Pre-Ban Colt AR-15 A2 Govt’ Model

[Jessesky]

A friend of mine knows I work with guns often. He brought a rifle to me to modify and make ‘tactical’.

The rifle in question is a Pre-Ban colt AR-15 A2 Govt’ Model. I told him no way, I am not modifying this piece of history.

I am going to offer to to buy it from him, and simply do a build from new parts with the money he made from the sale, rather than ruin the colt. What would you pay for a rifle like this?

 

[.455_Hunter]

Sorry- Your friend is kind of a dufus.

How is it "not tactical" when it replicates the frontline US service rifle used for over two decades?

There are plenty of sources for a Barbie Carbine.

 

[BreechFace]

Around here they are seen in the $1,500-2,000 range in original condition (ie not modified).

And, yes you are doing the right thing. I don’t get in the golden age of everything AR15 one would want to change that into something that is readily available.

Seems to me he should web shop and find the AR he wants, buy it and you buy the Colt off him for the same price within reason both ways adding cash.

 

[CapnMac]

Yep, build him the "tactical" (whatever that is) he wants and do a straight up trade.

Dude can then get "punisher" or skull or the like lower, and whichever skeleton upper suits best. Then, whatever stock the arfcom kids consider "kewl" these days.

Is that A2 barrel a milspec HBAR or the original Colt HBAR?
Mind, I may be biased on what is cool, too

 

[mjsdwash]

i paid $640 to build one on a Bushmaster receiver about 15 years ago, so at least that. I know people think Colts are worth more, but from a practical standpoint Colts are about the worst option, with their weird pins.... Building a new one in that configuration with an Anderson lower would run about $800 just before the 2020 civil unrest without looking hard and waiting for sales. But a collector may be more interested. I would probably off $750 unless I knew someone interested I could introduce them too. Offer him a $500 gimickqueen and $200 would be my suggstion.

 

[Casefull]

I have one that is like brand new. I even have the colt scope for it. I purchased it in the 80s.

 

[Casefull]

View attachment 972909 I put this together for about $600 last year.

 

[BigBlue 94]

You are doing the right thing. Its not about how cheap it can be put together. Its a piece of AR history. Has anyone priced Colt parts recently? A Colt gas key is 60 bucks, where as a Del-Ton is 9.

Thats a $1200+ gun no matter how you look at it.

 

[entropy]

I intend to build one like Casefull's A1 copy; I found a place that has 80% receivers with H&R markings, and will do a custom serial number. I intend to have my issue rifle's SN engraved on it.

Good save, Jessesky! He gets the rifle he wants, you get a nice A2 Sporter. Win-win.

 

[d2wing]

I agree, buy it. I had a very nice and accurate Del-ton A-2 that I liked. My son decided he wanted it and "bought" it from me. Against my advice it now has a carbine stock, and Magpul pistol grip and handguard. I had offered to let him have a PSA carbine that his son shot a deer with or offered to build something. It's ok. he is keeping the parts.

 

[CapnMac]

I even have the colt scope for it. I purchased it in the 80s.

For those interesting in such things, Brownell's has a limited number of those scopes, new made from the original company* for sale--oops, spoke too soon, they are out of stock again ($299.95 price tag helps)
https://www.brownells.com/optics-mo...s/retro-4x-carry-handle-scope-prod124965.aspx

_________________________
*Ok, technically the optics company that bought the OEM, but still the same factory specs.

 

[bannockburn]

CapnMac

For those interesting in such things, Brownell's has a limited number of those scopes, new made from the original company* for sale--oops, spoke too soon, they are out of stock again ($299.95 price tag helps)

That price is about what I paid for my AR15 SP1 Sporter back in the late '70s! For what it's worth I checked out one of those original carry handle scopes but it didn't let in very much light and it was difficult to get a decent sight picture with it. And yes, I still have the original triangular handguards for it...I just like the round ones better!


I did buy a bayonet for it long before I ever bought the rifle!

 

[Charlie98]

I bought my H-Bar back in ‘92’ish for $800. Realistically, that’s about what it’s worth... $800-1000, add another $4-500 for sale to a pre-ban state.

even though it’s a Colt, it’s not All That and a bag of chips... it’s a target rifle, with the absolute worst trigger in the safe, and, yes, it’s got the funky pins. It’s not a bad rifle, it certainly gets the job done... but it’s nothing spectacular.

it’s his rifle... it’s just a rifle... do what he wants.

 

[lemaymiami]

Just looking at that old black rifle brought back memories... Like everyone else in my Basic company I qualified with the M-14 (and had to work at it - I weighed less than 140 when I enlisted... ). A full year later, stationed stateside, we were all required to qualify with the M-16 and I shot Expert with it at my first range session (and thought it was a breeze compared to the M-14...). That was in 1969... and I was almost 21.

 

[Charlie98]

Here's mine. After I got out of the Army in '89, I ran out as soon as I could and bought the H-bar... it was the closest thing I could find to the M16A1 I carried in the Army. I bought a Colt because I thought that was the best one on the market, and it very likely was back in 1992... when the AR Craze hadn't hit, yet. Oddly enough, I only had HydraMatics and a single H&R when I was in, never a Colt.

These days, setting aside the current issue with availability, I feel the Colt takes a backseat to some of the very high quality components available... hence my suggestion that 'it's only a rifle,' nostalga aside.

Top, Colt H-Bar, bottom, RRA upper build with LRB lower.

The Colt is original except for the Magpul grip and trigger guard.

 

[entropy]

Just after I got out right before you in Dec. '88, I built an XM177E2 clone, with 11" pinned shrouded barrel to make 16". I always wanted one, and helped our division recon unit build CAR-15's when they wanted them. I was issued an H&R my whole time in. Most of the A1's in my Arms Room were Hydra-matics, I had the lone H&R, and there were about a half dozen Colts. I really liked the A2's I borrowed for the post rifle match- way better than the A1.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

The only thing I'd do to that is maybe some match sights and then take it Service Rifle competing.

Todd.

 

[BreechFace]

The only thing I'd do to that is maybe some match sights and then take it Service Rifle competing.

Todd.

Match sights
Target grip
Weighted buttstock (if competing in 'Unlimited Service Rifle')

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Match sights
Target grip
Weighted buttstock (if competing in 'Unlimited Service Rifle')

Yup, I weighted the stock and the the hand guard and free-floated the guard with a *cheater tube* on mine.

Do they still do that?

Todd.

 

[.455_Hunter]

What we drew out of the arms room on 9/11 for individual weapons- M9 (myself), M4 carbine (no optics, carry handle open sights) and M16A2 platforms. My desirability for anything subsequently fielded is pretty low, excluding maybe a Trijicon- those are pretty cool.

 

[mcb]

I am a confirmed Colt hater I would sell that thing to the highest bidder and build a "useful" AR. None of my AR's have a carry handles, let alone an integrated carry handle and only one is not free floated and most of them are chambered in a cartridge other than 223/556. Got no use for an M16 clone or even M4 clone. I like the AR platform but for me personally it needs a lot of changes to make it interesting or useful to me.

 

[1KPerDay]

View attachment 972909 I put this together for about $600 last year.

Does it say COLT on the receiver and are all the parts made or sourced by COLT?

 

[BreechFace]

I'm no Colt lover, but even so, I wouldn't be changing much on that rifle. In a sea of modern AR's these old A1's and A2's would be preserved as such if it were my gunsafe.

 

[Charlie98]

I'm no Colt lover, but even so, I wouldn't be changing much on that rifle. In a sea of modern AR's these old A1's and A2's would be preserved as such if it were my gunsafe.

seriously? Retro is all the rage... we went from ‘Swiss Army knife’ AR’s, with everything but the kitchen sink hanging off them, to simplistic retro builds that don’t even have forward assist. It’s not like base -A1’s or -A2’s don’t exist, or can’t be built from parts. Some of you are acting like this thing belongs in the Smithsonian....

 

[BreechFace]

seriously? Retro is all the rage... we went from ‘Swiss Army knife’ AR’s, with everything but the kitchen sink hanging off them, to simplistic retro builds that don’t even have forward assist. It’s not like base -A1’s or -A2’s don’t exist, or can’t be built from parts. Some of you are acting like this thing belongs in the Smithsonian....

Well, I'm a shooter as well as a collector (yes they get shot too), and I'm of the mind that an original factory condition A1 or A2 AR15 will be worth something someday.

My point which it looks like was missed, is that we are swimming in AR15's of all makes, models, calibers, parts, quality, etc.; so why spend good money turning this original condition Colt into something that can be purchased for $800-1,000?

Don't believe me, just look at original FN Belgium FAL's as compared to even FAL's parted together by reputable FAL builders, the difference in value is significant.

Or how about an HK MP5 compared to the clones offered for sale nowadays?