SOCIMI AR-832

SOCIMI AR-832
Type	Battle rifle
Place of origin	Italy
Production history
Designed	1987
Manufacturer	Società Costruzioni Industriali Milano, Luigi Franchi S.p.A.
Specifications
Weight	4.3kg
Cartridge	7.62×51mm NATO
Action	Gas
Feed system	20-round BM59 magazine
Sights	Iron

The SOCIMI AR-832 is a battle rifle of Italian origin. This rifle is gas operated and is chambered in the 7.62×51mm NATO round fed from 20-round BM59 magazines.

The "AR" series of SOCIMI assault rifles were made in limited numbers when the Italian Special Forces, the Comsubin, San Marco Battalion, Italian Marines, and the Col Moschin Regiment opened a trial for a new service assault weapons cache instead of the Berretta AR-70. SOCIMI realized 2 assault rifles, the AR-832/FS and the AR-870. None of those rifles were ever adopted by any of the Italian forces. The Italian Special Forces, at the end of the trials, eventually reverted to the Berretta AR-70/90 series.

Overview

The AR-832/FS was considered heavy for an assault rifle, but this also has the effect of fighting recoil and barrel climb. It has the novel feature of a special gas regulator that allows the capability of firing rifle grenades with normal ammunition that can normally only be fired using ballistite cartridges. It is also a simple weapon to strip and maintain, and is very tolerant to dirt and abuse.

The third and final weapon developed and produced by SOCIMI is the AR-832/FS assault rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. Like its 5.56×45mm cousin, it shares the same basic mechanical design characteristics and materials in its overall construction. It is externally different from the AR-831 using a conventional rifle sight rather than the hi-placement sighting plane of the M16. The rifle has certain external features of the Para FAL rifle with similar folding stock and cocking handle positioned in the left side of the receiver. The gas regulator system is also a derivative of the FAL but with the combination of the AK-47 gas piston. The mating of two battle proven systems resulted in an extraordinary rifle with outstanding simplicity, rugged overall construction and very light weight with its light alloy and plastic furniture construction. Like its 5.56×45mm variant, the AR 832/FS is equipped with a gas regulator that controls rate of fire as well as launching various rifle grenades. Field stripping provision on the 7.62×51mm NATO rifle is the same as the AR-831. While full production of the assault rifle series commenced as far back as the late 1980s, there is not much information as to how the SOCIMI battle rifles fared in terms of commercial sales or if any country has ever considered them for adoption. In examining the design characteristics of all the weapons developed and produced by the Socimi Group, there is no doubt that they represent logical design characteristics combining what has proven to work and making the best of it.