American Tactical Imports, or ATI, released a handful of new products this year at SHOT Show, and TTAG got a chance to shoot them all during Range Day.
First up, ATI’s Omni hybrid receivers are now available in translucent colors. Clear, red, blue, smoke, etc.
I know, I know, you’re way too Operational to shoot a polymer AR15. Honestly, I don’t know how the translucent polymers hold up, but I do know that the standard Omni receivers are tough as hell — in some ways stronger than aluminum, in some ways not, but in all ways sufficient for 98% of the things consumers do with an AR15.
The Omni Hybrids do employ a neat design, with aluminum blocks molded into the polymer in critical areas such as anywhere threads exist (receiver extension, grip, barrel nut, etc) or anywhere that may benefit from structural reinforcement.
I put a mess of rounds through this red gun and it felt exactly like any other AR.
It’s really cool to see the inner workings of the trigger group, BCG, etc. And they all stayed on the inside while I was shooting, which is great. I’m inclined to convert one to full auto to see what it can take.
Speaking of messes of rounds, ATI is importing the Schmeisser 60-round magazines. They’re lightweight, polymer affairs and MSRP is just $69.95.
These mags are sleeker, lighter, and less expensive than a drum and are only a little bit longer than a standard, 30-round mag.
I found them easy to load, though I didn’t take the time to go all the way to the full 60 rounds, and they ran without issue. TTAG will have to get our hands on a couple to do more extensive testing, though.
ATI’s new BULL-DOG is a bullpup, magazine-fed, semi-auto, 12 gauge shotgun. Turkish made, it’s functionally identical to a few others that are being imported into the U.S. currently, but ATI has added their own aesthetic touches to it.
One of the first things I noticed was a hand grip extending up the front of the magazine from the baseplate. Cool. Err, wait. This thing’s a bullpup so how on earth am I holding the magazine while shooting?
Turns out there’s a Picatinny rail slot molded into the bottom of the baseplate. Push the button to release the lock and slide the magazine on or off of the rail. Simply release the button and the magazine locks to the Picatinny rail.
I mean, sure, it’s a little gimmicky but it works. It’s a handy enough place to store a spare mag and it made for a nice enough forward grip.
The BULL-DOG shot well and cycled smoothly through two full mags. We didn’t get MSRP info but that and more details will be available soon. Most of the similar shotguns are priced very competitively.
Sorry, I neglected to take photos of ATI’s Galeo rifles, which are proper 5.56 Galils made from a combination of U.S.-manufactured and Israeli Military surplus components.
Available with a polymer or a wood handguard, most of the parts are actual Israeli Military-issued. Exceptions, all made in the U.S., include the machined steel receiver, new barrel, and magazine. MSRP is $1,299.95 with the polymer handguard and $1,329.95 with wood.
The Galeo looks, feels, and shoots like a real Galil.
Galeo is slightly interesting to me except I’m hoping for the PSA MP5 and the Henry X or Axe as my next purchase. I don’t like that clear ar
Looks like my .22lr AR pistol is going to be getting a new upper and lower. Now to decide which color to choose…
Decisions, decisions.
Is it really your AR Pistol anymore if you change the lower?
So, AR of Theseus?
Nanashi, you are 100% correct. I will be building a ‘new’ AR pistol…..with 98% of the parts from my old one.
[That’s assuming ATI is releasing just the upper & lower separate from a complete rifle build.]
Cool magazine. Cool Galeo!
A transparent lower.
The answer to the question exactly *zero* people asked…
Truly a ghost gun. Molded from high strength ectoplasm.
“Truly a ghost gun. Molded from high strength ectoplasm.”
Since it’s clear, does that mean it’s safe to cross the streams?
It would be bad.
Star Trek is here! Transparent aluminum! Oh, not aluminum, darn.
Not gonna lie, I think the see-through AR is cool.
“Star Trek is here! Transparent aluminum!”
Most watch crystals are actually a transparent aluminum ceramic…
I will admit that the see-through AR is cool, and the whole polymer lower thing doesn’t bother me, but aren’t ATI ARs known for being absolute shit?
Can’t say that I know much about ATI. I have a polymer lower, a New Frontier Armory, and it has been fine for what it is. I’d be willing to pick up another polymer AR and, if it proves to be reliable, the clear one would be a lot of fun. I do wonder how clear it stays after a few thousand rounds and a lot of hoppes #9.
All my knowledge is second hand, but there seems to be a pretty prominent reoccurring theme of gas block issues with ATI ARs
Is that the one with the knockoff godfather logo? Ewwwww
Nothing wrong with polymer uppers and lowers, just keep in mind what they are intended for. These are not combat weapons. They are recreational shooting and critter hunting weapons.
One of my AR’s is a Bushmaster Carbon 15. polymer lower and upper, but all black not see-thru. Bought it for the very light weight, the thing carries like a feather. Shoots just fine though, good for plinking or coyotes or hiking.
How long before the usual suspects run to Twitter bemoaning the see through AR as an “invisible assault rifle” designed to be completely detectable by the human eye?
(I only wish I was 100% kidding about that….)
Is this one at SHOT?
“New, Deadlier AR-16 Introduced Which Is An AR-15 Wearing A MAGA Hat”
https://babylonbee.com/news/new-deadlier-ar-16-introduced-which-is-an-ar-15-wearing-a-maga-hat
*snicker* 😉
I convinced my wife to let me get an AR10, as it’s five ARs safer than an AR15.
the most common failure point for a plastic AR15 is on the lower receiver at the forward hinge pin.
Had a couple of the ATI lowers a couple years ago. They all were very tight fits with ordinary uppers. One of them developed a crack through the rear takedown pin hole. Crack ran from the rear of the hole and wrapped around the curved section above the grip all the way to the matching hole on the other side. This crack was also through the alloy block molded into the plastic. Never noticed it, worked just fine. Went to trade it to a guy for a tactified Remington 11-87 and while it’s sitting there on the guys trunk, I noticed the crack, bright sunny day revealed it.
It was a really cool shotgun…
I still own that receiver…
I’m surprised this hasn’t been done before now. A translucent receiver is interesting but not really my thing. It looks too much like a childs toy to me. I’ll stick with basic black I guess. The shotgun is actually more my speed.
If weird and unique things are going to be done with AR’s then I’d be a lot more interested in one that has an automotive theme. It might be something I’ll have to build myself though.
Yeah for the Galil! If it works I’ll buy two. They are heavier than ARs but my Chevy don’t mind. One question: why the wood forend if there is no bipod? I’ve always said, “If you’re only going to have one Galil the 16″ ARM is the one to have.”
Love the Galil. Wish I would have bought a few of the variants back in the day when they were first imported. Those things are built like tanks.
Tom, I worked a homicide/suicide a couple of years before I retired. Small municipality in our county. Suspect fired on the first responding officer. They called in SWAT from a larger neighboring agency. Meanwhile Johnny and I responded and secured the perimeter. After all was said and done I was stowing my gear. One of the SWAT guys said, “That’s a Galil! I used to have one of those.” I looked at his M-4 and said, “I bet you wish you still did.” He got it right away. With a wistful tone he said, “Yeah, I do.”
My first thought when I saw the red see-through receiver was, “Where do you put water in it?” Looks like a squirt gun.
Anyone know if you can use a Maglula loader with that 60 round magazine?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4CuYXxgXDH/
Thanks!!! Now I have one less excuse for not buying one.
Why bother with the red dye in the plastic? A clear, untinted, transparent polymer upper and lower set would be useful for teaching newbies how the gun works.
On the other hand it would weaken the receivers to leave out the glass fiber reinforcement, which would have to b left out to make a transparent and non-distorting receiver.
A black Omnimaxx upper and lower is under $80. If the clear ones are similarly priced, I might get a set to use for slow motion video and classes.
Literally the second sentence of the post: “ATI’s Omni hybrid receivers are now available in translucent colors. Clear, red, blue, smoke, etc.”
Yes, I read that too. But “translucent” is not “transparent” or clear. I checked their website and there was nothing other than translucent, a colored plastic.
———————————–
trans·lu·cent
/transˈlo͞osnt,tranzˈlo͞osnt/
adjective: translucent
(of a substance) allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through; semitransparent.
———————————–
trans·par·ent
/transˈperənt/
adjective: transparent
(of a material or article) allowing light to pass through so that objects behind can be distinctly seen.
“transparent blue water”
Clear. They’re literally making clear. I couldn’t have made that fact clearer. I mean, look, they’re as clear as they can be with the fiberglass reinforcement that’s blended into the polymer. According to your dictionary definitions these are all transparent, BTW, as you can distinctly see objects behind the polymer. Here’s a pic of a clear one.
When that clear gun gets dirty you will know it. How will solvents affect the plastic? It seems to me the plastics would get permanently dirty after extended use.
Depends upon the plastic used. My Carbon 15 is unaffected by Hoppe’s #9 or other gun solvents I use, or lubricants.
Most structural hard-set polymers, by that I mean not a soft plastic, require a very powerful chemical to break them down. Not the sort of thing used to clean guns. I’ve seen such chemicals applied for that very purpose, seriously nasty stuff.
I’d expect them to get foggy from being pitted by hot gasses and particulates. I still think it’ll be worth it as a visual aid if a set is under $100. Much cheaper than a cutaway. The lower is about the same price as trigger demonstrator/tuning jigs.
For sure. A clear one would be really cool to use for super high speed video. Especially in full auto. Show how all of the inner workings work during firing, etc 🙂
No offense, but the ATI 12GA Bullpup looks exactly like the Panzer Arms BP-12 with minor modifications. Hopefully they fixed the issue with the barrel nut; if it’s not properly secured the firearm will pull itself apart from all the recoil.