When Gene Stoner, James Sullivan, and a few others first designed the radically-advanced AR-15 rifle back in the mid-1950’s, they could have had no idea the rarefied heights we might eventually take their Space Age design. Enterprising gun bodgers have turned that basic modular action into rifles, pistols, submachine guns, precision sniper tools, hunting arms, and personal defense weapons. AR’s now fire everything from .22LR up through 500 Auto Max. It is the most versatile and customized firearm ever contrived. Nothing else even comes close.

Testing .17-Caliber Micro AR Rifles

While some are certainly more common than others, there are a couple of AR variants that occupy a most fascinating niche. Alexander Arms and Franklin Armory produce AR rifles that fire .17-caliber ammunition. These tiny bullets are the same diameter as a standard BB yet fly straight and true at blistering velocities. Their approaches to the thorny engineering task of adapting Stoner’s black rifle to cycle these weird rimfire rounds were wildly disparate and subsequently fascinating. While the cool factor is obviously off the charts, what of the practical applications?

Micro AR Rifles Practicalities

Back when dinosaurs roamed the plains, I flew helicopters for the U.S. Army. One of the more memorable components of that most memorable time in my life was the USAF Arctic Survival School. In Air Force vernacular, this was referred to as Cool School. We called it the Air Force Food Appreciation Course.

In addition to absolutely freezing my butt off in a snow cave of my own construction, I wasn’t given a great deal to eat. The highlight among a weird variety of improvised comestibles was some sort of arctic rabbit. We harvested the beast using a snare and then boiled his carcass in a big institutional coffee can over a roaring fire. If you haven’t had the pleasure, boiled rabbit is about as awesome as it sounds. I recall it being tough and stringy with a mean aftertaste.

As vile as that thing was, it was infinitely preferable to starvation. In most places mankind sees fit to wander, God has deposited enough perambulating protein to allow the enterprising survivor to keep body and soul together. The key to success is having a little talent and the right tools. These two guns would make simply superb survival/varmint rifles. Straight-shooting, bereft of perceptible recoil, and deadly, these .17-caliber hotrods are also more fun than should be allowed by law.  

Franklin Armory

The Franklin Armory F17L is a radically advanced design. The F17L is actually a gas piston-driven rimfire rifle firing the inimitably spunky .17 WSM round. The action is philosophically similar to that of the AR-180, the HK416, or the FN SCAR. If you want a rifle that will set you apart from your peers at the local range, this is it.

The .17 Winchester Short Magnum began life as a PAT (Power-Actuated Tool) round back in 2012. The mad geniuses at the Winchester skunk works started with a .27-caliber blank nail gun cartridge, necked down to accept a standard .17-caliber jacketed bullet. The end result sports a brass case that is half again thicker than that of the more common .17 HMR and manages a third greater pressures. Lightweight 20-grain loads reliably surpass 3,000 fps.

The F17L incorporates the Osprey Defense slim piston-driven operating system that automatically adjusts itself for suppressed and unsuppressed use. I am at a loss as to how that works, but it does. In addition to being absolutely adorable, the action runs cleaner and cooler than a more traditional direct gas impingement design. The result is a uniquely placid shooting experience that offers some seriously breathtaking performance.

The F17L has all the bells and whistles to include a proprietary Libertas billet-cut lower receiver, a full-length handguard with an integral barrier stop, and a custom tuned trigger that is simply to die for. The 20-inch, 1:9-twist target barrel is naturally threaded ½-28 for a can. Most .22 rimfire suppressors will manage the chaos of the .17 WSM, though you might want to check with the manufacturer just to make sure. A custom Aura muzzle device and top-flight Bravo Company furniture round out the package. The gun feeds from 20-round full-figured magazines, at least in the free states.

Alexander Arms

The Alexander Arms AAR17 is a more traditional direct blowback weapon firing the slightly smaller .17 HMR round. I have owned and enjoyed my AAR17 for years now. The latest versions come standard with an AAR-branded handguard, a Mil-Spec trigger group, and an EFX buttstock. The gun feeds from stubby little 10-round magazines. These proprietary magazines utilize a mag insert pinned permanently in place within the magwell in the manner of the Colt Model 635 M16/9 9mm submachine gun. 

The .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire was developed in 2002 by, you guessed it, Hornady Ammunition. This round was the result of necking a standard .22 Winchester Magnum case down to accept a .17-caliber projectile. The .17 HMR AAR17 will push a 17-grain bullet to around 2,550 fps.

The AAR17 is designed around a specific bullet weight. Given its balanced direct blowback action, the AAR17 is optimized to function with .17 HMR ammunition firing bullets weighing 17 grains or less. Curiously, the use of common CCI A17 ammo will actually void the gun’s warranty. The Alexander Arms website cautions against use of heavier loads.

The cumulative result is a lightweight and maneuverable rifle that provides exceptionally rarefied downrange performance while remaining functionally recoilless. The manual of arms is familiar to anyone who has ever fired an M4 or AR-15. The little 10-round magazines do not last very long, but that just makes your ammo stretch farther.

Trigger Time

These two rifles have fairly different personalities. The AAR17 produces a noticeable twang in the buffer system with each round fired. The F17L seems a bit more substantial and serious. Both guns are absolutely delightful on the range. If I had enough ammo I could shoot these guns until I starved to death. Killing a lazy Saturday afternoon running these things is pure unfiltered recreation.

Speed is life in shooting, and these high-velocity rifles subsequently offer exceptionally flat trajectories. In dead air, either of these guns would reliably decapitate a prairie dog, even at extreme distances. If it’s windy, precision long-range shooting with these lightweight .17-caliber bullets requires a bit more talent. Regardless, the exercise is simply great fun.

The F17L runs a bit more naturally given its full-sized magazines and ruggedized piston-driven action. The AAR17 is more ammo-sensitive. However, with factory-recommended loads, both guns were 100% reliable during our time together. They also both shoot just stupid straight.

The F17L bolt catch is just for looks. Neither action locks open on the last round fired. Water-filled targets like milk jugs and Coke cans are transformed into improvised explosive devices. Limitations of the language preclude my adequately describing how cool that is.

Ruminations

So, how might a .17-caliber AR rifle fare as a survival tool? The standard 5.56mm sort fires readily-available ammo and is also both soft-shooting and fun. However, for bagging small game, managing farm varmints, or dissuading two-legged predators, the .17 really is a superb choice.

Back when I was too stupid to know any better, I once took my trusty old SP1 Colt AR-15 out squirrel hunting. It was, after all, really just a souped-up .22. Back in 1982, I was the only guy I knew with an AR-15. I just thought the exercise might be fun. I shot one big Mississippi Delta fox squirrel center of mass and blew him literally to pieces. Those .22-caliber bullets fired from a 5.56mm AR carry far too much energy to be a good small game round if you want to have enough meat left to eat. By contrast, the .17 is an ideal solution for critters like racoons, opossums, skunks, and coyotes. If on the prowl for something you’d like to land in a pot, these two .17-caliber options are adequately accurate to shoot the heads off of squirrels and bunnies.

A little Googling shows the cheapest .17 HMR running about 34 cents per round; .17 WSM is around 42 cents. Compare that to 25 cents for cheap 9mm ball and maybe 48 cents for 5.56. Both of these rimfire offerings remain relatively affordable to shoot.

Micro AR Fun!

Your local gun emporium is dirty with fancy black rifles these days. American shooters have never before enjoyed such a wide selection. In the F17L and the AAR17 you find guns that are soft-shooting, accurate, and fun. The argument could be made that if you are trekking through the frozen wastes or driving someplace where you might get stranded, these tidy little hotrods might also be the ideal defensive and survival tools.

MSRP for the Franklin Armory F17 ranges from $1,340.99 to $1,646.99 depending upon particulars. MSRP for the Alexander Arms AAR17 spans from $1,531.95 up to $2,395.95, also based upon ancillary widgets and cool-guy stuff. Both rifles will explode a water-filled Coke can like a thermonuclear bomb and are more fun than can be readily described.

For more info, visit franklinarmory.com or alexanderarms.com.

Specs: Micro AR Rifles

Performance Specifications