Early, Early SP1 Value

enefgee said:
I know this one has never had a reg cert of any kind...
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There would have been no requirement to have a registration on this rifle before what, 1992? So that is also not an indicator of relative age of your SP1. The most reliable indicator would be the serial number. Lacking that, you could look for things like:
- mottled fibreglass furniture
- chromed bolt/carrier group parts
- Edgewater buffer
- 3-prong flash suppressor
- no chrome lining to the bore and/ or chamber

If none of these are present, it is definitely not "early".
 
Congratulations on your new toy; so let's see the pics.

Every one should have a retro in their stable.
 
Claven2 said:
Too high - way too high.

$1000-1200 is about right in this market.
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?? an original '60s SP-1 in that condition is going to be that money~ unless you find a sucker....

The SP-1 is collectible in it's own right as a picture of the issue Colt AR-15/M16 when the SP-1 was built.

If you look at the US sites, guys will drop big money to buy SP-1's with early parts.

I traded an original unfired early 70's vintage SP-1 for cash and a later SP-1 with added early features ~ condition & features = desireability & $

It's kind of tragic that the ATF forced Colt's to butcher the AR15 before they approved it's sale to the public, and I've always been puzzled at why Colt's was still muzzled after they had competition who weren't forced to play by the same rules...
 
Lee Enfield said:
?? an original '60s SP-1 in that condition is going to be that money~ unless you find a sucker....

The SP-1 is collectible in it's own right as a picture of the issue Colt AR-15/M16 when the SP-1 was built.

If you look at the US sites, guys will drop big money to buy SP-1's with early parts.

I traded an original unfired early 70's vintage SP-1 for cash and a later SP-1 with added early features ~ condition & features = desireability & $

It's kind of tragic that the ATF forced Colt's to butcher the AR15 before they approved it's sale to the public, and I've always been puzzled at why Colt's was still muzzled after they had competition who weren't forced to play by the same rules...
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I've passed on two 60's SP1's in the last year, both were under $1200 at a retail gunshop ;) But if the OP or seller thinks it's worth more, then by all means spend away. 1:12 carry handle AR's are really only interesting these days to collectors and there are enough guns out there that most people looking for one have no problem finding one - just saying. Market forces and all that jazz.
 
Lee Enfield said:
If you look at the US sites, guys will drop big money to buy SP-1's with early parts.


It's kind of tragic that the ATF forced Colt's to butcher the AR15 before they approved it's sale to the public, and I've always been puzzled at why Colt's was still muzzled after they had competition who weren't forced to play by the same rules...
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It's true that early SP1's sell for a premium in the US, but the US is a very different market than anywhere else, including Canada. There is no big retro AR buzz here. And even in the states, early SP1 means a gun made in '64, '65 or '66. People here are talking '69, 71, 72... these guns are just run of the mill SP1's, nothing to get excited about.

As for your final comment, I don't know what changes you think the ATF forced on Colt, as I don't see a lot of butchery between the M16 and the SP1. What changes there are I suspect were made by Colt voluntarily, which is why they didn't change even when it became clear they weren't strictly necessary.
 
enefgee said:
Blue Book on an excellent condition early SP1 is close to $2k (US)
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What does the US market have to do with us? Check the price of an FA M16A1 and it will easily be 10k or more in the US, now ask a guy whose grandfathered for FA what his M16A1 is worth and you'll get a very different answer.

Check the Kelly's Blue Book value on cars and then compare prices to Cdn dealers, are the prices similar? Not even close, the market is different here and we use a similar but different book with different prices. Think they call it the red book.
 
BattleRife said:
It's true that early SP1's sell for a premium in the US, but the US is a very different market than anywhere else, including Canada. There is no big retro AR buzz here. And even in the states, early SP1 means a gun made in '64, '65 or '66. People here are talking '69, 71, 72... these guns are just run of the mill SP1's, nothing to get excited about.

As for your final comment, I don't know what changes you think the ATF forced on Colt, as I don't see a lot of butchery between the M16 and the SP1. What changes there are I suspect were made by Colt voluntarily, which is why they didn't change even when it became clear they weren't strictly necessary.
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ATF (I think they were still treasury department at the time) forced the oversize ecentric front pivot and the butchery to the bolt carrier (both the front [firing pin cut] and rear [sear trip] cutouts) before they would approve the SP1 for public sale.

It's nicely spelled out in "The Black Rifle". IIRC ATF wouldn't accept an oversize front pivot, unless it was ecentric...
 
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