OK guys, let's show those vintage AR's and clones thereof.
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OK guys, let's show those vintage AR's and clones thereof.
This is my one safe queen.....
Colt SP-1 manufactured the first full year of production, 1964.
It came with the original Colt 3X scope.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000887.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000899.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000896.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000909.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000905.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000906.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000907.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000900.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000889.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000890.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000891.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000920.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000915.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1000919.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...1/P1020166.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../EarlyARad.jpg
More "retro inspired" than a clone...
http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/a...TQA-125-M4.jpg
Attachment 4996
The XM177, One of my all time favorite carbines...
B
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...r/DSC00830.jpg
My retro blaster. Fun to shoot, quick handling rifle.
I always love looking at retro ads for pretty much any consumer products but especially for firearms! Oh how time's have changed, to think Colt use to market these to the "hunter, camper, or collector".
Reminds me of when I was a kid growing up in the 80's looking at through my dad's gun rags at the old HK ads and the like...then came Bush Sr.'s '89 ban. :(
My 'retro' slash 'Israeli' build... I sold it to a coworker but working on getting it back.
Parts:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ARbuild002.jpg
Lower finished:
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...ARbuild003.jpg
Completed (ADCO did the barrel work for me, including pinning the FSB):
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k1...vet/RKPark.jpg
It ran great, too... 1500 rounds in an 8 hour period with minimal cleaning, just more lube.
I sold it because of my divorce... women.
I believe they were around $450 in 1984. But ammo in real terms now, even after the Obama runup, is cheaper.....as are good mags.
I'd love to have a 20" A1 upper with a 1/7 or 1/8 twist .750" or .625" profile. Those original handguards were quite comfortable.
.223 ammo was around $300/m in 1984. In 1984 IIRC a AK (Maadi) was $1300 or so, and a Galil was $1700. Cheapest ammo was $100/m for AK around 1984-1990, and .223 was $170/m around 1997 until 2001.
Basic Training with the M16A1.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1349/...c970e4df_o.jpg
That last one is AWESOME, Stick! Well, so is everything else you post...
Whootsinator,
Thank you.
http://stickman.rainierarms.com/gall...0Stick%20a.jpg
Stickman,
I love that photo of the M-16 and flak jacket. I also admit to having a couple of dozen Colt 20-round mags around the house. So darn handy to drop into a pocket.
That's old school cool, with the flack jacket. Thanks for posting it!
Me in Germany with my M16A1, 1985.
And one of the many photos of the type that inspired me to go into Army Aviation.
Not the best pictures in the world but here's some of my 601 and late 603 rifles. Still working on an early 603 and 604 build but it's just a matter of saving my pennies for a couple of Nodak Spud XM16E1 lowers.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1761.jpg
NOT the way a 601 retro should look. Since that picture, I got rid of that nasty A2 lower and it's now wearing a NDS 601 lower
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1795.jpg
There we go, that's a bit better!
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1817.jpg
My old MCRD rifle rag with all the parts of my 601 laid out. Yes, I know the buffer isn't an Edgewater but it's dang hard to spend that kind of money on one. Oh well, maybe one of these days I'll find one for a good price.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1792.jpg
My late 603 again with a Nodak Spud A1 lower
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1798.jpg
A closer view if the right side of the receiver
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1803.jpg
A little more detailed view of the left side. I love how NDS doesn't fill the magazine well with snakes, spiders, bat wings freakin' unicorns or some other cartoon crap others do.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1825.jpg
A quick snapshot of AR progression through the years. I'll have to update that a bit when my XM16E1 and USAF M16 clones are completed.
Nice collection!
I'm always hesitant to call this one a retro since for a 653 clone there are a few things wrong with it. The A2 lower is a glaring problem that should be corrected (and if I ever get around to making my M16A4 clone I will probably rob this receiver to do it with and replace the receiver my 653 has with another Nodak Spud lower instead. Next is one that I overlook and that's the barrel is a 16" lightweight Colt barrel. The fact that it's a 16" versus the 14.5" of the actual 653 is one I tend to overlook since I don't want to mess with the SBR routine. The last problem I have with it is that the upper is an A1 design but a quick glance at the ejection port cover quickly shows that this part is an A2 version which wouldn't be really correct here either. Nope, no doubt about it, that lower though really has to be swapped out though.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1935.jpg
Oh what the hell, let's just put these up here:
The current rifle collection:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1938.jpg
The current carbine collection:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1937.jpg
The whole AR family on the wall:
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...s/DCP_1936.jpg
Probably would have been easier to do this right from the start.
You have your "purist" Retro Fans, who build rifles to exacting details, then you have weapons built under what I consider "The Spirit Of Retro".
I like to think I fall into category #2 "The Spirit Of Retro".
I like to have at least one weapon which when I shoot it, it takes me back to my days in the service when I shot the M16A1. Or those early days during the phasing out of the A1, and the introduction of the A2.
I guess I fall into the 2nd category but I strive for the first. For example, I would love to have a true early 603 XM16E1 built on a Nodak Spud lower but finding those old part, especially the barrel, gas tube and Edgewater buffer is difficult and more expensive than I want to deal with. While my bolt carrier is a notched chrome and the flash suppressor is a 2nd model, things like the buffer are going to be the current design and the barrel and gas tube, yup, that's going to be a post-war part too. Now if I can ever find these parts and at a reasonable cost, sure, I'll upgrade them but for right now, I'll have to settle for a spirit of retro in some respects.
My very early (1964) 604 upper should be back any week now from Victor at US Anodizing and my first complete retro clone will be complete. I'll post pictures as soon as I put it together. I have 4 others in various stages of being built, but there is that stuff called money that's slowing me down. :D
Someone asked me if the early XM-177's were colt built. I didn't know the answer. Anybody care to share what they know about them.
D Williams
Sorry I just read another thread indicating the XM-177 was colt only. Sorry for the question.
D Williams
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...22/et1bvrb.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...22/3580zsp.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...m722/River.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b128/jaodom722/82.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...722/53pm5v.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...22/34dojrl.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...22/23lh253.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...m722/13gf8.jpg