View Full Version : Trade-in 6520 - good recommendation for friend's 1st AR?
Scotter260
10-12-10, 19:35
After reading in another thread about CDNN having trade-in 6520s for $799 I called them. I found out they have some VG-Excellent condition units for $769. I called my friend who's inkled at getting an AR and ran some numbers and such by him. Well, for $787 one's on its way to the dealer who'll charge $20ish for the transfer.
I'd looked at several models with the S&W MP15 MOE being the farthest right I'd venture on "the Chart". The lowest I could find these were close to $900 before shipping and transfer. Since he's just going to use it casually on the range I suppose he could have gotten by with the lower rated examples but for the price, why bother?
I figure that CDNN usually grades in favor of the consumer and even a used Colt is better raw materials than most. Is my logic flawed thinking that even a used Colt is still a Colt or should I have encouraged him to stick with NIB in the same price range?
GermanSynergy
10-12-10, 21:16
Get the Colt. The 6520 is a great little carbine and every EBR aficianado should own one. :D
At that price it's hard to go wrong.
He can shoot irons for a while, get good with them, enjoy the light weight that a 6520 brings with it.
If he wants to add a quality optic, he can get a Colt, DD, or BCM M4 upper and have a smith swap it out, making for a really nice little carbine.
I sold my 6520 to my dad, and he's really enjoying it.
They're nice little carbines.
Get the Colt. The 6520 is a great little carbine and every EBR aficianado should own one. :D
Damn straight....my first two ARs were 6520s....I kept one whole and the other I morphed into the current 6720 config.
Just a suggestion but if your pal is kinda new skool and wants something more hsld, I highly rec. swapping the colt a2 with a bcm m4 flattop upper and making it a better platform to support optics....since its a cdnn and not a collector grade or nib this is def. the gun to do it with as well.
Congrats, they truly are the essential KISS carbine imho.
Scotter260
10-12-10, 23:11
It seems my thinking wasn't completely out there then. The first time he shot an AR was this past Friday when he shot my SBR and he was instantly smitten. He expressed interest in someday getting some type of RDS but I explained that that was a bridge we could cross when the time came either by swapping out the upper for a flat-top or using a goose-neck mount.
Since he's in his 60s and relatively new to the concept I believe he has no concerns of being hsld but if he does decide to go nuts I figure he's got the base upon which to build and it's better than dressing up a Stag or some-such.
Thank you for the replies gentlemen.
It seems my thinking wasn't completely out there then. The first time he shot an AR was this past Friday when he shot my SBR and he was instantly smitten. He expressed interest in someday getting some type of RDS but I explained that that was a bridge we could cross when the time came either by swapping out the upper for a flat-top or using a goose-neck mount.
Since he's in his 60s and relatively new to the concept I believe he has no concerns of being hsld but if he does decide to go nuts I figure he's got the base upon which to build and it's better than dressing up a Stag or some-such.
Thank you for the replies gentlemen.
My dad will be 70 in Feb. and enjoys the light weight of the 6520. I put a Trijicon Compact ACOG TA-44R on it for him and it's working well.
About as bomb proof as an AR can get.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/P1000204.jpg
ThirdWatcher
10-13-10, 01:10
Get the Colt. The 6520 is a great little carbine and every EBR aficianado should own one. :D
+1 When my Lab barks in the middle of the night, I reach for my 6520 KISS Carbine. ;)
The 6520 is a lightweight fun gun. At $769, he should buy one ASAP.
The 6520 really is a nice LW carbine. The A2 style upper is totally serviceable and fairly easy to convert to a flattop upper down the road, if needed. Early 6520s have the pinned-in sear block and .170 hammer/trigger pins if that matters. This is one I purchased around '95 and updated a couple years ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v503/AR15forme/Colt%20AR15/IMG_8258.jpg
I had one that I sold to fund my Noveske. It was one of the earlier ones with the huge front take down pin. If it wasnt for those things I probaby woulda kept it.
I hear the newer ones are more milspec which would make it a great rfile to own.
ThirdWatcher
10-13-10, 18:57
I don't know when my 6520 was built, but it came with one of those hollowed out BCGs. I replaced it with a BCM FA BCG before I ever fired it.
My dad will be 70 in Feb. and enjoys the light weight of the 6520. I put a Trijicon Compact ACOG TA-44R on it for him and it's working well.
About as bomb proof as an AR can get.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/Tim_Orrock/Colt%20Rifles/P1000204.jpg
Damn I never get sick of seeing 6520's.....I really am in love with the barrel first and foremost as your beautiful gun in the pic shows off my favorite visual aspect which is that long length of perfectly straight and narrow penciled barrel....it just flows and the fact that its the most accurate LW barrel Ive used does not hurt either. I am actually hunting one down currently to adapt to run in a my mrp chassis's.
GLOCKMASTER
10-13-10, 19:39
I just posted this about a 6520 (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=64568)in the Custom Build Forum.
Scotter260
10-13-10, 19:39
Thanks for the responses and pics. The pics show very well the two extremes from basic to upgraded nicely.
The sales rep. at CDNN stated theirs were broken down between Canadian and American made with the Canadians costing slightly more because "they're rare". He believed all were marked Colt Defense though. I'm betting on large fire control pins and cut carrier but one can always hope. He likely wouldn't know any difference but it'd be nice to get the convenience of smaller pins and upgraded FA carrier.
They had some new ones at $949.00 if anyone's looking for new and had varying grades in between.
I'd buy a new in box 6520 from Bachmanns for $900 instead.
These ones from CDNN are probably PD trade in and could not be drilled for a front takedown pin from 1998 to 1999.
The Canadian Colts should have a hammer forged barrel.
Our department issues the 6520s with a surefire forend, good guns. I would buy one at that price no problem.
You really aren't getting a deal at $800 for a used one.
The box is worth $100 and the new one comes with two 20 round magazines.
Plus the unknown factor of buying used. What unseen problem is it going to come with and how much is it going to cost to fix it?
If the used was $700, I would buy the used one but not for $800.
Scotter260
10-13-10, 22:06
scottryan
Didn't Colt start marking "Colt Defense" on their items back in 2005 or so? That being the case the concern for the front takedown pin should be a non-issue.
Not sure about the box but these do come with (1) 20-rounder and some type of soft carrying case. That's gotta be worth at least $15 combined. ;) I do see your point though. Fron personal experience and reading others experiences with CDNN's grading system on trade-ins, Smith and Wessons specifically, they rate very conservatively with items falling in the VG-Excellent range turning out to be practically new.
Your "what unseen problems does it have" is definitely food for thought. Maybe it'll be I who is graced with a new carbine and not my friend. If it's a turd he won't be stuck with it and he already knows that.
scottryan
Didn't Colt start marking "Colt Defense" on their items back in 2005 or so? That being the case the concern for the front takedown pin should be a non-issue.
If they are marked that way, then they would have a pushpin.
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