[Striker2237]

Also ruined my new years resolution by buy another gun :biglaugh:

It's a 70s era AR-15 A2 with a period correct scope and rail, from what I can see it is all original and in very nice shape. So how did I do? I am not an expert on these old guns but I think this one was a good buy.

The overall quality is surprisingly high, it's not at all like a modern colt.

 

[The War Wagon]

If you don't mind us asking, how much did you give for it?

 

[Striker2237]

If you don't mind us asking, how much did you give for it?

$1389 plus I got some free HSTs

 

[Hawkeye fan]

That’s pretty impressive. Very nice.

 

[M-Peltier]

I believe you are off about 10 years. I think that was a model 6400 made in the 1980's. Probably around 1983-84.Coincidentally that is also the time the Military adopted the M16A2 that also had round hand guards. The earliest civilian A2's had an A1 rear sight like yours, that was changed mid 1980's to the A2 rear. The last pre-bans were made around 1986 and ended with serial number SP360200. An SP from 1974 would have had triangle hand guards as well.

 

[Striker2237]

I believe you are off about 10 years. I think that was a model 6400 made in the 1980's. Probably around 1983-84.Coincidentally that is also the time the Military adopted the M16A2 that also had round hand guards. The earliest civilian A2's had an A1 rear sight like yours, that was changed mid 1980's to the A2 rear. The last pre-bans were made around 1986 and ended with serial number SP360200. An SP from 1974 would have had triangle hand guards as well.

Ah I see, thanks for clarifying that.

Please tell me more about the pre ban thing. Does owning this gun give me any extra latitude in certain areas?

 

[M-Peltier]

Ah I see, thanks for clarifying that.

Please tell me more about the pre ban thing. Does owning this gun give me any extra latitude in certain areas?

Some states still have bans based around the features removed for it. AR's made prior were grandfathered in some of those states. Pre-Ban AR's sometimes can bring a premium to those who live there. Lack of a bayonet lug and an unthreaded barrel were two of the most noticeable traits of the ban features.

 

[Faawrenchbender]

Nice rifle, price you paid is more than reasonable, well done Sir

Here is a link with serial numbers that list pre-ban

http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/ar15serial.html

 

[M-Peltier]

Nice rifle, price you paid is more than reasonable, well done Sir

Here is a link with serial numbers that list pre-ban

http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/ar15serial.html

That list is only marginally useful in his case. It is only specific up to 1978.

 

[dsk]

Hickok45 has one of these that he did a video on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X20omh_UW-k

The 1980s civilian AR-15s were quite odd in that it took Colt several years to finally update all the features to A2 configuration. They also continued to make their commercial receivers proprietary and not allow mil-spec uppers to fit easily. Of course Colt was pretty much the only game in town until the late 1990s when Bushmaster began offering ARs with mil-spec receivers.

 

[Faawrenchbender]

That list is only marginally useful in his case. It is only specific up to 1978.

Good catch,....thanks for the correction.

 

[FNHipowerluv]

Vintage Colts are wierd because there are lots of inconsistencies and exceptions to them. As seen in OP's rifle, the reciever is marked A2, but the gun still has many features of the previous generation. Colt does not like to waste parts. Later variants had the updated features once the old parts were used up.

The most annoying thing about older Colts, is that they made made their rifles ban compliant 5 years before the ban even took effect. Pre '89 Colts are the most attractive Colts for this reason IMO.

Another thing to keep in mind is that until the introduction of the 6920, all Colts had proprietary fire control parts due to a different trigger pin size. They also need an adapter, if you wish to use a mil spec upper on them.

 

[Striker2237]

So what exactly do I have? An A2 marked gun with a lot of A1 features?

 

[FNHipowerluv]

So what exactly do I have? An A2 marked gun with a lot of A1 features?

I'd call it a "transitional" piece. The lower looks like an SP1 lower with a different rollmark. The upper is an M16A1 upper fitted with an A2 barrel. The only thing "A2" like about it, is the barrel and furniture. As I said earlier, Colt rarely let parts go to waste, so they would implement pieces of the previous generations into new generations. Later Colt A2 rifles will have the A2 style lower, and either an A2 or C7 style upper. In the '90s flat top uppers eventually came into production on these.

 

[Striker2237]

I'd call it a "transitional" piece. The lower looks like an SP1 lower with a different rollmark. The upper is an M16A1 upper fitted with an A2 barrel. The only thing "A2" like about it, is the barrel and furniture. As I said earlier, Colt rarely let parts go to waste, so they would implement pieces of the previous generations into new generations. Later Colt A2 rifles will have the A2 style lower, and either an A2 or C7 style upper. In the '90s flat top uppers eventually came into production on these.

Ah okay, would it be okay in my case to put A1 furniture on it? Since only the barrel would need to be changed to make it an A1?

 

[FNHipowerluv]

Ah okay, would it be okay in my case to put A1 furniture on it? Since only the barrel would need to be changed to make it an A1?

You'd make all the Colt purists cringe, but if you replaced the barrel, handguard retainer ring and furniture with A1 style parts, you'd have a very convincing A1 clone, aside from the rollmark being wrong.

Your rifle is quite collectable and valuable as it sits. You got a deal. I'd just leave it be and buy a SP1 to compliment it. You could also get a Brownells repro, if you don't want to pay SP1 prices.

 

[Striker2237]

Ah okay, would it be okay in my case to put A1 furniture on it? Since only the barrel would need to be changed to make it an A1?

You'd make all the Colt purists cringe, but if you replaced the barrel, handguard retainer ring and furniture with A1 style parts, you'd have a very convincing A1 clone, aside from the rollmark being wrong.

Your rifle is quite collectable and valuable as it sits. You got a deal. I'd just leave it be and buy a SP1 to compliment it. You could also get a Brownells repro, if you don't want to pay SP1 prices.

Ah okay, I will leave it then. Sorry I thought you were implying my gun is mismatched and that I should fix it so that it has all the right stuff on it. Good to know it was a good price, I was kidna concerned I got taken for a ride hence why I came here to ask since I am not versed in collectable guns like this.

 

[Faawrenchbender]

Change the furniture to what ever suits you, just be sure to keep the original bits and pieces.

A nice rifle, great condition, and a very unique one at that.

 

[FNHipowerluv]

Ah okay, I will leave it then. Sorry I thought you were implying my gun is mismatched and that I should fix it so that it has all the right stuff on it. Good to know it was a good price, I was kidna concerned I got taken for a ride hence why I came here to ask since I am not versed in collectable guns like this.

It is typically good to ask these questions before you purchase, but I'd say your impulse purchase skills are fantastic. I would've bought that without a second thought, had I been in your situation. You could probably sell it for a profit right now.

 

[Striker2237]

Ah okay, I will leave it then. Sorry I thought you were implying my gun is mismatched and that I should fix it so that it has all the right stuff on it. Good to know it was a good price, I was kidna concerned I got taken for a ride hence why I came here to ask since I am not versed in collectable guns like this.

It is typically good to ask these questions before you purchase, but I'd say your impulse purchase skills are fantastic. I would've bought that without a second thought, had I been in your situation. You could probably sell it for a profit right now.

That's exactly what occurred with this gun, the price seemed very unusual for what I figured it likely was. I have many guns that came to me like that actually, my supergrade was marked at $2000 as a "custom colt"