Colt SP1 Carbine question

[Skans]

I have a Colt SP1 Carbine - never fired it. But, I did swap out the original upper with an A2 Upper with what I believe was called a "government" barrel. I did this years ago. I wrapped the original upper, barrel, hand guards, etc. and have them stored.

Question: are these things going to increase in value over time? I'm considering using it as trading fodder for other guns...but the fact that it's an original Colt has held me back. Opinions?

[Kid Sopris]

Tough question...Anything Original Colt is worth more than a Modified Colt...Save the Engraving or Turnbull Restoration jobs...

If I wasn't in need to part with it, I might just forget I had it for a while longer.. My .02 Cents and there was no charge...LOL

[dfariswheel]

I haven't paid much attention to pricing over the years, but last I heard the early SP Carbines without the forward assist and without the "fence" around the mag catch were worth some fair change.

According to The Blue Book an early SP Carbine pre-ban can be worth around $2,450 in 95%.
These are before Colt started using the "Sporter II" stamp.

[Dee P Six]

A sub forum ( AR-15 / M-16 Retro Forum - AR15.COM ) of the AR15 forum deal with retro building Ar's in their earlier configurations. Folk go to great lenghts and expense to put together rifles that are often not built on a Colt receiver. I would think your SP1 would have a good market price.

[AirCommando]

Those things have increased over time! Do you still have the green label box? How about for the new upper? Original pre ban stuff, especially unfired, in the box, yep, worth some serious change, and will continue to go up.

There is a difference in value when you are dealing with these guns. A collector would value a pre ban green label more than a shooter would. You have to find the right buyer, so keep that in mind. Always keep the boxes, they do add value to unfired guns!

[Malysh]

A sub forum ( AR-15 / M-16 Retro Forum - AR15.COM ) of the AR15 forum deal with retro building Ar's in their earlier configurations. Folk go to great lenghts and expense to put together rifles that are often not built on a Colt receiver. I would think your SP1 would have a good market price.

Yes, they do. I used a fairly early Colt SP 1 lower receiver for my Mod 601 retro build. It's in the 33,000 serial number range and I think it cost me about $300 in excellent condition. Today, I bet a similar SP 1 lower in like condition would be about $500 or maybe more. It's not really correct for the retro build, as it's not an old enough example to have the roll pin holding the buffer tube instead of the detent set up that became standardized, but to me having the rampant Colt and AR-15 stamped on was more important.

[Frank237]

Saw an early SP-1 at the Reno Gun show last week. had $1800 on it. It was either unfired or fired minimally. All there, unmolested, but no box/hang tags, etc.

It was there all day Friday at $1800.

Year ago I picked up an SP-1 at the Bozeman, MT show again no box, etc....but a 95% gun, all original for $1100.

It is WORTH whatever someoone with the funds will pay. It IS fairly rare with all the accy's and in very good shape. To sell it one would need to aim the ad at the right market.
The AR-15.com guys would probably go nuts for that gun.

I'd certainly investigate the market prior to listing it. Take a look at completed SALES...NOT asking prices...over on GunBroker.com. check the pages of old ads over on the AR-15.com site, etc.

Best of luck.

FN in MT

[JudgeColt]

The original poster inquired about a Carbine, not the same as an "early" SP-1, which most of the subsequent posters are addressing. Surely an "early" Carbine is worth more than a later one, but no where near what a true "early" SP-1 is worth. ("Early" is a relative term, but keep in mind that there were probably about 150,000 or more SP-1 rifles made so "early" should be reserved for four-digit and under guns in my opinion.)

Three-digit and under SP-1 Sporter Rifles can be big dollar guns. Consider that one of the "Comanche" manuals included with the first few early SP-1 Sporters can bring $500 just by itself to get an idea of what these early guns will bring.

[dbltaper]

put it back together by a shooter grade lower and shoot the a2

[Skans]

I'm going to make it my goal over the next few weeks to dig out the SP1 Carbine from the back of my safe, put the original barreled upper back on and hopefully take some good pictures. I know I have a box for it, however, I don't recall if its an original Colt box or not. I bought this rifle sometime around 1993 and it's just sat in my safe all these years. Yes, it's all pre-ban, I recall that's why I bought it. Actually, I traded an old H&R Self-loading .32 and maybe $150 cash for it.