Original Colt AR-15's -different than the rifles of today

[dlagrua]

Back in the early 1990's, I owned a Colt AR-15 marked rifle. At that time they all came with a 20" mil profile barrel (HB was an option) , top handle receiver, a nice dk green parkerized finish and a 1 in 7 twist barrel. The form, fit and finish of guns made by Colt Industries was a bit different back then. I no longer have this rifle, but recall different size hammer and trigger pins. The thing that stands out the most is the lack of a retaining pin/spring on the take down pin. It just pulled all the way out and didn't fit very tight. Easy to lose.
Those rifles shot well and they were very accurate. The 1 in 7 twist gave better accuracy with the 62 grain bullet but the 55 gr also worked.
Anyone else recall those early Colt AR-15 rifles and am I correct on the specs?

[HeruMew]

I know that Colt, in particular, worked very hard to try to minimize damage from changing legislation and the assault weapons ban.

To do so, they made many different variants to help stop conversions to full-auto occurring.

They tried this through many different ways/changes. Can't speak for what you had, or would get today, but that may explain the main differences that had been coming out at the time.

[pinzgauer]

- Early- half moon bolt carrier
- Later- Semi-auto bolt carrier
- goofy oversized pins
- Different lower receiver machining (no "Platform" for autosear, if I recall)

[dlagrua]

and I also recall that later in the 1990's Colt even installed a block in the lower receiver to prevent full auto conversions that were occurring as a result of some owners using the drop in auto sear. Back then this might have been a big deal but today we have triggers that can shoot fast in semi-auto mode.

[mack7.62]

Well the 90's guns were not early semi AR-15's that honor go's to the SP1 of the 60's-70's. Colt has never been civie friendly from the start they changed up the semi rifles to make them unable to use M16 parts, starting with the SP1 oversized front pivot pin, later at different times they went to oversized trigger/hammer pins, sear block's, redesigned lowers etc. In other words unlike the majority of AR mfg's who just changed internal lower dimension's they spent extra $$ to make it harder for us lawbreaking civilians to break Federal law, like they really needed to do so. I never liked that attitude with them, the SP1 and CAR15 were sweet little rifles but having my first experience being M16A1's and early on believing in the need to clean more than needed those stupid oversized double screw front pivot pins always pissed me off. I always liked Colt uppers but their lowers sucked.

[bigwagon]

If it was a 1/7 twist barrel, that's AR-15A2 spec, so would have been made in the early 80s or later. Around the time leading up to the original federal AWB Colt started "neutering" their AR-15s in an attempt to either skirt legislative restrictions or pre-empt them. By the late-80s/early 90s features like the half circle BCG, large FCG pins, sear block, shaved bayo lugs and lack of flash hiders were common on Colts. Some rifles have all of the above features while others have just a few. I have an AR15-A2 HBAR Sporter made in 1987 that is one of the last of that era with none of those features, although it does have the SP1 large pin upper (it also has an SP serial number so technically it is among the last of the SP1 Sporter series).

[dlagrua]

The worse era was when Colt inserted and pinned a block in the lower receiver. That had to be after I purchased the one that I had. It made it next to impossible to clean and oil the lower with that thing in there. All in all the late 80's early 90's Colt guns were well made. Right after that around 96 or so, I bought a Colt H-Bar. It was during the Federal ban and it came with a muzzle brake that was held on the barrel with two 1/8" roll pins. I was not impressed with that rifle and sold it as well before owners started reporting that they were blowing off those muzzle brakes, putting new pins in and blowing them off again. What a piece of junk. As for new Colts they seem to work OK but the finish and fit on the 6920 seems very rough to me.
Today I shoot Wyndham M4 type rifles and am very pleased. Hundreds of rounds, never a jam or feed failure and reasonable accurate. Like Colt, Wyndham uses Mil spec parts so the quality is there.

[3ky]

I have a Colt Sporter Lightweight made right before the ban. I like it except the sear block. Also has the weird half moon bolt. Barrel has A2 flash hider but doesn't have bayonet lug. Barrel is pencil barrel 1/7 twist.

This has A2 buttock. I been told these are very reliable since the bolt carrier is lightened with rifle buffer. I haven't shot it but will soon to see how it runs.

[pinzgauer]

From (fuzzy) memory, I was thinking even the early 80s Colt carbines had the goofy pins and bolts.

Today I shoot Wyndham M4 type rifles and am very pleased. Hundreds of rounds, never a jam or feed failure and reasonable accurate. Like Colt, Wyndham uses Mil spec parts so the quality is there.

Batten down the hatches, you'll be challenged on that last sentence

[meausoc]

I have an old Colt 6450 9mm carbine with a sear block. Does anyone know the best way to remove it?