ArmaLite AR-50 Rifle Operator Instructions

P.O. Box 299 Geneseo IL 61254 Tel 309-944-6939 fax 309-944-6949 [email protected] 
                       
 
 
OPERATOR’S INSTRUCTIONS 
for the 
ARMALITE AR-50 RIFLE 
 
April 15, 2002 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
 
Figure 1, 
The AR-50 rifle 
Description: 
  
The AR-50 is a robust, front locked, manually loaded bolt action single-shot rifle 
chambered for the .50 caliber Browning Machine Gun cartridge.  It is intended for long 
range target shooting. 
 
The AR-50 is a finely made rifle, a sophisticated...

 
Figure 2      Figure 3   
The ArmaLite .50 Caliber Early Muzzle Brake    The ArmaLite .50 Caliber Muzzle Break 
 
 
The AR-50 is equipped with an extremely effective Muzzle Brake.  It reduces the 
punishing recoil of the .50BMG to a relatively mild shove.  It is effective enough that 
even a small-statured shooter can fire the rifle, and most shooters will be able to spend 
long days at the range without discomfort.  
 
The Muzzle Brake is held in place by both a lock ring and Loc-Tite.  Don’t remove...

 
Use only clean, high quality ammunition, in good condition.  Some.50 caliber 
ammunition is old surplus, and is unreliable and inaccurate.  ArmaLite cannot condone 
the use of handloaded ammunition in the AR-50.  Any such use voids any ArmaLite 
warranty.   
  
Make sure that no cleaning patch or other obstruction is in the Barrel or Muzzle 
Brake.  It may damage the Rifle or flying debris may injure somebody standing nearby. 
 
Keep your ArmaLite in good hands… Yours!  Keep it locked up and secure....

2.  Safety.  The Safety is mounted at the rear of the Bolt Group.  To engage the Safety, 
turn the Safety counterclockwise to the 1:30 “safe” position.  To place the Safety to 
“fire,” turn the Safety to the horizontal, 3:00 position. (Note: The AR-50 design allows 
the Striker to shift forward about 1/8 inch if the Safety is engaged and the Trigger is then 
pulled. The Safety is deliberately made difficult to shift from this forward position to the 
fire position with normal finger pressure. The Safety...

Note:  the AR-50 is equipped with a very secure manual Safety.  ArmaLite recommends 
loading the rifle immediately before firing a shot instead of leaving the rifle loaded and 
on safe. As a practical target shooting measure, the Rifle should be considered safe only 
when it is unloaded and the action is open.  
 
 
Emergency Procedures.  If the Rifle fails to fire when the Trigger is pulled: 
 
1.  Wait 15 seconds to allow a possible “hangfire” to go off then...   
2.  Check to see if the Safety is...

3.  Removing the Extractor.  Use a small diameter pin punch to press the Extractor 
Plunger to the rear.  At the same time, pull the Extractor straight out of the side of the 
Bolt.  It helps to have three small hands or a few extra fingers.  Caution:  The Extractor 
Spring Plunger is under spring pressure.  Failure to control the Spring and Plunger 
may cause injury. 
 
Figures 9 and 10 
Removing the Bolt Sleeve and Striker Group 
 
3. Removing the Bolt Sleeve and Striker Group.  With the Safety still...

6.  Disassembling the Bolt Sleeve and Striker Group.  This is tricky and should not be 
done unless replacing a part, like a broken striker. 
 
Use a 4 x 4 inch piece of wood with a ¼ inch diameter hole through the center as a tool.  
Push the Striker tip (commonly called the firing pin) into the hole until the Striker Spring 
starts to compress.  This will allow the Safety to be rotated to about the 12:00 position on 
the Sleeve, exposing the Safety Pin.  Push the Safety Pin out while carefully...

Remove the two Action Screws from the bottom of the Forestock using a ¼ inch Allen 
wrench.  Lift the Stock Assembly straight off the Action. 
 
 
Figures 17 and 18 
Removing the Buttstock 
 
5. Removing the Buttstock from the Forestock.  Remove the 2 or 3 Buttstock Screws at 
the right rear of the Forestock using a 5/32 inch Allen wrench.  Pull the Buttstock down 
and to the rear to remove it. 
 
 
 
       
Figure 19 & 20 
Removing the Trigger Group 
 
 
8. Removing the Trigger Group.  Drift the two...

 
Improper cleaning ruins more firearms than shooting does.  The AR-50 will provide 
years of use with minimal cleaning and preservation. 
 
Wipe the rifle free of dust with a dry rag.  Further clean the surface with a rag bearing a 
small amount of solvent.  Pay particular care to the interior of the Action.  It should 
seldom be necessary to remove the Bolt for cleaning. 
 
Use a pull-through device to clean the bore.  Use a .50 caliber bore brush soaked with a 
good bore solvent.  Pull it from the...

 
Figure 21 
The Scope Base 
 
1.  Remove the bolt group as instructed above. 
2.  Set the scope base on the receiver, with the recoil lugs of the base engaging the slots 
of the receiver.  The high end of the base must be to the rear. 
3.  Insert the rear screw and tighten it.  Feel inside the receiver to determine if the screw 
passes all the way through the receiver roof.  If it does, shorten the screw until it won’t 
protrude. 
4.  Repeat the process with the other screws.     
5.  You may apply...