A site dedicated to the history of the colt ar 15 rifles, carbines and associated items. Colt started selling the semiautomatic version of the m16 rifle as the colt ar15 in 1964. On the military and civilian history of the ar15 the atlantic. Colt to suspend production of ar15 rifles for consumers the. The m4 carbine, a shorter variant of the ar 15, designed for urban warfare, became the version all the. May 22, 2018 the armalite colt ar15 is one of the most favored automatic rifle systems in the world today. Colt is the manufacturer most closely associated with the ar15, a lightweight, semiautomatic weapon. Discussion in general firearms forum started by bc35339, jan 27, 2012. The colt armalite ar15 was discontinued with the adoption of the m16 rifle. Colt ar15 a2 sporter ii semiautomatic rifle serial number gwfsp1 caliber. As this site is the progression away from the original site it is only fitting that i place the updated project here. This modern reengineered format retains the lightweight design of the original mustang pocketlite but with a lightweight polymer frame for the ultimate in portability. I think colt claims that they began offering the sp1 commercial semiautoversion of the ar 15 in 1963, but the serial number list for rifles made that year is very small only 23 units. Sell your colt ar15 sporter for free today on gunsamerica.
We have a little shootoff challenge here between the original colt sp1 rifle with a 1. The development of the m16 rifle is traced from the adoption of the first americanmade flintlock musket in 1798. This is not a complete list of all variants produced by colt, and only contains those variants that have appeared in media. Sig sauer ammunition gives shooters the edge in a modern ar15 rifle. Bundled with colt reflex sighting system, a1, triangular, s1, a1, no, no. It was one of the deadliest mass shootings in australian history and resulted in the. Review of the colt ar 15 sp1 originally manufactured 53 years ago ian from forgotten weapons takes a look at the original ar 15 and contrasts it to the original m16 and our modern ar 15s. While the majority of the m16ar15s features havent changed, its very interesting to see what details have changed. The colt armalite ar15 was also used by the united states secret service and other u. Anyone who collects colt ar 15 s knows that there are many part variations across colts ar production history. Tom mchale is the author of the insanely practical guides book series. Lets take a look at the lengthy history of the colt ar15 rifle and where it stands today. The colt sp1 shown here is one of the earliest available ar15 rifles offered to the general public on a wide scale.
On december 1st, 2019 i came across a colt rifle stock with a cs marking on it. Colt s manufacturing company firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. Colts, however, had a new plan for the ar15, far bigger than chasing sales to civilians. Semiautomatic rifles like the colt hbarsporter target are the current choice of many. There are three firing pin configurations utilized on the colt ar15. Usa according to the news media, an ar 15 rifle is any gun that someone. I wish i had something like that happen to me, but i am not going to hold my breath. Check out my awesome vintage colt sporter ar 15 upgrade. Now i just need the ar 15 a2 carbine to go with my ar 15 a2 sporter ii. Colts manufacturing company firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. The colt armalite ar 15 was also used by the united states secret service and other u. Over the decades, colt has made many different types of ar 15 rifle and carbine models, including the ar 15, ar 15a2, ar 15a3, ar 15a4, and many other models. The type is considerably enjoyed throughout the united states where its citizens enjoy certain firearmrelated freedoms not seen in other developed nations. Trick out or upgrade your firearm with the largest gun parts selection at.
Cosmetically appears to be in very good condition and has a bright bore. Colt firearms have continued to play a significant role in americas history. They will continue to climb and, in ban states, they will be astronomical. While the majority of the m16ar15s features havent changed, its. The colt mustang pistol is ideal for personal protection and concealment. Information provided here is approximate, if you wish to support your investment with the purchase of a complete history and letter of authenticity for your firearm or for more information, please contact colt s archive department.
This article is about ar 15 variants made by colt s manufacturing company. A little shooting at 230 yards and more shooting at closer distances. Colt ar15 a2 sporter ii semiautomatic rifle for sale at. As a newer collector i began collecting in 2017 i come across new to me variations on a pretty regular basis. Due to the recent increase in order volume, shipping on some items may be delayed up to 15 business days or longer.
Colt manufacturing firearms original factory manual for colt carbine rifle book. Oct 26, 2019 sig sauer ammunition gives shooters the edge in a modern ar 15 rifle. From internet movie firearms database guns in movies, tv and video games. This large volume is not just another book on the m16ar15 but a well. The armalite colt ar15 is one of the most favored automatic rifle systems in the world today. Items shipped from our own warehouse can be shipped much sooner than items shipped direct to you from one of our fulfillment suppliers. The canadian company colt canada formerly diemaco licensed production of a rifle colt model 715 and carbine colt model 725, but later went on to produce an entire line of ar 15 m16 pattern weapons developed independently. Some hoped the ar15 sporter might put colt back in the game. Youll find out why armalite, the inventor of the ar15, never made any serious money with the design and colt did. Review of the colt ar15 sp1 originally manufactured 53 years ago ian from forgotten weapons takes a look at the original ar15 and contrasts it to the original m16 and our modern ar15s. Colt sporter target model ar 15 semi automatic rifle semiautomatic rifles like the colt hbarsporter target are the current choice of many highpower shooters at camp perry.
The complete history of the ar15 rifle small wars journal. Showcasing my classic colt ar15 a2 that i bought new in 1986. Colt ar15 proprietary information top rated supplier of. I bought this rifle used several years ago, shot it twice, and its been a safe queen ever since. Now im not particularly fussy when it comes to the appearance of my guns but mating the colt sporter lower with a black upper looks plain awful and something needs to be done. The colt sp1 shown here is one of the earliest available ar 15 rifles offered to the general public on a wide scale. The configuration used by a particular ar15 will be determined by the vintage of the firearm or the caliber. Around the same time, the united states airforce tests the ar 15, commissioning 8,500 for air.
Colt s, however, had a new plan for the ar 15, far bigger than chasing sales to civilians. The story of how the ar15 reached the pinnacle of the firearms. Colt sporter target model ar 15 semi automatic rifle nra museum. This article is about ar15 variants made by colts manufacturing company. The lee enfield, as an instance, fought the zulus prior to 1900 and was on the front line in korea. Ok guys, you were so valuable on valuing my walther ppk i thought id dig out another for you to assess. This article describes the many variations of the colt ar15 and m16 rifle family of weapons. This is a colts firearm division colt industries hartford, conn. The ar 15a2 hbar which stands for heavy barrel automatic rifle was the first serious attempt at making the ar 15 into a target shooting rifle that could really compete. I am pretty sure it is pre ban, so transferable to ban states the rifle is in nice shape, less then rounds fired likely less then 500 but i like to err on the side of caution. Today most ar15 receivers are some variation of black. The original colt ar 15 sporter had been on the market since 1963, but interest in it was mainly confined to military gun buffs and military veterans.
As a result, most people end up believing that they are the same gun. Colt ar15 a2 sporter ii rifle like new preban for auction. Colt ar15 identification guide internet movie firearms. The book values are much higher, but the market down here will not support those values. Pre ban ar 15 information is very valuable to shooters in states that maintain an assault weapon ban. The history of the armalite ar 15, colt armalite ar 15, m16 and colt ar 15 is simply too confusing for those with little or no firearms knowledge to understand see all discussions on this page, the talk.
The m4 carbine, a shorter variant of the ar15, designed for urban warfare, became the version all the. It too is in mint condition, no rubs or rust and i have only fired maybe 500800 rounds through it. Numerous of these utilizing the ar15 rifle now do not understand how old the original style truly is and how challenging the improvement and acceptance of the colt ar15 truly was. Black rifle ii, the second volume of a twobook, illustrated history of the ar15m16. Aug 09, 2015 today most ar15 receivers are some variation of black. The original colt ar15 sporter had been on the market since 1963, but interest in it was mainly confined to military gun buffs and military veterans. The first mass production version was the colt ar15 sporter, in. The original colt sporter and the hbar were popular rifles. The upper appears to be an a1, it has no forward assist or shell deflector, and has c m raised markings, a. Theres a lot of discussion on the net as to which rifling twist is the best for accuracy using 55gr ammo.
Completely updated pricing for colt firearms with new entries and photos. The stock has a compartment in the butt with cleaning rods in it. The colt armalite ar 15 was discontinued with the adoption of the m16 rifle. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. For sale, colt ar 15 preban sp1 reduced 2nd time trap. Information provided here is approximate, if you wish to support your investment with the purchase of a complete history and letter of authenticity for your firearm or for more information, please contact colts archive department. Review of the colt ar15 sp1 originally manufactured 53.
This variant of the slabside lower receiver is much more common than the genuine military slabside. The ar15a2 hbar which stands for heavy barrel automatic rifle was the first serious attempt at making the ar15 into a target shooting rifle that could really compete. While the majority of the m16 ar 15 s features havent changed, its very interesting to see what details have changed. I think colt claims that they began offering the sp1 commercial semiautoversion of the ar15 in 1963, but the serial number list for rifles made that year is very small only 23 units.
The colt sporter and sporter ii are directly named in the ban. The rifle is a rare preban firearm from circa 1984 and appears to be in like new condition. One of my first personally owned firearms that i purchased was a colt ar15 sporter match hbar rifle, which i still own, and is my only experience with colt since getting out of the marines. The history of the armalite ar15, colt armalite ar15, m16 and colt ar15 is simply too confusing for those with little or no firearms knowledge to understand see all discussions on this page, the talk. Colt sporter target model ar 15 semi automatic rifle semiautomatic rifles like the colt hbar sporter target are the current choice of many highpower shooters at camp perry. If your firearm does not appear in the listing, please understand that this is not a comprehensive database. Colt sporter target model ar 15 semi automatic rifle.
A site dedicated to the history of the colt ar15 rifles, carbines and associated items. Unfortunately my colt sporter is a pre ban grayblue in color. Colt firearms sells the first ar 15 rifles to the federation of malaya, later to. The 16inch barrel carbine is the shortest legal length for civilians without jumping through a lot of hoops, paperwork and expense. The first ar15 weapons were sold by colt to the federation of malaya modern day malaysia. Get the 74th edition of the worlds greatest gun book. Over the decades, colt has made many different types of ar15 rifle and carbine models, including the ar15, ar15a2, ar15a3, ar15a4, and many other models. This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Colt started selling the semiautomatic version of the m16 rifle as the colt ar 15 in 1964. Know what your colt firearms are worth with this uptodate 76page. This factory masterpiece is very important lucrative piece of colt history as it was given to one of.
Pdf download from the standard catalog of firearms. The first ar 15 weapons were sold by colt to the federation of malaya modern day malaysia. As far as prices are concerned, they are not going to get any cheaper. The yearserial numbers under colt sp series was forwarded to me by an individual whose return address i no longer have. Glossary from the blue book gun collector organizations from the blue book hard to identify or.
Some visitors to this page might recognize this project from the colt sporter tactical upgrade project that first appeared at ar15tactical. We test fire the colt sporter match hbar model r6601, serial number mh0540xx, pre ban manufacture. Around the same time, the united states airforce tests the ar15, commissioning 8,500 for air. A friend wants to buy it, but i have no idea what the value is. It contains a very good history of the weapon, lists of variations, and details of the. The first mass production version was the colt ar 15 sporter, in. Mar 21, 2014 as one of uncle sams misguided children usmc i was issued a colt m16a2, and thats what i carried and qualified with for most of my 11year career. For all practical purposes, the first year ar15s were really shipped for civilian sales was 1964. Another difference between older and newer colt ar15 rifles is the ease of adjusting the windage on the. Tnvc 2020 night fighter 101 and armed professional training schedule is now live.
Usa according to the news media, an ar 15 rifle is any gun that someone uses in the act of doing something bad what is an. Both rifles are fired with iron sights and the results are entertaining. Archived thread value of a colt sporter match hbar. Colt forum since 2000 a forum community dedicated to colt firearm owners and enthusiasts. While i dont normally advocate borrowing content from other websites i feel this information is invaluable and needs to be protected, duplicated and shared for. Hey guys, my dad asked me to sell his colt, sporter ii, ser. Dec 07, 2014 we test fire the colt sporter match hbar model r6601, serial number mh0540xx, pre ban manufacture. For all practical purposes, the first year ar 15 s were really shipped for civilian sales was 1964. One thing i am still hoping to add to my vintage colt collection is an ar 15 a2 government carbine. Colt president gary french ar15a2 delta hbar the colt. Colt ar15 a2 sporter ii rifle like new preban north. Colt sporter target model ar 15 semi automatic rifle nra museums.
At this time, eugene stoner leaves the armalite company, taking a position as a consultant at colt. While i dont normally advocate borrowing content from other websites i feel this information is invaluable and needs to be protected, duplicated and shared for the greater good of the shooting community. Due to the large number of companies that make ar 15 pattern rifles that are nearly indistinguishable from the. One was to issue cleaning kits and a comic booktype cleaning manual.