Company & Product History

Introduction: Halo Arms was founded in 2003 to provide sportsman, LE and military with quality firearms. The first rifle designed in 2003, is the HA 50 rifle platform which is a completely new design based on an intuitive bottom load / eject operating system. The second rifle designed in 2007, is the HA 308 rifle platform which is based on an ultra stiff adjustable stock design. All engineering design is completed by a degreed mechanical engineer with over 14 years of engineering industry experience encompassing precision tool and die work, injection molding and automated assembly equipment. In addition, he served as an Army infantry medic with experience operating numerous service weapons. All design work is completed using the latest CAD software and machining is performed using state of the art CNC equipment. In light of this technology each rifle is assembled and finished by hand to ensure proper fit and function. Most inexpensive to mid priced .50 BMG rifles on the market are AR15 uppers or complete rifles fabricated from simple manufacturing steps. These rifles are usually made from tube steel and welded parts. Also, secondary operations crucial for safety and strength may be performed by outside contractors with unknown processes control. All Halo Arms rifles are fully machined from top quality materials and all secondary operations are performed by Halo Arms under strict proprietary processes. HA 50 rifles are designed for shooter fit and function and incorporate features which make maintaining the rifle simple. In doing so, these features are difficult to manufacturer. Our dedication to providing the very best drives us to overcome the difficulties in manufacturing and produce the best rifle for an extremely competitive price. Performance Each rifle is test fired and given final approval only when it groups 1 MOA or better at 200 yards using standard machine gun grade ammunition. We use this standard to ensure our products provide top level performance without any tricks or gimmicks associated with match grade ammo or special hand loaded ammo. The majority of shooters, including LE and Military, do not purchase match grade ammo or spend time reloading. The most likely option is easily obtained machine gun grade ammo. Halo Arms products work in the real world! Therefore, it is our policy to make rifles which perform well with standard machine gun grade ammunition. However, match grade ammo will provide enhanced performance. Distance Although long distance shooting is ideal for the .50 BMG ballistic coefficient and longer barrels, we determined the majority of shooters across the United States do not have access to shooting ranges beyond 500 yards. This in combination with the difficulty in transporting a full length rifle of approximately 60" and a weight of 35+ pounds limits overall use. The average shooter and hunter engage targets at a maximum of 400 to 500 yards. LE and military special operations groups operating in urban environments engage targets at a maximum of 300 to 400 yards. With this low to medium range of fire the design intent of the HA 50 platform is based on user interface at medium range. This means the rifle and optional transport system must be maneuverable, lighter in weight then long range rifles and maintain features consistent with current M4 carbine rifles. HA 50 FTR, Field Tactical Rifle The HA 50 FTR carbine is our pinnacle product which provides maximum versatility for engaging targets from 25 to 700 yards. This rifle is designed for maneuverability with a balance point centered about the forward vertical grip. It also maintains many similar characteristics to an M4 carbine type rifle. The operating system is an instant transition for any operator who is familiar with loading a typical pump shotgun such as the Remington 870 and the controls of an AR15 / M16 fire control group. An overall length of 48" and weight of 25 lbs (without scope and mounts) makes the rifle compact yet it maintains a weight which helps felt recoil. The finish on all manufactured parts is GunKote bake on Teflon. Although this coating is difficult to apply and requires multiple steps in the application process, it produces an outstanding finish and is worth the effort. The coating is applied in a thin layer to all surfaces and provides superior corrosion resistance without interfering with precision tolerances. Bottom load / eject addresses the issues of having to reach around the stock to catch fired or unfired rounds, as encountered with conventional hunting rifles, and provides a non-visual means of loading and unloading which is natural for the shooter. Operation is the same for all shooting positions; in addition the FTR provides an added advantage as the front vertical grip is the center balance point of the rifle which makes reloading while standing and moving easy. This is especially appealing for shooters who need a secondary shot loaded quickly. The vertical grip and balance point design also allows the shooter to have complete control of the rifle with one hand, leaving the trigger hand free to operate a sidearm or electronic / hand communication. The AR15 fire control group is a time proven design which is easy to use and safe. The design of the bolt with respect to the fire control group allows the use of standard AR15 / M16 components. This is especially useful for military applications; if a fire control group part is damaged or lost a replacement part can be substituted from a standard AR15 or M16 rifle. The stock triggers are hand tuned for creep and a break point of approximately 5 lbs pull. As with all AR15 / M16 rifles it is difficult to place the trigger hand on the grip and have the first pad of the trigger finger lay on the trigger. The HA 50 is designed to extend the grip to trigger distance an extra ½". This provides the correct spacing such the first pad of the trigger finger makes contact with the trigger. For added safety the hammer and firing pin interaction utilize a kinematic engagement which only allows the hammer to impact the firing pin assembly when the bolt lugs are near full engagement. The bolt is one piece steel with twin lugs for maximum strength. The lugs are hand lapped to engage the barrel extension with an 80% - 90% contact area ensuring both lugs share equal force. There is an ample safety factor built into the design as to compensate for pressure variation in manufactures ammunition. The extractor is of the claw type, similar in design to an AR15. The extractor is located between the bolt lugs and does not take away from bolt lug strength. The muzzle brake is all steel and is permanently attached to the barrel. It provides maximum recoil reduction using a single chamber. The single chamber is of the artillery type with side deflection and is easy to clean. The 22" barrel is chrome molly steel and made by Lothar Walther. The 1:15 RH twist rate with 8 lands stabilizes most variety of bullets. The chamber is of the "Hybrid" type allowing for machine gun and match ammo to be easily chambered. The one piece picatinny rail is 14 ¾" in length and replicates the same sight radius of an M4 carbine. The rail accepts all Picatinny spec mounts and comes standard with flip up front and rear sights. The sights provide accuracy well out to 300+ yards, depending on shooters vision, and is an instant backup in case optics are damaged. The length of pull is fixed at 12 ½ ", trigger to end of recoil pad. This distance compliments most shooters including those wearing thick hunting jackets or body armor. The comb height is comfortable due to the location of the center of the recoil pad, top of receiver cheek rest and grip. The width and thickness of the receiver provides ample space for sighting and a comfortable cheek rest. The forward grip area comprises of a quick deploy bipod and aluminum vertical grip. The bipod provides stability yet makes deployment of the legs simple requiring only one hand. The vertical grip is located at the center balance point and is excellent for rifle control. It can also be used as an improvised mono pod shooting point if there is not enough time to deploy the bipod. The bolt handle is located directly above the rear grip allowing the shooter a very natural transition from grip to bolt handle. This action may be easily completed without visually looking for the bolt handle and without breaking cheek to stock weld. To prevent metal to metal impact upon reward cycling of the bolt a solid rubber bolt buffer is located in the rear pivot section of the receiver. Maintance may be performed by simply removing two thumb screws on the bottom pivot section of the receiver and pivoting it up for bolt removal. The trigger housing is held in place by four set screws. It requires little maintaince due to its location in the receiver. The trigger housing is shielded from dirt by both the receiver and bolt during all moments of operation. HA 50 FTR Deployment Package The complete package offered by Halo Arms is the HA 50 FTR Deployment Package. This package is designed to provide the shooter an all encompassing rifle / case system which is extremely durable and user friendly. This system is the combination of our HA 50 FTR, cleaning rods, ammo pouch and factory engineered custom STORM transport case. The case is specifically designed to provide added features not found with other products. Shooters can safely store their rifle, ammo, optics, range finder, hearing protection, cleaning equipment and tools all in this case. The cases are of the highest quality and carry the STORM lifetime warranty. The cases are water tight, air tight, shock proof, have non slip over-molded handles, roller wheels and an automatic air pressure adjustment system. The foam is of the highest quality and features are cut using the latest CNC technology. The foam is very difficult to tear and impervious to water & oil. These cases meet current military specifications. The case layout is designed such that a shooter does not have to break down the rifle for storage. It also allows the right handed rifle to be placed in the case with the muzzle end to the shooters left, the bolt handle facing the lid and optics rail towards the case carry handle. This is especially important as the shooter can insert or remove the rifle directly from or to a shooting position. There is no need to flip or rotate the rifle which can be challenging considering its weight. The case layout provides maximum protection of the optics rail by allowing the rifle to sit in its shooting position while being carried; therefore there is no extra pressure on the optics. Aluminum cleaning rods are included and provide appropriate length for accessing the barrel and receiver. A heavy duty nylon ammo pouch with belt straps and Velcro / snap closure holds extra rounds securely inside the case or attached to a belt / tactical gear. Additional ammo storage is in the form of ammo slots profiled in the foam. The slots are useful for easy access storage and visual identification of specialty ammo.