them! so i put a scope on it and now i can shoot a 50 to 75 yd. iv'e been through 2 ar-7 in 25 years.

I have a good use for these types of rifles. Can you say CB rounds? Can you say varmit control in the suburbs? Real easy to pop the scope off, take the gun apart and stuff it in a book bag along with a change of cloths and a fishing rod and some tackle. They'll never find you.

NOTE: CB rounds make this a single shot.

Jason

ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET A HIGHER CAPACITY CLIP THAN WHAT STOCK IS? ALSO WHAT TYPE OF AMMO TOO KEEP IT FROM JAMMING? THANKS!

JAMING--JAMING- JAMING OF AR7
For those who experience jaming of their AR7 it can be corrected by removing the firing pin, honning or polishing it on both sides so it moves more freely in the bolt. Reinstall and shoot shoot shoot with no more jaming!

The jaming is caused by the firing pin not retracting when the bolt moves forward to pick up another round. The pin works on momentum only and a tight fit will keep it in the extended posistion when the bolt blows back at firing.
Had this problem, did this to mine and hasn't jamed since!

where can I buy a regular barrel of my AR7-22 cal. I have a bad twisted barrel and need new one.

Cesar,

You can obtain a replacement barrel for ANY AR7 rifle from Henry Repeating makers of the Henry Survival Rifle. www.henryrepeating.com

Another source is AR-7 Customized Accessories. http://www.ar-7.com/

Good luck.

rimfirehunter

The AR-7 is the only rifle that I know of that is waterproof, Light, and compact. I will spend weeks at a time on the river and this rifle is perfect for killin nutria rats, gars, and opossoms. each of which is a good one person meal after a long days paddle.
I do wish at times there was a rifle a bit stronger the AR-7 will not take down large aligators which are very tasty for lager partys of people one would use less ammo.
For example 4 people=4 nutria rats=4 .22lr
but 4 people=1 Alligator or hog=1 .223 or whatever.
and the latter is more tasty.

Does anybody make a light waterproof rifle that is a little stronger or are there any good machineists that have modified the AR-7 for the .22 mag

Swampcat

I really loved the concept of the AR-7 as a teenager, but never owned one. It's a shame that the quest to make this a cheap rifle made it a cheap rifle, with jamming and barrel loosening causing a lack of reliability. Survival guns should be simple and reliable.

I would love to see a $300-$500 version that is really well implemented, in a much more powerful cartridge, but still having all the important concepts envisioned by Eugene Stoner (light, waterproof, self contained, floating, durable). I'd like an 18" fluted stainless barrel. The modern version could even incorporate a lithium battery powered targeting laser with elevation and windage adjustments to augment the iron sights. I'd like mine in .308 Winchester, please, with some clever recoil control. A single shot bolt action would be fine if the ammo was stored someplace handy so it could be quickly loaded manually. Or a pump action, fed from a high capacity forestock magazine with rounds carried vertically?

Maybe a more practical but less gee-whiz version would be a relatively conventional carbine with a folding recoil taming stock (ala the Knoxx Industries COPstock) and a nice waterproof roll-top padded soft case or hard case. The built-in shoulder strap for the waterproof enclosure could also be used as the rifle shoulder strap.

Yes,a higher quality ar-7 is something I could spend money on-after I get my hands on a Swiss K-31,that is.The problem is that too many "improvements" would defeat the purpose and concept of the rifle,sort of like the military M4 carbine.They took a good,basic design and bolted,glued,taped a bunch of gizmos onto it-just more things to break(What's up with the love affair with the vertical foregrip anyway?).However,an ar-7 in .22 mag or the new Hornady Magnum Rimfire cartridges with an improved adjustable aperture sight coupled with improved reliability just might be the ticket.

Help.....there was a gun store, I think in the New York state area, that was selling these babies for about $100.00 bucks ( US )...but now I can't find it ....any ideas...

I've had a Charter Arms AR7 since I was 16 (34 now), got it at the local Walmart along with 2 high cap plastic 25 round mags. The gun was great for about the first year I had it. Years later, I couldn't get the gun to fire, mainly the trigger won't reset itself after firing a round. You can manually pull it back forward and it will work for another shot. I've later replaced all the springs, trigger, hammer and still won't reset. It appears that the the hammer and trigger are hanging on each other. Maybe a bit of polishing are in order.

I love the gun and wish like many, a more powerful version was built. I'd buy it

My friend obtained a modified AR-7 (pistol grip, high-cap mag, and 12" shrouded barrel) from his neighbor because "it didn't work". I took the gun apart to find all the internals misplaced. There was also a few missing spings. After finding springs that would fit, I thoroughly cleaned it and re-assembled the AR-7. We took the gun out to shoot it and could only get off two to three rounds without it jamming. Part of the problem was the steep angle of the loading ramp, but the rest was the fact that the magazines would not fit snug in the receiver because of wear. This is due to the aluminum receiver. Sure, I know aluminum is a great metal for light weight uses, but it wears far quicker that steel. The same goes for the Walther P-22 pistol. Beautiful pistol, accurate and fast, but after 10,000 rounds or so there slide is so worn that it won't lock open half the time on an empty magazine and later had the slide even snap if half!!! (Walther replaced the slide for free after that little incident.) My point being: a steel receiver may weigh a little more, but I think the gun would be far more reliable if the magazines did not jiggle around while you are shooting it!

I own one of the original Armalites and have been very pleased with it despite having to repair the right receiver piece of the stock after someone stepped on it and broke it. The newer ones are much thicker - not a problem - it was a design flaw in the original models.

My AR-7 is a tack driver. I love the sights and love the portability of this little rifle as well as the ability to cycle CCI Velocitors through it like butter. That makes for one hard hitting little survival rifle - and mine does not fail to feed no matter the magazine I put in it or the LR round provided it is of reputable maker.

I normally agree with the reviews on this blog ... but you missed it by a mile with your AR-7 observations. Must have been a bad one or something.

ive had alot of experience with the ar 7 and have read all of the comments here and agree with the fact that the gun jams but keeping it clean and shaving the firing pin on the sides solved that issue. i read about a 50 round clip and cant wait to get my hands on one. also a real pistol grip would be nice but you can carve one out of wood just as easy or at least thats what has worked so far.

a couple of comments about the ar-7.
i have to agree with an earler post about being a tinkerer or a bit of a gunsmith with the henry ar-7 but once you get it runing it is a great pack rifle for those fishing places that frown on handguns. ie i live in wisconsin along the michigan border and it is illeagal for me to do any thing with a handgun in mi but transport it thu. so the ar-7 goes in the pack. the one i have, after a bit of work, runs mag after mag of most ammo without a jam, winchster dynapoints have a huge problem. the lite weight is a great thing after day 3 of a hike in fishing trip.

to MArk
if you are still reading this thread Sarco has 8 round mags of the charter arms type ie no wire on the outside.

I have an AR-7..its fun..ive modified its with an after market stock and pistol grip and scope..plus bi pod...but i have the jamming problem...some times the empty doesnt eject (which i understand would just be an under powered round) some time it half feeds but jams on the way in...and some times the old round gets snagged when the new one loads...i want to fix the firing pin like ive read but i cant figure out how to take the bolt apart...ive taken the weapon apart everything but the bolt...why dont these things come with manuals? any help? thanks

I have a henry us survival .22. I think people like blowing the jamming issue out of proportion because, i dunno, its "fashionable" i guess *rolls eyes

In all honesty, the gun does have a minor problem out of the box. I say minor because it only has a problem with the cone-shaped hollow points that have the flat tips. And even that is easy to fix. The angle of the feed is a bit steep, but its nothing that shouldnt work reliably. The chamfer where the bullets are received (into the barrel) has a sharp edge that will catch the flat tipped hollow points. So to fix it, you either need to not use that kind of ammo or you need to take a fine file (jewelers file) and taper that edge.

Thats it. Thats how you solve the "infamous" jamming problem. It take less than a minute or two and it feeds at 100% afterwards.

Its such a minor problem. It hardly deserves all of this attention...

Interesting that the old AR-7 has excited such a response. Proof, I think, that the original concept was a damn good idea.

I bought an Armalite AR-7 new in 1978 - I was a teenager and taken with all things that smacked of adventure, and this rifle certainly did. The perfect rifle for any river expedition - not only waterproof, and floats, but nigh on shock proof in that stock. You can upset your canoe on a class v rapid and send all your gear over the falls - and you'll probably find the AR-7 bobbing downstream, perfectly fine when you'll need it most. Can't think of another small arm that can be said for.

I cleaned it religiously the way teenagers with a new gun sometimes do, and I never had a jam, ever; I also found the peep sight a huge improvement over the v-notch on my old Ithaca 94-22.

Wish like hell I'd never sold that AR-7. I'll add my voice to the chorus of shooters asking for a better-quality version of this rifle today. But not .308 for me - a survival rifle should be small-bore. A .22 magnum would be great; a 5.7 or even .223 would be fine if the packaging and simplicity wasn't compromised. My two cents, probably over-priced. This is a good forum.

I own a I believe it to be a Charter Arms AR7 .22 Survival rifle and it has a plastic stock that has two steel rods on each side of the main body that can be pulled in or out to adjust the stock length. Can anyone give me any info on this military style gun. shady grady out.

Bought a henry US survival this summer after seeing it online and thought it would be great to have on hikes, fishing trips, etc.
I purchased High velocity 40 grain solid .22lr ammo and loaded her up, 8+1 in the head.

Took one shot and the following round never cycled. Cocked her back and cycled a new round, dumping the spent cartridge on the ground. Thinking it was just a fluke that it didnt cycle, i fired again. Same thing!

What garbage! I am very displeased by henry's performance. My only guess is that perhaps super-hi velocity would be sufficient to cycle rounds in this rifle. Survival? You better hope you make a kill with your first shot...because you will be manualy cycling your rounds in this piece of garbage.

Hello I have a few Questions about the AR-7 I just bought one and was woundering where I could find 30 - 50 Round Clips for The rifle. I was also clueless on how I need to clean the rifle so I am Interesated in any manuals or instructions I may be able to get my hands on. If anyone has Information I would be thankful.

I've had an AR-7 for several years and I really like it for firing with one hand, though it doesn't have the pistol grip. I also have had trouble with hollowpoint loading automatically, I feel that I need hollow point for some of the varments that I get. I'll try the filing job that I just learned about, thanks for that bit of info. I have also had trouble with it not firing, When I took it apart, I found that it was opperating on just one spring, 50%. It is supposed to have two springs with a plastic inside line-up pin. One plastic rod was broken off and the spring flattened out badly damaged. So, I'll be looking for a parts place for those springs and plastic part. When I first got it, it would do all 8, or 9 rounds without misfire. The manuals. Right now, October 25, 2006 there are several folks selling a manual for these fine guns on e-Bay. Just search for AR-7 or Survival Rifle. They are about $9. to $10.00.

I have 25 shot clips for sale for the AR-7 Rifle.
They are pre-banned, plastic, new in the package from Ramline. They are 60.00 each.

I must say I find this gun to be extremely charming although troublesome.I find myself shooting and enjoying it more than all my other more reliable rifles. My version is the ar-7 industries example from Connecticut...It misfired from the getgo.Also the gun had a habit of double and triple firings from a single pull of the trigger. The company was completely useless in helping solve the problem. My goal was to shoot all high velocity ammo not just the expensive stuff. I began by camfering slightly the chamber on the light plastic steel lined barrel accessory. Then using a dremel removed some thickness of the metal of the extraction slot where the extractor removes the spent cartridge.....a manufacturing defect of the barrel. The screw that covers the action sideplate must be very tight or the doubling effect occurs. Finally I clipped off 3 revolutions of the action springs which are too powerful to cycle most rounds........finally I'm pretty happy with the gun. This gun is not for the squeemish but I love it

I must say I find this gun to be extremely charming although troublesome.I find myself shooting and enjoying it more than all my other more reliable rifles. My version is the ar-7 industries example from Connecticut...It misfired from the getgo.Also the gun had a habit of double and triple firings from a single pull of the trigger. The company was completely useless in helping solve the problem. My goal was to shoot all high velocity ammo not just the expensive stuff. I began by camfering slightly the chamber on the light plastic steel lined barrel accessory. Then using a dremel removed some thickness of the metal of the extraction slot where the extractor removes the spent cartridge.....a manufacturing defect of the barrel. The screw that covers the action sideplate must be very tight or the doubling effect occurs. Finally I clipped off 3 revolutions of the action springs which are too powerful to cycle most rounds........At the end of the day I'm pretty happy with the gun. This gun is not for the squeemish but I love it!

I got one of these rifles for my 16th birthday back in 1963. that was a short time after I saw it in the James Bond movie, FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. I remember we ordered it through the mail from Craig Sporting Goods in New York. I still have it and over the years have put more than a few thousand rounds through it without a single misfire, regardless of ammunition brand. I have always heard of and read about others having misfire problems, but I never did.

Can anyone tell me how to replace the firing pin?

I recently obtained a Charter Arms AR-7 Explorer pistol and got it with the 4" and 6" barrels. I would like to get the 12" barrel, provided the price isn't exorbitant.

As for functioning, mine gave me a lot of grief when I first got it, but a complete disassembly and cleaning helped a lot. I picked up a 16-shot magazine, and it'll usually feed 12 or so reliably, so that's all I put in it. It looks wicked with the longer mag in place, though.

If anyone is looking for a more active forum dedicated to the AR7 rifle check out the Yahoo group in the link below...

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/AR7/

rimfirehunter

I still have mine from the 70's and it still shoots as acccurate if not more so than most 22 rifles I have shot over the years.(and I have shot quite a few) It will jam with cheap shells but the cost difference isnt enough to justify buying them. I think it is probably the best all around for carrying ease in a backpack or canoe.

Don't buy any of those mags from "Craig Stom". He is a fraud and owes many people money for AR-7 parts he never ships after being paid. See his ebay auctions under Cmstom, and the negative feedbacks. I admit, he duped me.

I agree with Roccobro, "Craig Stom" has been selling ar 7 parts and not sending them after being paid. I got taken as well.

I must retract most of my above statement. While it took months, I received my stuff with a note. Seems Mr. Stom almost lost his son in a severe car accident. I don't know if he has or will make good on the many others that he owes stuff/money but I can understand that family comes first.

is there any info for high cap mags or drums? ive turned one of my ar-7s into a tactical wepon. very fun.this site should have pics.

AR-7 Waterproof? I just went looking at them (Henry AR-&)last weekend and they specificaly stated that they are NOT waterproof. They are floatable, leak resistant, but that is different, the stock has air compartments in it to make it float. The buttcap is not of a good stretchy soft plastic, but is rather stiff not giving a solid seal. I took a look at their 'old' display model which was boxed and on sale. The finish on the barrel nut was badly worn off, the aligning 'stud' on the barrel seemed to be made of nylon or some such material and was half torn off, etc. I figured that if it could end up in such shape in store it wasn't going to be durable enough for field use.
Since I really had my heart set on one because I really wanted a pack rifle to add a bit of meat to the cook pot(northern hiking, canoeing, mountain biking, etc.) I looked at the Marlin Papoose (70PSS) and loved the feel of it. The stock was alot more comfotable, it still broke down to a point that would fit nicely in my pack, and I love the traditional look and feel. The big point with the 70PSS was the swivel studs. If I'm going to carry anything fully assembled around for a bit, I want a sling.
So I bought the 70PSS and love it. I took it to the range that day for a fast try and with some quick tweaking of the sights I was taking down used 12g shells at 50 Metres and grouping within 2 inches with cheapo American Eagle rounds. I can't wait for the weather to clear so I can really sight it in and try a little 4x scope.
As far as the 70PSS not floating outside of it's case? I don't plan on standing in the canoe to fire it, lol. It will be case stowed or secured.

Just got an AR-7 from a friend and have been readin up on it. Haven't had the chance to shoot it yet, prolly will by tomorrow. Thanks for all the tips, it sounds like a neat little gun. I also found some links to manuals for those that want them.

http://stevespages.com/page7b.htm

http://stevespages.com/pdf/charter_ar7_explorer.pdf

I had a friend who bought one of these from a big reputable gunstore........they thought it was just a stock and as such sold it to him for bugger all :D

have had trouble with misfires due to light firing pin strikes - remedy is remove pin (after disassembly of course) and polish with 180 grit paper on a piece of glass. also jammed - remedy is use very carefully a round file to chamfer the bottom of the chamber entrance to enable the cartidge to feed better. now feeds h-p ammo as long as it's round-nose type. ideal canoe rifle, wish there was a 22 mag version, or maybe centerfire such as .32 acp or .32 mag.

if anyone wants to get rid of their ar7 cheap, please let me know. no need to complain. spend the money on something you like.

You can easily remove the barrel on a Remington Nylon 66. Just wanted to correct that piece of information.

You can easily remove the barrel on a Remington Nylon 66. Just wanted to correct that piece of information.

I've had my AR-7 since 1976. I got it along with a paperback book devoted to using and customizing the little rifle. One thing I read before I even shot my AR-7 was that it would only work well with Stingers or other Hyper-velocity ammo. Using Stingers, I can pull the trigger as fast as I can work my finger with never a jam or chain-fire. Regular .22s don't always cycle the action - not quite enough blowback. I doubled the size of the peephole; there's no loss of sighting accuracy and it's much quicker on target.

I've had my AR-7 since 1976. I got it along with a paperback book devoted to using and customizing the little rifle. One thing I read before I even shot my AR-7 was that it would only work well with Stingers or other Hyper-velocity ammo. Using Stingers, I can pull the trigger as fast as I can work my finger with never a jam or chain-fire. Regular .22s don't always cycle the action - not quite enough blowback. I doubled the size of the peephole; there's no loss of sighting accuracy and it's much quicker on target.

I bought an old ar-7 2 decades ago and shot atleast 6000 rounds out of it in the first few months I owned it.
Very soon it was obvious that one needed to polish out the inside bolt to aide more rounds without clean. Also had to work the ramp down and polish. Great improvement. Before that year was up I had smoothed trigger as well for more accurate pull. Shot every ammo known to me back then. Only round nose worked good. Barrel not long enough for hyper rounds advantage.
The firearm grew on me and I out shot everyone at distance with other 22, taking 3oo yard lob shots at ducks daily. Dropped larger game as well.
Was my all time favorite gun for carrying. So light and fast. I often walked with 3 guys all toting 22s and with the ar-7 I could pull up and hit target before anyone. Even if someone else got the draw first I could hit before them. Birds in flight no prob. (i was a kid with no adult). So light, easy to keep a bead and leed. (I ate what I killed).
I soon learned never to clean it. Just soaked it down with wd-40 until black drippings ran clearer. Epoxied the barrel threads for tighter gas fit and no nut easing loose. Tapped my own scope mounts and put on a raised picatinny rail for even more fun. However, after over a year and 20000 rounds (I always bought a brick of 500 22s), gun was getting worn and abused.
While hunting birds in winter I fell on the gun breaking the cheap stock. So I shot it without and it still worked great. Just aimed while holding it in the air.
Shortly after while frog hunting I tried sticking the barrel in deep water and firing. Cracked the front 2 inches of alum and distorted the barrel. Worthless now...right? WRONG!
Cut barrel down, still shot great. But accuracy gone. Now sits in tool box. Use it to poke holes in gas cans so I can recycle them and holes in anything I need quick. Put plastic pop bottle over barrel, shoot in back yard, great tool! It's so worn down it goes full auto from time to time, emptying 7 round clip almost instantly.

I long for the days to shoot that gun again, like the wild boy that I was. All I need is a barrel. I wont fork out the money for one. Cost more than what Ipaid for gun. I see barrels now and then, but you can almost buy whole gun for barrel price. And putting on aftermarket all steel barrel seems really silly after mastering and enjoying the lightness of stock barrel. Thats all that was fun about it. Cant imagen shooting it any other way. If going to the range, save yourself the foolishness and get quality 22 for range. Ar-7 has to be zeroed everytime you take off barrel if you want 100 yard accuracy. Which you can do with 6 rounds but it is a pain.

I bought an old ar-7 2 decades ago and shot atleast 6000 rounds out of it in the first few months I owned it.
Very soon it was obvious that one needed to polish out the inside bolt to aide more rounds without clean. Also had to work the ramp down and polish. Great improvement. Before that year was up I had smoothed trigger as well for more accurate pull. Shot every ammo known to me back then. Only round nose worked good. Barrel not long enough for hyper rounds advantage.
The firearm grew on me and I out shot everyone at distance with other 22, taking 3oo yard lob shots at ducks daily. Dropped larger game as well.
Was my all time favorite gun for carrying. So light and fast. I often walked with 3 guys all toting 22s and with the ar-7 I could pull up and hit target before anyone. Even if someone else got the draw first I could hit before them. Birds in flight no prob. (i was a kid with no adult). So light, easy to keep a bead and leed. (I ate what I killed).
I soon learned never to clean it. Just soaked it down with wd-40 until black drippings ran clearer. Epoxied the barrel threads for tighter gas fit and no nut easing loose. Tapped my own scope mounts and put on a raised picatinny rail for even more fun. However, after over a year and 20000 rounds (I always bought a brick of 500 22s), gun was getting worn and abused.
While hunting birds in winter I fell on the gun breaking the cheap stock. So I shot it without and it still worked great. Just aimed while holding it in the air.
Shortly after while frog hunting I tried sticking the barrel in deep water and firing. Cracked the front 2 inches of alum and distorted the barrel. Worthless now...right? WRONG!
Cut barrel down, still shot great. But accuracy gone. Now sits in tool box. Use it to poke holes in gas cans so I can recycle them and holes in anything I need quick. Put plastic pop bottle over barrel, shoot in back yard, great tool! It's so worn down it goes full auto from time to time, emptying 7 round clip almost instantly.

I long for the days to shoot that gun again, like the wild boy that I was. All I need is a barrel. I wont fork out the money for one. Cost more than what Ipaid for gun. I see barrels now and then, but you can almost buy whole gun for barrel price. And putting on aftermarket all steel barrel seems really silly after mastering and enjoying the lightness of stock barrel. Thats all that was fun about it. Cant imagen shooting it any other way. If going to the range, save yourself the foolishness and get quality 22 for range. Ar-7 has to be zeroed everytime you take off barrel if you want 100 yard accuracy. Which you can do with 6 rounds but it is a pain.

www.gun-parts.com/charter/

Look cheap barrels. Dont know if they are all steel or if it is like original.

hurry, look at gunbroker.com some one selling used barrel for twice the price of new one. Id offer 35 for the barrel with 5 dollar shipping.

Yep, he keeps reposting it, like they are lining up at the door to buy it. Can you say low IQ fool?

hahaahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....eh...(cough...cough)

I've read many treads about the feeding problems with the AR 7. I just got an AR 7 Industries version of the AR 7. And, I too was having problems even dry feeding the gun, but what I noticed was the feed ramp for the gun is integrated into the magazine. Over time and I guess even during manufacturing the ramp gets pushed down. If you take the magazine, and hold it so that you're looking straight at it as if you were looking down from the end of the barrel and at the bullet end of the round. Directly under the bullet is a thin metal ramp. I took a small flat head screwdriver and gently bent the ramp up slightly. Problem solved. I went to the range today and shot 200 rounds of CCI Mini Mag 40 grain round nose without a single problem. Why would you want to grind/polish a feed ramp in the breach end of the barrel? I would think that the engineers would have created one if it were really necessary. Right? Anyway, you might want to try using a screwdriver and adjust the ramp on the magazine before you modify the barrel.