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After Cadillac-Gage ceased production in 1971, Knight’s Armament Company purchased remaining
parts and assemblies, and produced a very small batch of Stoner 63A machine guns. One of the many
notable products of American arms designer Eugene Stoner (of AR-10, M16/AR-15, and AR-18/180 fame,
among others), the genesis of the 63 was in the early 1960s, shortly after his departure from Armalite.
Working with Cadillac-Gage, Stoner developed a modular weapon system, intended to be capable of a
radical degree of customization at the field armorer level, creating a receiver that could be reconfigured
rapidly for mission and environment; while a number of modern weapons designs have touched on
this sort of flexibility, this was an exceptional capability for the era. Developed with an eye for military
sales, the 63/63A was issued on a trial basis in multiple configurations to the United States Marine Corps
and select elements of the Navy SEALs and U.S. Army Special Forces operating in Southeast Asia. The
system was not adopted for general use; while it had many virtues, and was considerably refined with
user feedback, it was more complex and maintenance intensive than the M16 rifle. While development
stopped in 1971, the design found fans among America’s elite units, especially in the Light Machine Gun
configuration; the Stoner LMG gave belt fed firepower and suppression ability at a significantly lower
weight than the standard M60 machine gun, which meshed well with highly mobile small unit tactics.
The receiver is marked “STONER 63A CAL. 5.56MM/MFG. BY KNIGHT’S ARMAMENT CO./VERO BEACH, FLA.
SN. 155”. It features a quick release 20 inch heavy profile barrel, with winged post front and adjustable
flip-up peep rear sights, a wood carry handle, a non-reciprocating charging handle on the right side of
the receiver, a right handed selector switch marked “SEMI” and “AUTO” (fires open bolt full auto in both
positions as in the LMG configuration), a checkered synthetic pistol grip and straight buttstock with a
“STONER/63” marked buttplate. As configured, the feed mechanism draws in the belt from the left side,
ejecting the loose links to the right and the brass to the left. Included with the lot is an extra 16 inch
carbine type barrel, two extra synthetic buttstock assemblies, an extra synthetic forearm, bipod and
canvas bipod sleeve, six 30-round rifle type magazines, one synthetic LMG type ammunition box, cradle
mount adapter, manuals, belt links, and some small parts.
CONDITION: Excellent overall, retains 97% plus original blue and parkerized finishes with some light
handling marks. Mechanically excellent; full auto open bolt only. Included accessories are very good
to excellent. NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is
registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of
18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 479.
Estimate: 95,000 - 160,000
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