Non Colt M16's

wood714 · Dec 11, 2023

When I thought of the M16, I always thought Colt.

I put together a retro AR upper, and saw a lot of people were using a Harrington and Richardson retro lower. Started doing some searching and found out that not only H&R made M16's in the early days, but General Motors also did.

Needless to say, I'm waiting on a H&R lower right now. I think PSA actually makes the lowers. They are identical to the original M16 lower minus the beautiful roll pin above the selector.

Car Company Had a Big Hand in Making the M16 Rifle | Military.com

Forgotten M16A1 Rifle Manufacturers - GM/Hydra-Matic and Harrington & Richardson - Part II - Small Arms Review

The one I ordered.

Original H&R.

Original GM.

TJm15.38 · Dec 11, 2023

I would be interested in seeing your complete retro build posted when you finish it. Nice lower receiver.

VictorLouis · Dec 11, 2023

YUP, they are like Legos...for grown-ups.

NewLiberty · Dec 11, 2023

H&R (PSA subsidiary), is doing great work in the retro AR market these days.

Since the 80's, FN has made a lot of M-16s for military use as well. My issued rifles were FNs.

A1Oni · Dec 11, 2023

Elisco, Daewoo, Norinco, and a few other companies have made copies of the venerable M16 as well.

wood714 · Dec 11, 2023

TJm15.38 said:
I would be interested in seeing your complete retro build posted when you finish it. Nice lower receiver.

This it it so far. Barrel is 11.5" on a SBR lower. I'll register the H&R lower as soon as I get it. I have a 1950 GP strap I'm going to use as a sling. Still waiting on the OD paracord I ordered to be shipped.

ISCS Yoda · Dec 11, 2023

Funny thing is, I never think Colt for anything.

Bushmaster

Stag

wood714 · Dec 11, 2023

ISCS Yoda said:
Funny thing is, I never think Colt for anything.

Bushmaster

I've never owned a Colt AR. Had a PWA Pac West Arms, that I foolishly sold when I was younger. A stripped PWA lower is bringing a lot of money these days.

Currently have CMMG, DPMS, PSA, Spikes, and soon a H&R.

ericherte · Dec 11, 2023

I was issued a brand new Hydra-matic in basic training in 1984.
It was shrink wrapped to a piece or cardboard along with a sling.

S-W4EVER · Dec 11, 2023

I used a Hydramatic in BCT back in ‘73 (Ft. Leonard Wood). Never saw one again, the rest were Colt’s.

walnutred · Dec 11, 2023

At Ft Dix I was issued a XM16E1 with a 6 digit serial number, first three all 0s. Poor thing looked like it had been through multiple rebuilds and the E1 looked like hand stamping.

RM Vivas · Dec 11, 2023

I was issued an M16A1 marked Hydramatic Division GM from the armory at Ft. Wainright AK in 1985.

I had read somewhere that despite the VAST amount of resources the US put into and pulled out of Vietnam, supposedly there is officially only one M16 in the US that can actually be documented as having seen service in VN. Seems unlikely to me but then again, the US left 900,000 of them over there!

Figure doesn't take into account what grandpa mailed/snuck back home after his tour. Give it another 15 years and another amnesty and the stuff that comes out of the woodwork will be astonishing.

Best,
RM Vivas

Nick B · Dec 11, 2023

walnutred said:
At Ft Dix I was issued a XM16E1 with a 6 digit serial number, first three all 0s. Poor thing looked like it had been through multiple rebuilds and the E1 looked like hand stamping.

We had 3 in our arms room that were marked XXXM16E1 . I distinctly remember the three X’s .

X62503 · Dec 11, 2023

wood714 said:
...Had a PWA Pac West Arms, that I foolishly sold when I was younger. A stripped PWA lower is bringing a lot of money these days.

I have a PWA Commando, pre-Clinton ban, but I am not certain of the exact DOM. I have heard that these earlier receivers were made by Lewis Machine & Tool, but that could be lore for all I know.

AJ · Dec 11, 2023

Shot Colt M16A1's and M16A2's for 24 years in the Corps. Shot many different makers since. Have a DPMS now, funny thing is the all sound the same to me.

wood714 · Dec 11, 2023

X62503 said:
I have a PWA Commando, pre-Clinton ban, but I am not certain of the exact DOM. I have heard that these earlier receivers were made by Lewis Machine & Tool, but that could be lore for all I know.

Mine was marked Commando too. Sure wish I'd kept it.

JayCeeNC · Dec 11, 2023

I went through USAF Security Police Combat School in 1974 before a deployment to SEA.
We had M16s in school that were worn white with use and some had 3-digit serial numbers. (USAF was the first service to adopt the M16, so had the earliest ones.)
Don't remember any oddball manufacturers, though.

Sandman4delta · Dec 11, 2023

I was issued an Armalite M-16 in the Air Force in '83.
It had a VERY low serial number and the finish was like a hard plastic coating that was prone to chipping, revealing the silvery aluminum underneath. I don't know what the finish was called by the manufacturer. The Bolt/Carrier group was in the white but I don't know if it was chromed or stainless. The retaining pin was machined and not the usual cotter pin.
Open three prong flash suppressor of course.
Grand Forks AFB 321st SPS on the Aircraft Security side.
1980 to '86 Never saw an A1 except for six that were kept as special unit weapons with scopes for an EST.
Ah memories...

Grayfox · Dec 12, 2023

When I was in the Army (1972-75) most of our M-16A1s were made by General Motors with a few Colts scattered about. I don't recall any other makers.
Rumor was that the plastic parts were made by Mattel Toys.
We didn't like 'em much. They were prone to malfunction at very inopportune times. We referred to them as the Matty Mattel special. And yes, that was an insult.

LVSteve · Dec 13, 2023

I have an FFL buddy who is a major Colt fan. If you describe something as an M16 or a 1911 and it hasn't got a Colt roll mark on it, expect Major Umbrage to arrive in short order.

Non Colt M16's

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