Excellent condition 95% + Colt SP1 Carbine values???

[ALCOAR]

Hey gents, I'm outta my league a bit on the retro or collector stuff, but I want my damn KISS Colt back, and am at a gunshow staring at a beautiful, almost flawless looking SP1 carbine. Looks to be shot, but very little. Perhaps the nicest non NIB SP1 Ive seen fwiw.

No box, no papers, no accs., 1 mag, and the OEM sling. Sticker is $2350. I told him I'd be back in 30minutes with an offer. $2350 is never gonna happen, however what about $2k.

Should I just altogether pass, and just rebuild my Colt 6520. One thing I do know I think.....this particular gun should only go up and up in value as times goes on given it's treated right, and protected. I'm kinda thinking more investment, or perhaps it's mental gymnastics.

[Jsd1318]

A little high but you only live once. Plus they aren't making any more. Should be a good investment if you plan on keeping it like new.

[Renegade04]

I know I am a little late responding, but I have to weigh in. A few years ago, I paid $1800 for a excellent condition 1981 SP1 Carbine. This did not include any accessories, manual, or box. Book value was about $2500 at the time. That said, If you were able to get the carbine for $2000 or somewhere close, you would have done well. Original SP1 Carbines are getting few and far between as many are stripped down and sold for parts. I hope you were able to make a deal on that carbine.

[1168]

There’s a near 100% condition SP1 in my area for $1500. Its tempting.

[Renegade04]

There’s a near 100% condition SP1 in my area for $1500. Its tempting.

For a near 100% condition SP1 Sporter, that would be a good price these days. Most likely, it is a mid to late 1970s model for that price. About 10 years ago, I bought a mint condition 1977 SP1 Sporter for $1K at a local gun show. It is still in mint condition. It is not going anywhere.

[ALCOAR]

There’s a near 100% condition SP1 in my area for $1500. Its tempting.

I forgot to ask, since you actually own one of these gems, can I assume you shoot it since your on M4C? Some pics would be fantastic as well.

If so, what kinda of schedule do you put it on, do you take any special precautions with it. Damn it's crazy I want a close to 40yr old AR when I have one or two SRs, and MRPs that I currently consider the best defense firearm I can own. Why go back in time before the AR got to be the absolute razor edge sharpness it is now in terms of refinement. We've mastered controls finally, something just 5yrs ago I essentially gave up on in regards to anybody but KAC, and boutique high end ARs to feature OEM rifles with full ambi, and advanced controls. Combine that with twist rates, 1000x more modularity, perfecting and totally controlling gassing, especially in regard to suppressing them. Throw in the advancements to the RE, and buffers....one would be crazy to buy a used SP-1 Carbine, when right down the road one can buy a new MARs MRP or an SR 15 in the current flavor for exactly the same amount of money??

My answer to the question above personally I think......cause it's everything the modern day AR isn't, yet has all the true pedigree, DNA, and history of being a Tier 1 rifle then and still now given you can run KISS setups.

Kinda a humbling moment in my AR love affair, I've honestly never seen the point to retros and had no interest in them outside of what they would represent in terms of the incremental advancements they might feature. Still not sure I'd ever get into modern produced retro rifles, although if I hit powerball….I'll have it all boys!


The power of one aged, tiny, and perfectly balanced pony in a man's hand can change things in a NY minute for sure. I wish I never f**ked with my factory 6520....thus far it's my thrown away rookie Mantle card. Still have the most important part perhaps, but damn its hard to find a almost new 6520 upper from the vintage of 2007-08 era. Restricted marked days.

[Renegade04]

I forgot to ask, since you actually own one of these gems, can I assume you shoot it since your on M4C? Some pics would be fantastic as well.

If so, what kinda of schedule do you put it on, do you take any special precautions with it. Damn it's crazy I want a close to 40yr old AR when I have one or two SRs, and MRPs that I currently consider the best defense firearm I can own. Why go back in time before the AR got to be the absolute razor edge sharpness it is now in terms of refinement. We've mastered controls finally, something just 5yrs ago I essentially gave up on in regards to anybody but KAC, and boutique high end ARs to feature OEM rifles with full ambi, and advanced controls. Combine that with twist rates, 1000x more modularity, perfecting and totally controlling gassing, especially in regard to suppressing them. Throw in the advancements to the RE, and buffers....one would be crazy to buy a used SP-1 Carbine, when right down the road one can buy a new MARs MRP or an SR 15 in the current flavor for exactly the same amount of money??

My answer to the question above personally I think......cause it's everything the modern day AR isn't, yet has all the true pedigree, DNA, and history of being a Tier 1 rifle then and still now given you can run KISS setups.

Kinda a humbling moment in my AR love affair, I've honestly never seen the point to retros and had no interest in them outside of what they would represent in terms of the incremental advancements they might feature. Still not sure I'd ever get into modern produced retro rifles, although if I hit powerball….I'll have it all boys!


The power of one aged, tiny, and perfectly balanced pony in a man's hand can change things in a NY minute for sure. I wish I never f**ked with my factory 6520....thus far it's my thrown away rookie Mantle card. Still have the most important part perhaps, but damn its hard to find a almost new 6520 upper from the vintage of 2007-08 era. Restricted marked days.

Retro ARs are not for everyone as they do not appeal to the masses. For me, I fell in love with the M16 when I joined the Marine Corps back in 1978. My issue weapon was a M16A1. When I got into ARs hot and heavy back in 2004, I wanted to get a Colt SP1, but I was more inclined to the modern AR with all of the new tech. A couple years later, I decided to jump on the retro bandwagon and I am glad I did. I have learned a great deal about the older M16 rifles and carbines than I ever thought I would learn. I eventually did buy a nice SP1 Sporter and Carbine, but I have more pride in ownership in the retro ARs I built. Although not an expert by any means, I do have a lot of knowledge on retro ARs and love sharing it when I can. I have seen guys get into retros that would never have thought they would get into them. It is the nostalgia and the history they like. The platform is simple and is reliant on the skills of the shooter and not technology to shoot them accurately. Old school ARs are something everyone should appreciate and experience. Personally, I am as much a new school AR guy as I am an old school AR guy. I can appreciate them all as I would not have 42 ARs if I did not.

[ALCOAR]

Thanks for your informative thoughts on this topic, and for weighing in again. I imagine one learns a much more well rounded history, and perspective on the AR design after diving down the retro rabbit hole. Most people just accept changes, and move on without ever really understanding why things were changed or altered in a designs evolution over time.


One last thing I loved about that SP1 yesterday is that it's stock felt just like a sopmod on an LMT RE with regards to a hydralic type feel, with almost no slop. Most of old carbine stocks I've felt were incredibly noisy on the tube. Also I'd have never changed the handguards from those on the older 6520s and on the SP1 carbine....they felt great in the hand.

[MSW]

I was fortunate to have friends with their SP1 parts cast aside to reconfigure their SP1s to be more like the A2 M16, so I was able to snag parts at the cheap. They were glad to get rid of the “crappy old shit,” especially if I bought Colt OEM replacement parts. Ironically, the one guy kept telling me he felt like he “was taking advantage of me” because most shooters want the latest, greatest & not what was used in 1970.
Unfortunately, friends like that are too few & far between.

[1168]

For a near 100% condition SP1 Sporter, that would be a good price these days. Most likely, it is a mid to late 1970s model for that price. About 10 years ago, I bought a mint condition 1977 SP1 Sporter for $1K at a local gun show. It is still in mint condition. It is not going anywhere.

I don’t know anything about dating SP1’s, but its a completely slickside upper, if that means anything.