I am only asking about the action type, not weight or cartridge, or barrel length restrictions, for legality for Production classes.

Are the Desert Eagle and AR-15 pistol (with gas or manual loading) legal actions for Production?

I dont believe there were any AR handguns in 1978 or 79 (whichever is mentioned in the current rulebook), so I dont think it would be legal in Production to assemble one. I thought the D E was already legal if it conforms per the weight limit.

Forgive me, I am not sure what you are referring to when you say "in 1978 or 79 (whichever is mentioned in the current rulebook)." Please clarify.
Thank you.

ok, there is no date set in the rulebook. I think their used to be a date, but I think that used to be a grandfather clause concerning production guns.

here is the basic production rules. there is more but it concerns mods.:
A. Production
1. A pistol or revolver that is or was a manufacturer’s catalog product and is or was readily available to the general public.
2. The Evaluation Committee shall have the responsibility for determining the category in which any new model handgun will compete. Handguns and/or accessories will be allowed to compete in Production categories if so determined by the Evaluation Committee to meet Production handgun rules and requirements; otherwise, such equipment shall be eligible to compete in Unlimited categories only.
A) All design changes and/or modifications to a Production handgun must be submitted to the Evaluation Committee for approval prior to being used in Production category competition.
B) All new equipment, design changes, and modifications must be approved at least 90 days prior to the annual International Championships to be allowed for use in that competition.
3. Barrel length shall not exceed 10 3/4 inches.
4. Weight shall not exceed the following:
A) Open-sight categories: 4 pounds, unloaded, including magazine; or for Air Pistol, including any C02 or other propellant containers
B) Field Pistol Any Sights category: 5 pounds including optical equipment.
5. Overall length shall not exceed 18 inches.
6. The handgun must be complete at all times in form, finish and mechanical function as manufactured. Except otherwise allowed by these rules, only internal and external parts that are the original handgun manufacturer’s standard catalog items for the particular model of handgun may be used for repair or replacement.
The full rulebook is right Here: http://ihmsa.org/rules.html

NOW, the desert Eagle has been approved for a long time. BUT the desert eagle had 2 flaws: awful sights and a lousy trigger pull. The automag was also approved.

The part highlighted in Red will kill you concerning the AR15 action as you will not be able to make that length without really shortening the barell. the Other is I do not think the AR15 pistol has ever been listed as a factory catalog item.

Hope this helps.

AR pistols are regular catalog items from many manufacturers. Semi-auto actions have been used in Production guns for years.
As Dan mentioned, an AR pistol will probably not make the max length limit nor the max weight limit.
I'm not sure if an AR pistol would even make the size or weight limits for an Unlimited gun.

Thank you all for the replies.

I guess this discussion means that a manually operated bolt action is illegal in Production but a gas-assisted bolt action is legal.

260 Striker wrote:AR pistols are regular catalog items from many manufacturers. Semi-auto actions have been used in Production guns for years.
As Dan mentioned, an AR pistol will probably not make the max length limit nor the max weight limit.
I'm not sure if an AR pistol would even make the size or weight limits for an Unlimited gun.

No worries for Unlimited or UAS. Especially if manually operated, then you can lose the buffer tube. I have a side cocker Unlimited AR pistol and a rear pull UAS AR based pistol. The UAS is running a full bull barrel, which made making weight a little challenging. The Unlimited pistol uses a lightweight "1994 ban era" Colt carbine barrel cut back to make length ( the gas port blocked with a sleeve after removing the front sight base) and it easily makes weight and OAL.

I did these as a quick and easy way to see if heavy .223 bullets would take full size Rams. The answer so far has been: Yes!
The 1:7" twist AR barrels litter the planet...

Kdiver58 is trying a semiauto AR pistol in .300 Blackout with a short barrel. Initial tests seem like it may take Rams OK.


Testing imgur photos:

Last year's rendition of the Unlimited AR pistol:

Got most of the image, the barrel protrudes a bit further.


Early trial run of the .300 BO.