You want to go Colt 614 or a forged non-Colt registered receiver lower. There is no need to swap out the bolt catch on a 614. Leave that in place. Swap the fcg (geissele SSF, no contest) and stock to your heart’s content. The only stock I would not swap is a Colt factory M16 Carbine, but that’s a non-sequitor on a 614. Swapping out Colt parts that can easily be replaced (upper, FCG, fixed stock, pistol grip, etc) will not devalue the firearm at all. Just be sure to keep those parts and don’t sell them. David Spiwak is a good place to find Colt m16s.
The non-Colt RR lowers are an excellent option. I would definitely send to Victor at US Anodizing to bring it up to spec and reanodize. If you’re doing that, go ahead and have all new internals installed. Think long and hard about whether a Ares/Fightlight MCR beltfed upper is something you may want in the future. If so, have their bolt catch installed by Victor after anodizing.
I would avoid a converted Colt (ie a semiauto Colt that was converted) as all use the larger two screw front pin. I would look for a Sendra converted by Oly, Frankford, etc. The SGW billet receivers are known to be soft, avoid those. And I would also avoid cast Essential Arms lowers.
Re: Ruben, he is outstanding. His prices reflect the fact that he is a premium dealer with an impeccable reputation. You pay more for the peace of mind that you’re not going to get taken. Keep in mind you’ll also pay sales tax on an in-state transaction with a dealer.
The Colt 614 is a great shooter. Some don’t care for them because they are not marked “M16”. They are a factory original select fire Colt and cost substantially less than an M16 marked Colt. Look at the numbers when you consider a non-Colt RR vs. a 614. You can likely find a 614 for $22-24k. You’ll need to spend about $1k to bring a non-Colt RR up to spec and reanodize once you factor in shipping costs. You need to find a really good deal on a non-Colt RR to make it a better deal than a 614. As a side note, be CERTAIN you have personal insurance that covers it while in transit and while getting repaired BEFORE you ship it. Historic and Collectors Insurance I believe cover your items in this scenario. Jack Richardson at Eastern Insurance is who wrote my policies for both companies. I currently insure with Historic through Jack/Eastern Insurance.
Last edited by JoshNC; 04-21-18 at 12:02.
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