I’m not so sure, I mean yeah the BRN-180 is farther from the original but the original was only a snapshot in time and didn’t have a chance to evolve, but the BRN-180 is not so far from the concepts that Armalite may have evolved for the rifle had they stayed in business. I think had the original Armalite company that created the AR-18/AR-180 stayed in business they would have eventually evolved that into something very close to the BRN-180.

These changes don’t just exist on their own, they evolved from the advancements and ideas made reality among all gun companies over time, with each company always seeming to adapt an idea or concept from another companies ideas and concepts and then evolve it into something unique to their product.

For example, look at the bolt carrier group of the AR-18 and then look at the later H&K G36, XM8, L85A1/SA80 and FN SCAR-16/17 and you see some striking similarities.

Another example, ArmaLite could not use their direct gas operating system for the AR-18 due to the sale of the patent to Colt. Had they been able to do so the AR-18 would have been a direct gas operating system so it was only coincidence that sparked an evolutionary change so the AR-18 was developed around the short stroke tappet operating system, the idea concept of which was the forerunner of that used today in the BRN-180.

So I tend to think evolution in advancements and creativity and materials and concepts, had the original Armalite company that created the AR-180 stayed in business and had the benefit of the plethora of ideas in today’s market I think they would have eventually evolved the AR-18/AR-180 into something very close to what the BRN-180 is today with the Gen 3.