The Original "Retro AR": The Dutch AR-10

[Mergie Master]

Interesting rifle, Bakelite stock, topside bayo mount and charging handle inside the carry handle. The first ARs actually had a hook inside the carry handle for charging the rifle. They found out it would get too hot to touch under sustained firing so they moved it.

Picture --> The Original "Retro AR": The Dutch AR-10

Here's the picture album with a good write up about it

They actually made that gun, and it was trailed by the Finns. They really liked it, but according to the author, "Discretion favored the AK." The Finns made the right choice given that the Russians could make way more AKs than the Dutch could make AR-10s.

[Moonlight Hunter]

That charging handle placement is wild.

[billyjack]

The Finns built much of their arsenal leading up to and during WWII using Russian weapons salvaged from the battlefield. I imagine that experience made the AK the preferred platform.