
As a natural contrarian, I’ve always liked the BRN-180. It’s not an AR-15, so it satisfies that contrarian urge and I always wanted an AR-180 growing up. The Brownells BRN-180 scratched that itch and has continued to evolve as the years have passed. This year, Brownells brought the BRN-180 Gen3 to SHOT 2025, and I was able to get hands-on with the gun.
Part of me likes this latest version, but part of me isn’t so sure. What I don’t like is the erasure of the AR-180 legacy as the rifle has evolved. It was never a real AR-180, but with every evolution, the BRN-180 has strayed further from Armalight’s original. I never expected a clone of the AR-180 on an AR-15 lower receiver, but I really liked my dog-leg charging handle.
What’s New With the Gen 3
All of that said, I like the Gen3 BRN-180 because it’s an objectively better rifle. The quirks of the BRN-180 have been eliminated to provide something that’s less of a novelty throwback and more of a truly capable and modern rifle. Brownells has erased the right-side charging handle for one that’s mounted on the left side of the rifle.

That makes the charging handle more accessible for right-handed shooters. No longer do you have to break your firing grip or reach under the gun to manipulate the charging handle. The Gen3 charging handle is a welcome change if you’re chasing efficiency and better ergonomics.
Besides that, there are several small changes Brownells has made to the gun. They went with an adjustable, tool-less gas block to make using a suppressor a whole lot easier than previous generations. It’s simple to access and tune the gun to get it running just right.
Changes have been made to the handguard to make it a little thinner and a little lighter. That improves the rifle’s balance. The BRN-180 Gen3 has a short-stroke gas position, so it’s already a little front-heavy. Add a suppressor, a light, etc. and it gets more so. Every ounce counts.

The BRN-180 Gen3 also has metal QD socket sling points and the rear buffer spring is captured. You can break the gun down shotgun-style and the springs won’t rush to pop out. The subtle changes that have been made to the BRN-180 may be leading it away from the original design, but they’ve also made it a much more ergonomic rifle.
contrarian attractive. i’ll take the piston over d.i., it’ll be accurate enough.
“It was never a real AR-180, but with every evolution, the BRN-180 has strayed further from Armalight’s original. ”
I’m not so sure, I mean yeah the BRN-180 is farther from the original but the original was only a snapshot in time and didn’t have a chance to evolve, but the BRN-180 is not so far from the concepts that Armalite may have evolved for the rifle had they stayed in business. I think had the original Armalite company that created the AR-18/AR-180 stayed in business they would have eventually evolved that into something very close to the BRN-180.
These changes don’t just exist on their own, they evolved from the advancements and ideas made reality among all gun companies over time, with each company always seeming to adapt an idea or concept from another companies ideas and concepts and then evolve it into something unique to their product.
For example, look at the bolt carrier group of the AR-18 and then look at the later H&K G36, XM8, L85A1/SA80 and FN SCAR-16/17 and you see some striking similarities.
Another example, ArmaLite could not use their direct gas operating system for the AR-18 due to the sale of the patent to Colt. Had they been able to do so the AR-18 would have been a direct gas operating system so it was only coincidence that sparked an evolutionary change so the AR-18 was developed around the short stroke tappet operating system, the idea concept of which was the forerunner of that used today in the BRN-180.
So I tend to think evolution in advancements and creativity and materials and concepts, had the original Armalite company that created the AR-180 stayed in business and had the benefit of the plethora of ideas in today’s market I think they would have eventually evolved the AR-18/AR-180 into something very close to what the BRN-180 is today with the Gen 3.
Another nice gun not suitable for lefties
Why is there not a left handed model????