Who here has retro AR's? Hard to get?

[Teapot]

Remembered a thread about retro AR's. The kind with the original slim barrel and triangular forestock. A much better infantry rifle than the present bench-rest shooters dream.

Where do the parts to build such a rifle come from?

 

[RobAK]

...A much better infantry rifle than the present bench-rest shooters dream...

Not wanting to derail your thread about sourcing parts, but having used a very early M16 in a military field environment I'd have to very strongly disagree with your assesment. They look good in a simple sort of way, but they are by no means a better infantry weapon.

 

[Gunnerlove]

Buy a Colt SP1. Not retro but "old" school. They come up in the EE quite often.

 

[Winz]

The original fielded with the triangular bakelite handguard and pencil barrel(which apparently bent easily ?)......hmmm...I'm not one to usually care for a forward assist either but somehow I like to know it is there(I know hypocritical)

There's an SP1 for sale on EE if retro is what you want. However, any basic modern AR with say good irons would suit just about anyone just fine. Hanging other kit all over an AR is personal pref and/or optional.

 

[BattleRife]

I have two uppers, one a model of a fairly early 604 (M16) and the other an all-original 70's 603 (M16A1). I alternate them on a Armalite A2 lower. If I get spontaneously wealthy, I may pursue a Nodak Spud 2nd pattern lower.

The 603 I saw on the EE here for $350, and though I had no reason to want it, decided that it was too good a price to let it slide (no bolt group or charging handle).

The 604 I started collecting parts for when I was living in the US for a couple of years. By the time I moved back here, all I needed was the bolt, gas tube and barrel. I found the barrel on the EE, got the gas tube from brownell's and ordered the bolt through TSE.

 

[Leg]

Just check the EE. That's where I got my PWA A1 style rifle. Upper was from a military spares contract, bolt and carrier were pure Colt M16. Buttstock was M16A1 as well. Had to add a couple of items to make it more authentic, like the triangular handguards, proper pistol grip, etc...

If you look in the EE there was just such a rifle not too long ago, seller described it as an A2 but when the pictures showed up it was an A1 upper.

Since these aren't really that popular they can be fairly cheap compared to other rifles, I picked mine up for less than a grand, saw one for $850 not too long ago if I recall correctly.

I do agree with RobAK though, not a better infantry weapon. Simpler, lighter? Absolutely, but better? No. Lights, sights, lasers and railed forends are often neccessary and mandatory on an infantry weapon.

 

[Paulinski]

Here's my bit of nostalgia.

Early 604 Colt upper (barrel markings underneath) with Colt chromed slabside carrier . Very light and accurate.

 

[easy]

I've built lots of Colt retro carbines from original parts. Uppers that is. Slowly finding lowers for them all.

I've been building them for a long time. Finding bonafide barrels are my biggest problem these days. Retro parts are getting hard to find too. Many of my US contacts are getting cold feet these days. So I don't get as many parts in as I used to.

Anyone have a Colt skinny barrel for my AR family?

 

[ollie]

As Battlerifle mentioned, Nodak Spud in the U.S. sells "early" style lowers, both uber-early unfenced, and later partially fenced and fully fenced lowers. Too bad their sold out untill January!
http://www.nodakspud.com/AR Lowers.htm

 

[Paulinski]

I could use one of the Nodak's slabside lowers to complete my AR.

Right now the lower and charging handle is the only non-correct item.

 

[Grunt21]

If you like the lighter profile barrel of the M16A1, you can have Jeff Smith at valleyguns in Petawawa reprofile your barrel too a lightweight, I did it with my newest build and it turned out great.

 

[peter2772000]

The fact that the AR-15/M16 needed a forward assist pretty well says it all. All I can say is that if I had to take just one of my military rifles out in the field where my life was at stake, it'd be my Feg-built AK-47. I'd choose it over my;
HK-G3 (too heavy)
AR-15 (for the exact reasons mentioned above)
FnFal (too heavy, too long)
30M1 (simply too girly a calibre)

My opinion, for what it's worth! I adore the look of my triangular stocked, non forward-assist bolted AR-15 and wouldn't sell it. But just because I own one doesn't mean I don't see the inherent defficiencies & flaws in it.

 

[Grunt21]

Ill stick too my AR/C7A2 thanks

I run the charging handle and dont hit the forward assist.

 

[greentips]

I won't mind having a XM177 clone.

 

[BattleRife]

The fact that the AR-15/M16 needed a forward assist pretty well says it all.

The AR-15 did not, does not, and will not NEED a forward assist. It was grafted onto the receiver, agaisnt the advice of everyone who knew anything about the rifle, because of a "what if" question, not for any rational purpose.

 

[Leg]

The AR-15 did not, does not, and will not NEED a forward assist. It was grafted onto the receiver, agaisnt the advice of everyone who knew anything about the rifle, because of a "what if" question, not for any rational purpose.

You've obviously never used one in a field environment in -40 weather. I've repeatedly had problems with the first round in the mag freezing and needed to use the forward assist to chamber the first round.

99.9% of the time it is not required but it does serve a purpose.

 

[RobAK]

You've obviously never used one in a field environment in -40 weather. I've repeatedly had problems with the first round in the mag freezing and needed to use the forward assist to chamber the first round.

99.9% of the time it is not required but it does serve a purpose.

+1 here.

 

[dangertree]

+1 here.

+2 here.

 

[koldt]

Is this retro?

 

[TheIndifferent1]

Is this retro?

I hate you. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.