Holloway Arms HAC-7
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- The HAC-7 was a rifle designed in the 1980s, and only available for a short time before the Holloway Arms Company went out of business. It was designed as a military-style weapon, although what military contracts it may have hoped for I don't know. The design concept was quite good, utilizing elements form the AR, AK, and FAL rifles (mostly the AK). It was chambered for the 7.62mm NATO cartridge, using aluminum waffle-stamped AR10 magazines modified with a notch in the spine for the HAC-7's AK-style magazine catch.
Originally, plans were to offer the HAC-7 in a variety of configurations - left and right handed ejection, normal, carbine, and sniper barrels, full-auto versions, etc. The financial failure of the company prevented this from happening, though. In total, approximately 300 guns were made, including about 30 left-handed carbines, about 20 left-handed rifles, and a single sniper model. Twelve were set aside for manufacture as full-autos, but they were later assembled and sold as standard semi-auto versions instead. All the guns were equipped with side-folding stocks.
Thanks to a generous reader, we were able to borrow this HAC-7 for disassembly and some range testing...
If someone makes a new version, my choice would be for HK91 mags - they're a lot more available than SR25 mags.
Lets pray that someone gets on this. Very intriguing rifle!
I assume this opinion has changed in the past 7 years
I enjoyed your video . I was the gunsmith that assembled and test fired the majority of the rifles . You can go to (biggerhammer net) and see more .The serial number CCCVIII-01 was mine . It could have been a good rifle we just ran out of money and time. There was also a Solider Of Fortune magazine article published in 1984-85 time frame on the HAC7 . And it was (FAL - AK - M60 - M1 GARAND - AR 15 combo .
Ahh, the good old days, when Ian could use live ammo as tools without anyone screaming in panic in the comments XD
What exactly are you referring to? He shoots guns all the time on his channel(s) and nobody seems bothered.
@@nicolaiby1846 He means to disassemble the guns.
@@nicolaiby1846 he now uses an universal disassembly tool instead of a cartridge.
@@MrClubfoot90 Ah.
Not sure people panic over that but interesting observertion nontheless.
interesting that people would panic about Ian using a round as a tool, while Hickok45 uses one to point at stuff all the time, and occasionally press stock release buttons
An early Karl in the wild moment! You can catch his voice at the end of this, a solid 2 years before inrange channel rolled out.
It's like a brilliant blend of FAL, AK, and AR. Too bad they didn't make it, it would have been a brilliant gun with a bit more work.
I don't know how you get any FAL from this it's all AK And AR
Robinson arms xcr is almost an exact copy of this
1423 171 the adjustable gas system is FAL plus it definitely looks like a FAL dimensionally
It's a real pity that didn't catch on. It looks like a great design. Thanks for the excellent demonstration.
Because of these videos, helping foster my understanding of mechanics, I fixed my office chair today.
Thank you Ian. You're a friggin genius!
How many are here from 2019 and the HAC-7L?
I'm here again because of it, and when I saw it was from 6 years ago I was so happy for the old intro
@@TheDougwoods I am revisiting as well. It seems to be really interesting that Ian's voice and narrative have been evolving with time.
Yeah, never saw this video. Guess it's Karl doing the filming too.
Yep, checking in.
Yea, verily.
Honestly, if it was done with more quality control and was remade to accept modern magazines, it'd be 10/10
Someone could make a pretty kickass replica
they would certainly sell based on the positive qualities of it
Would be easy to have it take lr308/sr25 mags. Almost looks like it was a cost measure for the paddle mag set-up. Or an ambi attempt. I'd buy a new one for 1500 or so.. As that's typical ar10 base cost
Robinson arms xcr is almost an exact copy of this
I bought one back in the mid 90's. Mine was a left hand model with folding stock.
Gerry Gaba - Was? Did you sell it off? Did it operate properly/reliably?
@@electrichellion5946 i bet its the gun Ian made the model 7L video of it.
@@electrichellion5946 Late reply. Still have it. Operated reliably. Only 3 mags ran through it.
Yes, the left-handed version was advertised and sold.
Forgotten Weapons and 6 years later the lefty video is sending us back here 👍
I love this series, forgotten weapons is fantastic always interesting and packed with great information. Thanks Ian for all your hard work doing this series, and thanks to the auction houses that allow all of these unique and rare weapons to be taken apart and shown to all.
Actually, using the mag as a rest was a way we prevented malfunctions. The notch on the magazine seems to have been cut a bit too high, and if we didn't put upward pressure on it, we got a lot more malfs.
Actually, it's much closer to the AK than the FAL. Rotating bolt, AK-style FCG, long stroke gas piston, etc.
My thoughts too. I was also taught not to use the magazine as a handle. But like alraizuli said - it's a prototype-ish weapon. Loved the review! Thanks Ian!
Since I quit drinking, I really like watching videos from drunk cameramen.
It reminds me of the good 'ol days.
Ah! The far-off days of 2013, when the young Ian would use the term "gas impingement tube" in connection with the AR15 design, without feeling the need to reiterate that the AR15 design was not, strictly speaking, one which employed direct gas impingement! :)
It's a pity that they couldn't afford to debug the rifle before trying to sell it (always fatal!) because a lot of the features are heading in the right direction. The gas-cut-off and adjustment system is simple but thought through, as it isn't on almost every other battle rifle design.
Anyone here from the 7L video?
Good catch - it's Holloway, and I've fixed it now.
tune back to this one after the HAC-7L. so much has changed.
IMO, the best combination of AR and AK features is the Daewoo K2.
I would say that the bolt group of HAC-7 features one part of the Mosin-Nagant bolt
Looks like Robinson arms copied this with their xcr
I would love to see a finished, fully developed version of this rifle that uses readily available magazines.
I agree. This is a design that shouldn't have been forgotten.
I would expect $2k-$3k, depending on condition, accessories, etc.
it looks like an AR an AK and an FAL had a love child
While a g3 stumble drunkenly in the room
There is zero fal in here
@@zacht9447 The pistol grip.
@@bodyno3158 that's got just as much ar as it does fal
Never had nostalgia hit me so hard before.
I am not saying that nowadays the quality of videos is lower - it's actually getting better every year. I just want the intro back
Thanks Ian for another great upload. I remember seeing ads for this rifle back in the early 80's. I think the price was about 1800-2k. When an HK91 was going for 700 and an Colt Sp1 was 400. Tough price point. Keep up the great work.
What a HAC job! ;-) I've never seen one of these until your video but I like the overall design of it.
Wow, that's a very interesting rifle. I like the contour of the barrel, not too light, not too heavy. The gas system looks well thought out too. It would be nice to see some development in this design.
This could be a phenomenal rifle in one of the quarter bore rounds!
Learned something new today. I've never seen a cartridge guide like Ian describes at the 4:30 mark. Makes perfect sense to need some way of stabilizing the dynamics of rounds moving in the body of the magazine in the middle of the stripping and chambering cycle.
Neat rifle. It would be interesting to see an updated version made for the modern market. I keep getting these old 80's military style rifle videos recommended today and I'm not mad about it lol.
Kinda reminds me of the Daweoo k2
It seems that there are only a very few lucky people that have one of these. Since so few were produced. A nice piece of history that would have disappeared in time. A very nice viewer was very kind to let you show this off. Great job. I enjoy your vids. It's sweet when you can get a hold of such a rare still buggy rifle such as this. Too bad they went out of business. Someone was a pretty good designer. Also too bad they didn't get the bugs fixed.
Going to go and rewatch this now after watching the 7L vid.
the slow motion cycling is cool inclusion
In the mid 80's I had a carbine and a rifle, consecutively serial numbered! I should have kept them. They were prone to frame cracks, or so I was told.
Reminds me of the FAL externaly and thank you for sharing
great video and history,I would like to see similar videos of rare variations of military bolt actions,thanks again.
I am so glad I found this channel. Thanks.
Thanks for the link from the hack 7l video .
The good Col. had the KISS principle firmly in mind. It is a shame development was never really completed.
Always someone to buy something new/different/better. And were innovating a lot back then, trying to make a better product. Didn't always work out but it's the only way to improve. Now most companies seem content to churn out variations of the AR.
Hi - interesting rifle, especially in the memories department! I recall reading about & really wanting one of these when they were announced, but as I recall, at least two major gun mags of the day (I think one was SOF) had alot of issues with it. I also remember one guy at the shop actually GOT one (very rare in small town SC), and it did not function well at all, or so I heard, so they traded it for something, I know not what. A neat gun design, too bad it was not successful!
I Remember the contretemps from this rifle. He gave a few to the Texas State Guard for a photo op. They took some photos and they went into gun magazines. The State Guard was upset that the troops were using non issue weapons for training. If I can recall correctly the State Guard only had riot shotguns.
Texas State Guard isn’t the Army National Guard but a state funded militia.
tardis2005 I was active duty USMC at NAS Dallas at the time and couldn’t understand the problem with soldiers shooting guns.
Thanks.
AR, FAL, AK all in one.mishmash of goodness...
In its existing form (ie, still buggy), no. If perfected, it would offer a combination of features that I think would appeal to a lot of people. There is no objective definition of the "best" combat rifle, since different users have different requirements. The HAC-7 is a package that could certainly be the best option for some people.
This one even predates the old intro music! Wow!
I fantasized about what my perfect battle rifle would be. Unknown to me Mr Holloway and I think alike. If it were a short stroke gas piston it’d be flawless
I wanted one of these soooooo bad since I first saw them in SWAT magazine back in the day. There was also a caliber option of .243 available if you chose to order it,...but I'm not aware that anyone ever did. Chuck Taylor, the editor for SWAT at the time said it was a stupid option. I still want one, and my collection of boomsticks will never be complete until I get one.
Mr. Halloway was a Vietnam veteran, Texas Natl. Grd. and had also served as a volunteer in Rhodesia, where he had met up with Col. Brown of SOF. Apparently, it was his experience using the FAL in the bush war there that led him to eventually designing the HAC-7. He liked the Bush Para FALs for their folding envelope, caliber, and gas system,...he liked the reliability of the AK series,...and he liked the ergonomics of the AR10/M16. The HAC-7 was his attempt to blend all those features.
Interesting mix of an AK, AR, and FAL. I like the hybrid AK/AR gas system and the cartridge alignment bar on the bolt carrier. Great video!
Yes I Agree! Wish we had the funds to start production.I heard good things about the 300 blackout,any good? Also get your trigger pack now for a 10-22 select fire!
Man, I'm glad Ian got a better camera :)
That was the days when this weapons designer , Ron Barrett and Jeff Cooper would all be within 20 paces of each other at major gun shows like the Indianapolis 1500.
I see that Ian is usually quick to state what city the gun is made in But he has not for either of these two videos.
Fort Worth, TEXAS if anyone is interested.
Early Forgotten Weapons is fascinating.
I just fell in love
Cool. Its been a while since anyone mentioned the HAC-7. That culmination of the Rhodesian war.
Looks like the bastard love child of a FAL and AR-10 with the charging handle of the Galil. Really cool, would love to shoot one. Thanks for posting!
Nice review. Close-up evidence shows that is a very well made and constructed rifle. Much of it is well thought out. Thanks for sharing.
I didn't do an accuracy test - but the design certainly has a lot of potential accuracy if well made.
A friend here in Fort Worth I played music with was a friend of Holloways and he had one of these early rifles. He had it with him once and I got to hold and check out the weapon. I thought it was pretty cool and I tried to get him to see if he could get me one, unfortunately it never happened. He passed away a number of years back and I'm not sure whatever happened with the rifle.
Is that an ARM MRS 4 From MGS V: TPP
I thought Id seen all your videos but I guess I missed this one,time to look at the right handed version🤷🏻♂️🤙🏽
What a fantastic rifle! I bet if someone where to simply companies aware of the design, SOMEONE would build it.
Cool gun.thanks for introducing me, to yet, another forgotten weapon. Interesting.
That's a really elegant design, ever since I got my hands on a RFB I have a thing for "battle rifles" and how they work, even though mine was made for sporting use, but you know what I mean.
Inside it's like a AK butt outside it s like a F.A.L thanks For the video 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷
that really looks like a fantastic weapon that was a good cross between the ar and ak....cool
Venting out hot gas from the middle of the handguard, that's brilliant indeed. Ever wondered why the shooter is holding the gun by the magazine?
Holloway made a hodgepodge of good ideas from other designs and bad ideas of its own. This company went under for a reason.
Someone should start making these again
Ok. Get brownells to build new ones. But use a button release mag catch
That's a new one on me, thanks for the video.
just saw this video and it looks like it could still be a great rifle
FAL, SIG542,AR-15...quite a hybrid...the rifle looks tool room made, so perhaps the myriad of failures is down to tolerance stackups being a bit off, given it was machined in small numbers? Especially as some report reliable function.
Its like an AK with the bolt of an M14 that disassembles like an AR that looks like a FAL.
Its pretty much a hybrid of the best aspects of the FAL, AK, and AR designs. For what its worth its a decent design. It unfortunately wasnt given much of a chance for design perfection and updating since Halloway went under only a year after they released the first gen model 7.
How the hell have I missed this video?
Nice rifle. Pity, it wasn't developed more.
Interesting design. If brought back at about 900 to 1200 bucks, full length rail under the sights, use DPMS standard magazines that thing would sell like hotcakes on Sunday mornings. The cover over the receiver cut out for the CAM is an awesome feature for manufacturing cost.
It does look pretty good. I see it as an updated FN-FAL. Definitely could fill a niche. Every war the US fights reveals the M-16 platform firing the 5.56 just doesn't cut it. Having one of these in a team for when the enemy actually takes cover or shots from a distance would be pretty damned handy.
For civilian use its benefits are obvious. Hunting and self defence would be well covered. I would be interested in seeing this chambered in 5.56mm to see what further weight savings could be made.
Cool gun I love yalls channel keep up the good work :)
Who else turns the volume down before checking out an old FW video!
It's like an AR-10/AR-15, FAL, Galil and AK had a baby.
Too bad they aren't around any more, I love the look of that gun.
It's ashame these guns didn't go over, Maybe a company will pick up the design one of these days.
Some company needs to revive this rifle.
7:27 I don't get it. Why do you need that window cut out on the left of the receiver? Can't you just make the camming pin flush with the bolt carrier?
Hey, I like that design. It looks like the best parts of the AK system and the best parts of the AR system put together rather well. I wonder why no manufacturers have picked up this designed and ran with it. I am sure an affordable, easy to manufacture .308 semi-automatic rifle would sell very well.
Ok so now the game is to go through the back catalogue, the library of videos, Karl spotting. Ten points to the first comment that flags a pre in range, Karl, forgotten weapons voice appearance. :P
Interesting, thanks for your response. Too bad that this was still a prototype. If were more fully developed this could be a great rifle.
The AR-18 design was promising as well in my opinion. Is more reliable than a AR-15 direct gas impingement system.
Though it never caught on and the rifles aren't as refined.
It lives on in G-36, ACR, in the not so great L-80... ;)
www.nola.com/military/index.ssf/2009/10/m4_suspected_in_deaths_of_us_s.html
AR isn't DI. I thought the same, until the technicalities were pointed out by Ian and karl for a forehead slapping duh moment.
Very interesting as always. Thanks for your efforts.
Who Bought the Patent Rights??
Some Big Company bought the Patent Rights to this Gun so they could Bury it from competition at the time and Sell their Design while they did further development on it....
I would Love to see what this Rifle could become!!!!!
I was thinking the short gas piston and longer tube was to simplify parts inventory and interchangability with shorter barrel models.
Developement wasn't finished? Yeah, it was for what I thought I bet.
Light primer strikes with THAT trigger spring? You gotta be kidding me. Wow.
This rifle could be released tomorrow with only a few upgrades and I think it would sell. Upgrades I'd like to see would be an AR15 compatible pistol grip, SR25 magazines, and a continuous 1913 top rail.
Back in 1985 I was in the market for a .308 rifle. Shop had the HAC7, H&K 91 and FN-FAL. For $650 +tax I took the H&K 91 home because the mags were readily avilable and the gun was a wee shorter than the FAL. Mag availability and price is what turned me off the HAC. All three rifles were on the same price range back then. Miss tgose prices. Lol
I have been waiting for you to do a video on this! Could you do a demro wasp or tac 1 next please?
O man what a cool gun. I'm a hater so wait for it: that gun would so work as a 5.56.
I'm a such a gearhead. This is maybe the best AK/AR hybrid I've ever seen.
I see, thanks.