Colt Expanse M4 Carbine?

[Quentin]

Has anyone looked at the new budget Colt Expanse? The MSRP is $699 so it's positioned to compete with the S&W M&P-15 Sport II and Ruger AR-556. I saw my first one yesterday and it's not bad at all. Nothing like that cheap "Colt" 6900 they tried to foist off on the public a couple years ago.

I've read the Expanse has a non-chrome lined barrel, no dust cover, no forward assist and no rear sight which was true of the one I handled. However the upper receiver will accept a dust cover and forward assist if you buy the parts.

I've also read it doesn't have M4 feed ramps, bayonet lug, front sling swivel, F-marked FSB, M16 bolt carrier, MPI bolt and milspec diameter buffer tube but the Expanse I handled had all of these desired features. The lower was a standard LE6920/M4 lower, this one with a Cerro Forge mark. Even the castle nut was staked properly. The only thing different about the lower, it had a standard weight carbine buffer instead of an H or H2 which is better with carbine length gas. I read the first Expanses have the standard LE6920 lower but newer ones will have a CE lower, whatever that is.

Nowhere does "Expanse" appear on the rifle, the barrel is marked Colt 5.56 NATO 1/7 twist and the lower is rollmarked M4 Carbine, CAL. 5.56MM

I'm going to read more on this new Colt. Got a feeling I'm going back today. I have a dust cover! And an H2 buffer...

 

[WVsig]

What is the street price?

 

[Speedo66]

Wonder how it will do resale wise. If Colt is presenting it as a discount product, how will that affect it as a used gun?

I've seen them advertised as low as $629, here's one from a private seller, says it's new, for $400. http://www.armslist.com/posts/5270731/florida-rifles-for-sale---colt-ar-15-5-56

 

[mnrivrat]

Sounds a bit too good at $400 . Seller is "unregistored" or is that the gun ?

 

[Speedo66]

It's the seller, Armlist doesn't require you to register to sell there.

 

[Jackal]

If this doesnt scream "scam", I dont know what does:

COLT EXPANSE AR-15 5.56 IS NEW IN THE BOX WITH 30 ROUND CLIP ITS NEW IN THE BOX , it can be ship

30 ROUND CLIP, it can be ship....... English is are hard.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Doesn't a $400 new colt anything raise the hair on the back of your neck!

It does mine. I've never known of a cheap Colt anything.

If they turn out being $699 dealer price i think i would much rather build one. YMMV



Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

 

[yzguy87]

Imo, sounds like a good budget ar. I've seen these in person but never shot one. They *appear* to be well made. The lowers don't have the same trigger group. I never liked the 6900 especially since it wasn't made by Colt and its street price was around 800-900. I think this one has a shot. If I was looking for an entry level Colt, I'd personally try to find a decently priced 6920 OEM. If I couldn't find one then the Expanse would probably get my attention.

As far as resale, it has a "Colt M4 Carbine" rollmark. When the market goes crazy, just watch and see what resale is

 

[Bobson]

As far as resale, it has a "Colt M4 Carbine" rollmark. When the market goes crazy, just watch and see what resale is

Pretty much. Since "Expanse" doesn't show up anywhere on the rifle itself, the only way to distinguish it will be the lack of certain features. How many people buying during a panic are going to notice the differences? My guess is "not many." LTBB, as they say.

 

[Quentin]

... the first Expanses have the standard Colt LE6920 lower but newer ones will have a CE lower, whatever that is.

Nowhere does "Expanse" appear on the rifle, the barrel is marked Colt 5.56 NATO 1/7 twist and the 6920 lower is rollmarked M4 Carbine, CAL. 5.56MM ...

Below are pictures of the current LE6920 receiver from Colt Defense and new CE lower from Colt's Mfg. Co. LLC.

 

[WestKentucky]

Only difference I see is how they marked the caliber. 5.56 vs .223 maybe the CE is targeted specifically for the civilian market and the LE is for law enforcement? A true m4 would be aimed at military and specialized police units, and would have a happy switch so that would distinguish it pretty easily.

 

[Quentin]

The 5.56 LE6920 lower by Colt Defense is a plus, in fact people are parting out Expanses with this lower since a complete LE6920 lower can bring $450 * if you can find one. The law enforcement LE lower was desired by many over the civilian/sporting SP lower and I expect the same will be true over this CE lower that identifies the caliber as .223 and has "Colt's Mfg. Co. LLC" instead of "Colt Defense".

Small differences to most people but huge to some. I'm tempted. And the window is closing.

 

[Quentin]

Ok, I picked up an Expanse and am glad I did. I have a use for a cheap AR so liked the idea of getting a Colt LE6920 lower at the same time. Kinda like killing two birds with one stone. Of course for the price ($667) I could have built something with a better upper but I've never owned a carbine with carbine length gas so figured why not try one - and get that lower I really wanted.

Not much to talk about, the Colt Expanse is an entry level AR that compares well with the S&W M&P15 Sport and Ruger AR-556 - and maybe not so well with a good PSA build for the same price. But I wanted that lower. (Sounding like a broken record here. )

Well, here are some pictures taken before I installed a dust cover and forward assist bolt. Easy job even though I of course dropped the tiny C clamp and Colt complicated the installation of the FA because they used a roll pin to lock in the plastic plug.

The rear sight is a Matech that I had laying around.

 

[Quentin]

... And now here's my new Colt LE6920 lightweight midlength. The upper of course is a BCM 16" with a pencil barrel which had been on a Valkyrie lower (that's now married to the Expanse upper). I will put the Expanse back together to test at the range and then test the Colt lower/BCM upper and Valkyrie lower/Colt upper combinations. Everything fits well so there shouldn't be problems. I left the standard weight carbine buffer in the Colt lower since it should be well suited with the BCM midlength upper. The Expanse upper with its shorter gas length is better suited for the H buffer I left in the Valkyrie lower.

Most of the FDE furniture is Magpul while the pistol grip is a BCM Gunfighter Mod 3. My flash makes the BCM FDE look much lighter than Magpul FDE but in normal light it's not so obvious.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Some retailer was selling a complete Expanse upper for $309. Can't beat that with a stick.

 

[Quentin]

And he probably was selling the Expanse lower for $450 or more!

 

[Dr.Rob]

Point is its a Colt bolt and barrel, complete for $309. You darn near can't BUILD one for that price.

 

[Quentin]

And that's a good point, Dr.Rob! Good BCGs were going for more than half that not long ago. I admit I bought the Colt Expanse for the lower but the upper is pretty good. I can use it so will hang on to it.

A decent BCG, barrel, upper receiver ... yeah, the parts alone can exceed the price these uppers are going for. I think right now there is a low perception of this upper but it's better than that. And if you want to add the forward assist and dust cover that's a $25 upgrade that can be done by anyone handy with a punch and needle nose pliers.

 

[yzguy87]

Anyone tried to wring out its accuracy potential with a scope on one? I've been curious about what kind of groups they're capable of producing.

On a slightly unrelated note I don't like the data matrix they engraved by the safety selector.

 

[Quentin]

The new data matrix bugged me, too, but it and lighter engraved markings started showing up on 6920 lowers last year so it's not exclusive to the Expanse. You know that of course but I wanted to clarify for others reading the thread.