It seems like early ’90s throwbacks are everywhere these days. From young women who look like they’ve been plucked straight out of the show “Blossom” to guys wearing dangly earrings, you can’t seem to escape '90s fashion. 

On the other hand, certain guns from the early ’90s have become incredibly rare, like this Knight's Armament SR-25. Sure, you can still buy these today, but finding a vintage one is exceedingly rare. So, when we found one at the SAR West Gun Show, we had to document it. 
 

A Brief History

After Eugene Stoner rose to fame creating all the AR-pattern rifles for ArmaLite, and after working for Cadillac Gage to create the Stoner 63, he eventually found himself in the warm confines of the Sunshine state. There he teamed up with Reed Knight of Knight's Armament to create his swan song, the rifle he had always wanted to produce. 
 

The SR-25 is, in essence, a combination of two of Stoner’s most successful projects: the AR-10 and the AR-15. Add those two numbers and you get 25, and since he wasn’t working for ArmaLite anymore, he could add his own signature of "SR" (for Stoner Rifle). 
 

Related: How the AR-15 Became America’s Rifle

The design updated the original AR-10 design with AR-15 advancements and parts commonality. It’s said that up to 60 percent of the parts on the SR-25 are interchangeable with the AR-15 – everything except the receivers, hammer, barrel assembly and BCG. After Stoner’s death in 1997, the rifle would go on to serve in numerous conflicts with militaries all over the world.
 

This Early Model SR-25

Scott from Mesa, Arizona came to the show wanting to sell his vintage 1995 SR-25 and received three offers before he even got to the first building. That's how desirable this gun is.
 

The rifle features a hand-lapped, free-floated barrel as well as a hand-lapped trigger, but the Bakelite handguard might be the most striking feature. Unconventional by today’s standards, this solution helped reduce weight and now adds to the cool vintage feel of the gun.
 

Another advancement for the time was the carry handle, which could be removed, leaving a flat Picatinny top rail for mounting an optic. This was cutting-edge stuff back in the early ’90s, and the SR-25 was one of the first rifles to incorporate this style. 
 

The storage compartment that came standard in the grip of the gun was also breakthrough technology at the time. Sure, most grips feature that today, but then it was unprecedented. 

Chambered in 7.62 NATO, the SR-25 can shoot up to 165-grain Federal Match ammo. Pair that with the 3.5-pound trigger, and you have a perfect rifle for intermediate sniper work, which is why so many militaries have adopted it and why it continues to see service today with select units. 
 

More Cool Stuff

It’s tough to find these guns, but even tougher to find one with only a few hundred rounds shot through it and all the original paperwork. Scott has all the original typewritten owner’s manuals, including the list of accessories you could get for it, including a complete repair kit for only… wait for it… $140!
 

At retail, Scott estimates that this gun would sell for between $8,000 and $9,000. Because his is in pristine condition and comes with all those original extra goodies, he is looking for a bit more. Good luck, Scott; we hope the next owner will treasure it as much as you have.