Are all Colt's the same?

[kong]

Pretty simple, are 20" Colt AR( match target, etc) built to the same specs as the M4's? Do they follow the TDP, have they always follwed it?

Thanks!

[lowprone]

Pretty much, except when they purposely changed things to curry favor with Uncle Sugar, remember the trigger reciever blocks? And when ATF science and
technology mandated changes. The quality on military and civilian has always
been the same.

[RyanB]

There are differences. M4 cuts and double shields in M4 handguards come to mind. Mostly similar though.

[Deadduck]

Civilian versions have the oversized fire control group pins, and sear blocks to prevent installation of a RDIAS.

[Failure2Stop]

Disregard
Failure of reading comprehension on my part.

[markm]

Pretty much, except when they purposely changed things to curry favor with Uncle Sugar....

Not even close. There has been any number of differences in commercial Colt ARs and Military weapons.

Some models have been made without chrome lined barrels. Some have come with those crappy polymer buffers.... those are the two examples that immediately come to mind.

If you stick with the Colt L.E. guns, you won't have any of these issues as far as I've seen.

Edit: Colt production is quite inconsistant on the commercial side. Components used in one example of a specific model won't necessarily be the same in another example of the same model. That said, there's no question that the quality is tops on Colt's commercial ARs. They just do some strange stuff from time to time... like the polymer buffer.

[hellbound]

around the same time my best friend and i bought Colt MT6400C's (during the ban).

His was rollmarked Colt's Manufacturing, mine was rollmarked Colt Defense.

His bolt came marked with a "C" and the "white dot". Mine came marked MPC with the "white dot".

His came with a standard carbine buffer, mine came with the coveted "H" Buffer...

His upper was "C AF" (Colt Alcoa Forge), mine was "D A" (Diemaco Anchor Harvey).

His barrel nut required one hand and a standard armorer's wrench to remove it, mine required the armorer's wrench, a 2 foot piece of pipe slid over the end, kroil soaking, freezing, heating with a torch, and an act of God to remove.

slight differences, nothing major except that the barrel nut on the Colt's Mfg assembled rifle was very loose.

[kong]

Thanks guys. A shop that I have been stopping at has quite a few used
20" Colts at a reasonable price. Looks like I will be ok picking one up.

[markm]

Thanks guys. A shop that I have been stopping at has quite a few used
20" Colts at a reasonable price. Looks like I will be ok picking one up.

Just make sure that if you want a Chrome Lined barrel, you get one. It's not necessary, but if it's what you want you need to confirm that the specific model you buy has it.

The other stuff (like a polymer buffer) is easily upgraded.

[bspring]

The current LE versions are nice, for a 20" bbl. The 1980's HBAR with small pins would be a nice one to obtain.

Bill

[kong]

dumb question here, are the barrels marked to show that they are chromed? The way the shop has them locked up makes it tough to get a look in the barrel/chamber.

[skipper49]

Not dumb at all kong. I've had some of the same questions myself, although as far as I know, there's no marking that indicates chrome or not. If there is someone can correct me. Does anyone here know if my pre-ban 6601, Match H-bar (not target) is chrome lined? Maybe that'll help kong also.

Skip

[markm]

Not sure. Maybe ScottRyan could say.... I'm not expert on markings and various Colt models.

But a NON - chrome lined barrel will still read "C MP" plus the twist rate, etc.

When I was young I assumed the "C" ment Chrome lined... not the case.