I'm new to AR's... what do I have here??

[JHHerold]

So, I traded a guy my Springfield XDM 3.8 for this rifle. It was a build the guy's friend did, and it has a new Anderson Manufacturing lower, and the rest are Colt parts. The barrel is very heavy. It is 20" and it has C MP 5.56 NATO 1/7 HBAR. It has no flash hider. There is what I'm assuming is a year mark on the barrel that says 9/97. The upper has only one marking on it and says C MB. It is a non-detachable carry handle and has a hole in the center for attaching a single rail or optic. Did I get a good deal here? Anyone want to make a guess at a sale or trade value on this rifle? I really have no idea with rifles. I'm more of a pistol guy, however I do like the look of this one versus all the "tacticool" ones that seem to be out there... Thanks!

 

[kimberkid]

Looks like about an even trade (dollar for dollar) with the Colt parts being a plus ... If your happy and like the barrel without a flash hider I'd say you did good.

Back during the Clinton Assault a weapon ban I had a Colt Match Target AR and that's what the upper looks like ... IMHO I'd say its legit.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Post ban (meaning no threaded muzzle)
Colt A2 upper made by Mueller Brass
Barrel is Colt, Magnetic Particle inspected 1:7 twist rate 5.56x45 chambered with a HBAR (heavy profile muzzle to breech) barrel

 

[JHHerold]

So, kimberkid, you don't think I "traded up" then, huh? My buddy thought this rifle looked like something that could sell or trade in the $800-900 range. I was afraid that was overly optimistic. I really traded for it in order to then try and trade the rifle for another pistol more valuable than the XDM was (I valued the XDM at $550 trade $500 cash). I may just list it for trade without a specific value on Armslist and see what kind of offers I get.

 

[Jackal]

You could probably sell the upper half alone for $450- $500. The lower half is worth around $150-$200.

 

[kimberkid]

Thats just my opinion ... the AR market is as soft as I've ever seen it and in all realiaty its what we used to call a "Frankengun" ... a gun made of mixed parts ... it has a post ban barrel which is less desirable to a lot of buyers ... like you said the market favors the tacticool look and this doesn't have it. The Colt 6920 is the hot ticket right now for a store bought gun and I've seen them recently at Walmart for as little as $850 brand new.

Not knowing the build quality of the lower I can only speculate its fine, but what you do have (providing the barrel isn't shot out which I highly doubt) is a very good quality upper; so thats my opinion ... you know what they say about opinions though ...

 

[fireman 9731]

If it was a flat top upper you would have a good basis for a target/range/varmint gun, but the carry handle prevents any reasonable optic mounting. Its still a good serviceable AR. I would start the price at $800 (not that it is worth that) and go from there if you just want to move it along. It has plenty of potential. It could be a good project gun too, its not too hard to swap out the upper receiver for a flat top and put a free float tube and low profile gas block on there and have a good target gun.

 

[SpentCasing]

FWIW, Id trade a XD anything for a ban era Colt A2 upper'd frankengun in a second OP. I think you did good if you plan on shooting it.

 

[rbernie]

It's a good gun and a keeper, but fixed sight uppers don't sell as well as flat top uppers if you want to flip it.

 

[DougW]

Nice rifle. I think you did good, as long as it functions well.

 

[JHHerold]

Thanks for all the input guys. I started my trading with an LC9s in February, and this is what I have ended up with after 5 trades. So while it's not as dramatic an up-trade as I had hoped, I think I still did okay thus far. I'm going to try and see if I can trade this thing for a nice 1911 or a Sig or HK or something.

 

[WNTFW]

JH,
What you have is along the lines of a "National Match" upper, without being a full blown NM upper. I say try it out. You might like it.

 

[MAKster]

In my opinion you are going to have a really hard time trying to sell that. It is the opposite of what people what today. Buyers don't want an A2 stock, or fixed carry handle, or a 20 inch HBAR barrel with no flash hider.

 

[Jenrick]

Stick a free float tube under the hand guards and a get one of the major national match smiths (white oak, Compass lake, etc.) to do their NM rear sight upgrade. You'll have a pretty decent NM upper that'd I'd pay $500-$600 easy. If you can verify an approximate round count and it's low (sub 2K, preferable 1k'ish) you could easily get another $100 for it.

-Jenrick

 

[jerkface11]

Hold on to it till after the presidential election. It may triple in value.

 

[SSN Vet]

I'm guessing that you will find it to be a very accurate rifle.

Feed it lots of yummy brass and learn to shoot it well.

Learning the AR with an A2 upper is, imo, a good thing.

 

[Plinkin' Logs]

Thats a colt 6600 or 6601, some of those are chrome chamber but not chrome lined. Something to check

 

[strambo]

If the upper is really a Colt and if you like that configuration and plan on keeping it, you got a good deal.

Resale in the current soft market would be tough when a new Colt 6720 can be had for $800.

That's a solid AR and if you spent $50 to have the muzzle threaded for an A2 FH, it would look almost exactly like an M16A2.

 

[wideym]

As posted, it's not the "must have" configuration, but it's a solid rifle that I'm sure will be accurate. Around here, stripped Anderson lowers go for $40-50, lower part kits $60, and A2 buttstocks run $20-40 depending on condition. The upper is more difficult to price since as stated it's not in the "must have" configuration i.e.: flat top, 16" M4 barrel.

I've found some great deals on Post Ban ARs. Usually the only thing I change is taking the barrel out of the upper reciever and sending it to a local gunsmith for threading, which costs $40. If it's a carbine length (16") barrel, I usually change out the buttstock to a collapsible one.