[Blaznbird]

Hello all I just bought a collection of ar 15s that came from the colt archives. I am looking to find a collector who could help me with valuing these guns. There are too many to list and many of them I've never seen before but just to get started one of them is sp00022. This gun is factory fresh and can post pics if needed. Two others are tactical carbines #s bd000003 and bd000000. Yes all zeros never heard of this so I am looking for any help I can find. Also there are many with serial numbers starting with an x. Any info would be great.

 

[papercolt]

Pics and more pics

 

[Blaznbird]

Here are some pics there are many more rare ar's. I'm looking for someone who can tell what I have if anything at all. Thanks

 

[Blaznbird]

Here are what I believe to be a 9mm carbine test gun and the first one to roll off the line. Any info one this and value would be great.

 

[Blaznbird]

Here are two more I need help with. No one I showed this to had any info and they did not believe me until the saw it. Has anyone ever seen an all zero serial number?

 

[Kid Sopris]

If you contact Paul: Colt Archivist
[email protected]
1-800-962-2658 ext. 1849 or here on the forum at pds03003

He can help Identify your rifles and issue Colt Archive Letters. Paul is very easy to work with and that would be the first place I start to determine rarity and specifics to help value these rifles.

 

[Blaznbird]

First off thanks for your info. I spoke to Paul many times and he knows the man personally who bought these guns from the archives and can't give very much info other than that they are factory colts and a build date. Most of them are not even listed in the gun blue book.

 

[AR15_1911]

Wow, very nice rare collection, I wish I had money to get most of them.

With the SP1 the first year 1963 production serial no. SP00001 to SP00023 are very collectible and very expensive.

The model R6721 AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine serial numbers BD000001 to BD000134 are rare pre ban, never seen all zeros serial, could be for test T&E program.

Way back in the end of 2004 when the ban expired some were asking up to $10K for those pre ban A3 Tactical Carbines, but not really sure if someone bought it at that price.

The only other rare collectible Colt carbines I know are the ones marked "Colt AR-15 Colt Carbine" only 1,616 were made for export only but only less than 200 remained here in the US after laws were passed not to export them.

Another carbine was the 6530 with the LE markings LE/ Mil/ Export Only less than 100 units are in existence.

Also rare camo and nickle finish on early models AR are rare and collectible.

There were also very rare factory mistakes such as no roll markings, no caliber, no model name, and between 1989 and early 1990s there were some lower receivers with small pivot pin size (0.250" mil-spec) and small hammer and trigger pins (0.154" mil-spec) same as the current Colt production models. Most lowers that time had either large size pivot pins/ small fire control pins, or all large pins, or small pivot pins with large fire control pins.

I know on Colt 1911 pistols the serial number X are to replace the illegible original prefix, not sure if they are the same with AR.

I would just recommend to go to the AR15.com, AR-15/ M-16 Retro Forum, there is a tacked thread there Official Appraisal Thread, post your pictures (hopefully right side up) and all available info.


AR-15 / M-16 Retro Forum - AR15.COM

 

[Blaznbird]

Thanks for the info and yes I realized pics are upside down. I'm new with an iPad.....lol Is this the carbine you are talking about on the box it said export only not sure what that meant but you just cleared that up.

 

[Blaznbird]

Is the nickel finish you mentioned? Did not know what this was either every piece of metal is coated even the trap door on the butt stock.

 

[AR15_1911]

Thanks for the info and yes I realized pics are upside down. I'm new with an iPad.....lol Is this the carbine you are talking about on the box it said export only not sure what that meant but you just cleared that up.

Yes, that's the one of the holy grail carbines, just marked "Carbine", man my mouth is watering right now, LMAO!!

Also yeah, that's the nickle finish Colt AR, very nice indeed!

You've got almost all my dream collection, only in my dreams:

SP1 rifle first year 1963
SP1 carbine early 1977 production
SP1 rifle 1971 serial number from SP16001 to SP19400 (because it was my first ever Colt AR rifle back in 1971)
Sporter II A2 rifle with A1 rear sight, shell deflector and forward assist C7 type upper receiver rifle
R6721 AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine pre ban S/N BD - 1 to BD - 134
marked "Carbine" (for export only)
6530 marked "Sporter Lightweight" also "LE/ Mil/ Export Only" at right magwell of lower receiver with Gen 3 CAR Fiberlite synthetic collapsible stock
LE6920 early marked "Colt's Law Enforcement Carbine" with "LE/ Mil/ Export only" early 1997 - 1999
Colt Z-coat Camo Gov't Model rifle
Nickle finished AR any model
any rollmark error, no Colt stylized word logo, no model, no caliber, no "LE/ Mil/ Export Only", etc.
Transferable M-16A2 pre '86 full auto rifle

 

[Blaznbird]

We'll here are two more you asked for I believe this one of the first year production sp1 carbines. And also note the letter A at the end of the serial number on the government carbine. Have you ever seen this?

 

[Blaznbird]

I found an sp1 with the serial number range you mentioned but it has a model 656 prototype upper on it.

 

[AR15_1911]

We'll here are two more you asked for I believe this one of the first year production sp1 carbines. And also note the letter A at the end of the serial number on the government carbine. Have you ever seen this?

That's a nice SP1 carbine, more drooling from my mouth!

The only info I had heard in the past, and I'm not sure if it's true, is that sometimes the factory marks the same serial number on two rifles, to correct it they will add another letter after the serial number (because they don't want to remove it once it's already roll marked), maybe another member could confirm if that's true or not.

The other SP1 with the prototype upper have a very high serial number of 162,XXX, I'm looking for only between 16,001 to 19,400.

If ever I win a lotto, I will stuff several large safes with my dream collection.

 

[Blaznbird]

Sorry I added another zero to the serial number lol. Any how it's been cool showing some of my collection to someone who appreciates it. And thanks for you input on that serial number sound right.

 

[jgilmore]

FYI........It should be noted here that serial numbers are not always what they seem.....

It is very common for MFG's to "hold back" low numbers for use later.

Sometimes this is because all the dealers want the low numbers to get big bucks for them...but...if you give them to one dealer you PO the others.

This is why it is common to start with (for example) SP 1 #000100 instead of #000001. The lower numbers could be saved to use them for big shots, politicians, favored dealers, special people and so on.

In the case of SP 1 serial numbers in and around #000022 / 23 these rifles were assembled much later than rifles with higher serial numbers. Inspection of these rifles show they were assembled with later parts than the early rifles indicating they were assembled later then their serial numbers would lead you to believe.

As the rifles in this discussion were made for a Colt "Big Shot" he could have special low numbers made if they had not been used before.

The serial number 000000 (all zeros) is a good example.

Scenario.....The big shot wants a really "cool" and special number for his rifle..... some early low numbers could be available for use...but....those would not be "cool enough" for a really big shot. SN 000001 would be cool but it may have already been used ...so...what to do?

Well...SN 000000 has never been used so we'll use that number for him....hey, you can't get cooler than all zeros!

Now I am speculating here as I do not have data that shows this for this particular rifle but many years in the retail firearm business I have seen this done before.

Example: first Dan Wesson stainless steel 357 mag was 1025 just for the reasons I have listed.

Colt AR 15 model 601 rifles are reported to start with #000100.

It is too bad that Colt cannot give more info on these rifles....

Jim

 

[jgilmore]

AR15_1911 wrote: "..... I'm looking for only between 16,001 to 19,400....."

I wish I would have known that two weeks ago....at our local gun show a fellow had a SP-1 Sn. 16,5xx for sale for $1200.00....would have taken $1,100.00 cash for it right then. I offered 1K but he turned it down and said it would be for sale at the next show for $1400.00..............

Jim