Colt AR-15s

[Guest CHR]

If I remember correctly, Colt stopped manufacturing AR-15 rifles for sale to the public several years ago. Since the assault rifle ban expired, have they resumed making AR-15s for the public, or are they still not doing so?

[molonlabetn]

Colt is still very much in the business of assembling the AR platform... most of their raw parts are sourced from vendors such as LMT, however. But, Colt still has the gov't contract on the M4, and they make new AR15s every day for the private and LE sectors as well.

FN (Belgium) has the contract for the M16A4.

When you buy a Colt, you are primarily buying brand recognition... but some of the features they include are premium, such as hardened feed-ramps, etc.

[Guest Fred LE FI]

Colt is still very much in the business of assembling the AR platform... most of their raw parts are sourced from vendors such as LMT, however.

When you buy a Colt, you are primarily buying brand recognition, etc.

Agreed on the name recognition. Didn't know about all that outsourcing, though. I'm a Colt factory-certified LE Armorer on his 4th re-cert (every 3 years). The factory rep says the only difference between military/LE semis and civilian versions are the percentage and number of components magnafluxed. That's not me talking - it's the Colt Armorer-Instructor.

Fred

[Guest ETS_Inc]

FYI, there are only three manufacturers of AR lower reciever billets in the entire country, and they supply all of the various AR manufacturers. Oh, and Colt isn't one of the three (in fact, none of the three actually CNC the billets into guns). The AR business is more inbred than a West Virginia mountain family. Everyone gets their parts from the same folks.

[Guest hacksaw61]

The AR business is more inbred than a West Virginia mountain family. Everyone gets their parts from the same folks.

That would be West "By God" Virginia.

[Guest CHR]

Well, I may have simply heard some rumor or Colt may have been making some kind of PR statement. It's been years ago. I think it may have been not long after the infamous bank robbery/big shootout in CA that got everybody jumping on the "ban the guns" bandwagon. I bought a new Colt 16" right around that time, and I've had it ever since. It's only had 20 rounds fired through it, but that was many marriage-and-kid-filled years ago. I've been so out of touch with gun stuff that I didn't know if demand/value of Colt AR-15s had gone up or down or nowhere at all.

[Smith]

If you ask Colt they are the only ones to make AR's. Everyone else are making some off brand clone.

[The Rabbi]

If you ask Colt they are the only ones to make AR's. Everyone else are making some off brand clone.

Ditto.

The guys who publish the Heritage Gunsmithing series (Kuhnhausen) told me they have an AR-15 book all set to go but Colt has threatened to sue because they reverse engineered the info on Colts.

[Marswolf]

If you ask Colt they are the only ones to make AR's. Everyone else are making some off brand clone.

Since I have an old Colt, I'll go along with that.

[molonlabetn]

They are all Stoner AR10 clones...

[Smith]

They are all Stoner AR10 clones...

Armalite sold the AR10 and AR15 designations to Colt. Colt fought for the M4 designation in court, but lost.

[Cruel Hand Luke]

Whether folks agree with Colt's various political posturings , their guns tend to work at a more reliable rate than others. Not just from what I have seen, but from what I hear from other trainers too.

And really the upper receiver and barrel is the key. If it is put together well (by someone who knows what they are doing) with milspec parts (barrel/upper/bolt and carrier) it probably doesn't matter whose name is stamped on your lower receiver. I have an Olympic lower paired with a Colt 6721 upper and it runs 100%- Just as well as the Colt lower with the Colt 6721 upper. If at all possible I'd look for Colt upper/barrel assemblies to build ARs with. BUt YMMV. I'm just speaking from MY experience. Others may differ.

[Guest Mugster]

To answer the original question, colt currently sells semi-auto's to the law enforcement market. So quite a few parts/rifles "slip out" into joe civilian hands. Your odds of finding an unfired rifle or upper/lower are pretty good if you start looking hard, imo.

I do not think colt is worth the price premium, and believe that "service grade" uppers are like corn...a commodity...and colt is about the same as everybody else quality wise. About the only thing that varies much at all is finish quality and barrel quality...they are all machined (mostly) at the same plants as previously posted.

I'll go out on a limb and say i'm impressed by the finish on every sabre defense product I've seen. I'll also say I've seen as much bad machining on sabre defence as any other brand.

[Guest CHR]

Sounds like you're confirming what I had heard, Mugster, which is Colt was "officially" only selling to LE & military. That's why I pretty much have not shot mine, thinking that as time goes on, the demand/value for a NIB Colt AR-15 could significantly increase. But I know there are so many out there and demands vary a lot and I might be thinking right, but it will be 50 years before anything like that happens. Lots of variables involved. So that's one reason I got into these forums, because I truly don't know whether or not it was worth continuing to hold on to it, sell it, or simply go ahead and shoot the heck out of it 'cause it won't make any difference anyway.

[Guest Mugster]

I can't help you on that one (collect vs shoot). My personal strategy is to buy what I need and shoot the hell out of it.

I guess if I had an original SP1 in pristine condition, I'd be more inclined to just collect it. I never did care for the lack of a forward assist, which is why i never bought one in the first place. My hunting buddy did, and it was $250 new back in 1988ish. I've seen them go for $1500+ in the condition his is in.