SP-1 Serial Numbers

[BE Wild Willy]

I'm still looking to make my first AR purchase and saw something in a pic that was interesting, a very low serial number. Proofhouse shows that 1964 started out at SP00101, is this correct? Could there actually be some with just 2 digits, as in SPxx?

[DESERTFOX]

Don't know if this helps you but you can look here.

http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/ar15serial.html

[Retired W4]

Black Rifle II, which I consider THE reference for AR's (along w/The Black Rifle) confirms those sn's in 1963, and takes the link in the previous post up to 1982, sn; SP 158201. From 1982 to 1985 you just have to do the math and interpolate. I would highly recommend the books above for the history of the M-16, et al.

[dfariswheel]

The first serial for a commercial AR-15 Colt SP series started with SP00001 in 1963, and went to SP00023 by the end of the year.
1964 started with SP00101, which has a gap from 1963.

So, according to the factory records the were no single or double digit SP serial numbers.

[Malysh]

Black Rifle II, which I consider THE reference for AR's (along w/The Black Rifle) confirms those sn's in 1963, and takes the link in the previous post up to 1982, sn; SP 158201. From 1982 to 1985 you just have to do the math and interpolate. I would highly recommend the books above for the history of the M-16, et al.

An excellent post and truer advice could not be given if you are a fan of M-16 and AR-15 rifles! Another great book is "The M-16 rifle and it's Cartridge" by Col. David R. Hughes (USAF Ret.) But that one is a very hard book to find. It has a great emphasis on the cartridge development and collecting of the cartridge but the M-16 history that is presented is solid and in depth.
Whether rooted in good logic or just emotions, all of my AR type rifles are all Colt and Colt parts, excepting two original AR-10 rifles, a Sudanese pattern and a Portuguese pattern (invented by Eugene Stoner).
I even built two of them by myself, but then, you can teach a chimpanzee to build an AR-15 if I can do it!

As always, Dfaris' info is correct.

Here's to former China Marine, inventor of the AR-10, inventor and co-designer of the M-16, Gene Stoner!

Semper Fi

[Long Spur Hollow]

"So, according to the factory records the were no single or double digit SP serial numbers"

I don't understand the above statement... if they indeed made s/n 1 to 23 in 1963 - are these 23 guns not part of the "factory records"?

Please explain, or help me understand. I know of a single digit AR-15...is this gun legit?

Thanks,
Long Spur Hollow

[Long Spur Hollow]

I was hopeful that someone here would be able to shed some light to my above question posted - 2 weeks ago. Again - Is a single digit s/n Colt SP a bonafide 1963 production gun? Is there a chance that it is part a different series with a seperate s/n sequence? The earlier statement by someone about no single and double digit s/n's being reconized by the factory, remains confusing to me.

A bit more information on the single digit s/n gun I mentioned: This gun is a bit of a "time capsule" ...100% new, the bolt has yet to be pulled back, and has the original box, paperwork & cleaning kit with it. The manual however is labled as "Commanche", and not Sporter (seperate series?).

I am looking forward to some discussion on this.

Thank you.
LSH

[dfariswheel]

The official Colt Factory records show that the first AR-15 "Comanche" rifles had serial numbers that ran from SP00001 to SP55301. These early rifles were made from 1963 to 1976.

Colt considers a number like SP00010 to be a double digit serial number, "IF" you disregard the zeros. In this case you could call it serial number SP10, but the official serial number would include the zeros.
In Wilson's book "Colt: An American Legend", the range of Colt serial numbers is in the back of the book, and shows the serials in my first post.
However, on page 282 in a brief description of the commercial AR15, he says that commercial serials started at SP00101. I suspect this is just his mistake, since official Colt serial numbers show them starting at SP00001, and I'd go with the official numbers.

According to Colt, these early rifles came in a box with a green label with the serial number on a white sticker.
The box was taped shut with two pieces of brown masking tape.
The barrel had a stick down the bore, a black plastic muzzle cap, a factory hang tag on the front sight, the rifle in a plastic bag with a white sticker with the serial number on the bag.
In the box was a cardboard insert, accessory bag with 2 20 round magazines, the "Comanche" marked owner's manual, sling, and cleaning brushes.
The cleaning rod was in a separate bag.

The early rifles were named the Colt "Comanche". These early rifles in mint, original condition bring around $3,500.
The Sporter II" were later production rifles, after the "Comanche" name was dropped.
"I THINK" your early rifle should be stamped with the "Comanche" name on the left side of the receiver.

Factory serial number records show the first four years as follows for the early SP series:

1963....SP00001 to SP00023.
1964....SP00101.
1965....SP02501.
1966....SP05600.

So, basic question: Does your rifle have just serial number SPXX or does it include the zeros as SP000XX ???

[bmcgilvray]

Great stuff Dfariswheel! I knew the early name for these rifles was Comanche but didn't know that the rifles were marked "Comanche" on the receivers.

[redbos]

A friend has a 3 Digit NIB from his Dad's estate. I have been trying to buy it for years, he is not selling it! Some folks have said it is worth from $3,000-$4,000. But who knows in this economy....