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In the early 70s, Beretta set out to develop a less-expensive, modern rifle that fit the NATO standard of a 5.56 chambering. So after keeping a close eye on the Colt AR-15 and then Armalite's development of the AR-18, Beretta combined attributes of both guns and created the AR 70. Beretta sold quite a few of these rifles in Indonesia and some other countries, but the gun never garnered much exposure. Despite this, it was a state-of-the-art design for its time and if found can have a hefty price tag due to the fact that they are no longer imported into the United States. For more on the Beretta AR 70 rifle, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
In this episode, the American Rifleman staff is on the range with a rimfire rifle that’s designed to excel in competition. This is the Bergara BMR-X Steel, a bolt-action that offers some match-grade features at a price that won’t break the bank.
While the roller-delayed blowback mechanism has proven reliable in platforms like the Heckler & Koch G3, Zenith Firearms has taken this innovative operating system and paired it with a modern, AR-style feature set in its MRDS.