.280 Enfield...Ahead of its time

[LRRPF52]

For making conventional civilian market products, aluminum might have been viewed as weak, but for aviation, it was not cast. Aircraft-grade aluminum from WWII era is where Stoner really pushed things, even though the original rifle designs he was working with used steel stampings for the receivers.

The jump to aircraft aluminum made not only lightweight and strength a possibility, but dimensional uniformity under vast temperature ranges-something steel does not enjoy.

I'd still like to see a 7mm AR10 built in the original Armalite or Dutch pattern from the late 1950's. Those are great guns: