Retro M16A1 or M16A2

[Mainsail]

I've had an idea to buy a retro looking AR15, something that looks like the M16A1 Vietnam style (triangle fore grip) or maybe an M16A2. What I wanted was a non-tactical rifle length gun with the carry handle top.

The problem I discovered was that there really isn't much out there. The current rage is flat top tactical uppers for mounting a half dozen doo-dads, so handle uppers are rare. A few companies make a handle upper but with a 1:9 twist; I prefer a 1:7 for shooting heavier bullets.

So I looked at building but even the parts are harder to find, and since they're now 'rare' they're overpriced.

Yesterday I opened yet another email from CDNN and was scrolling to the bottom to see what magazines were on sale, and saw a handle top AR? OK, it must be a detachable handle, they always are. Click in and it's a Colt HBar, used in 'very good to excellent' condition. 1:7 barrel...check.

Two in stock?! Yikes, so I'm humping through the order process and it says there are no FFLs within 100 miles of my zip code? Ugh! C'mon....the map finally populates and I pick out my garage FFL friend and submit. So far it looks like I scored one!

Very happy!

EDIT to add: Link to the gun

 

[Drm50]

Over the years I have had 0 interest in any AR/AK type rifles. I
have always been into classic type sporting and target rifles. I
decided I might pick up a AR in the old GI style we were issued
in RVn. I have herd Colt is bringing one out to sell to VN Vets.
I saw a picture of it, but the price is $2k+. Going to be another
Colt flop. They have lousy business plan. They could sell a lot of
these to Vets, but the price will put me off. The market is glutted
with AR rifles at $500 range. Not many guys going to go 4+ the
price for this gun. I'm not interested in a parts gun so I will buy
another old Winchester instead.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

What you want is a Colt SP-1....A1 upper(No forward assist/rear sight windage only with a bullet tip/triangular handguards/A1 full circle vented flash arrestor/elevation on front sight with bullet tip)......got one(from 1977) but don't have pic handy..........

 

[JayFramer]

Very, very cool. The M16 is a good looking gun in "classic" form. Reminds me of the rusty, trusty M16A2 I shot in basic.

 

[JayFramer]

I too wish it was easier to find a "non flat top" USGI style M16 clone with NO rails or tacticool nonsense for a good price. I don't understand why nobody makes one that's affordable?? They're such a simple gun, how are the ones decked out with rails and adjustable stocks LESS expensive?? I'd love to have an M16A2 style one.

 

[amazingflapjack]

they could call it "the steaming heap retro" as far as I am concerned. Maybe put a grim reaper decal on the stock to signify the lives it cost. JMV.

 

[Mexican Kerry]

The Colt SP1 fits the bill in my opinion, although the barrel may be an issue as they were all 1:12 if I recall. Someone more knowledgeable may correct me....

 

[Engine49guy]

An M16A1 has quite a few differences from the M16A2.
There were also several transitional changes during the civilian AR15 evolution.

Here is a link to another thread discussing it
http://smith-wessonforum.com/firear...180-new-colt-m16a1-reissue.html#post139626104

Please excuse the missing pics as Photobucket has decided to block 3rd party sharing unless they shake you down for $500...
need to transfer all my gun pics to Imageshack

 

[vonn]

I have an A1 clone put together years ago from Colt parts but as stated finding An A2 upper receiver is really hard ,been looking for awhile with no luck except for way overpriced parts. The 1 in 12 barrel shoots 55 grain really well for me.

 

[damienph]

My 20" is a fixed carry handle A2 upper. I know that it isn't "correct" but I put triangle handguards on mine. Mine is a Delton upper on an older Bushmaster lower.

 

[murphydog]

I too wish it was easier to find a "non flat top" USGI style M16 clone with NO rails or tacticool nonsense for a good price. I don't understand why nobody makes one that's affordable?? They're such a simple gun, how are the ones decked out with rails and adjustable stocks LESS expensive?? I'd love to have an M16A2 style one.

Production volume of parts...everyone makes the tacticool doodads, hardly anyone the old style uppers, handguards, etc.

 

[Glashaus]

Fixed carry handle AR's in A1 or A2 form have gotten a tad scarce these days with the popularity of the flat top M4 clones. DPMS makes a 20" A2 style rifle

A2 CLASSIC

I thought that Bushmaster still made one but only see a 16" fixed carry handle on their site.

I found the next best thing to a military surplus M16A2 and that is an ex California Highway Patrol Colt Dissapator AR-15 LE carbine, fixed carry handle, A2 configuration, made in 2002



A1 uppers have gotten scarce and pricey. You can get all the parts and make an A1 clone, or get a Colt SP1. I had one of those from 1980-2011 and they are a fine rifle, not exactly an A1 clone but close enough.

 

[kpoesq369]

SP1s have gotten very pricey lately. And if all you want is the A1look but do want the faster twist barrel, the stocks and handguards are an easy swap. My fave AR site is AR15.com, and they have a pretty active retro forum for questions or advice.

 

[BB57]

I built an M16 clone with a SP 101 police take off upper and a retro lower from Nodak Spud and put my vintage Colt scope on it. I also built an M16A1 clone with a police take off M16A1 upper, and another Nodak Spud retro lower.

Both uppers were purchased when the department went with M4 uppers to create shorter patrol carbines.

Sadly, it's harder to build an M16A1 clone now as the glut of surplus parts such as A1 uppers,barrels and furniture has pretty much dried up.

 

[Wyo]

If you want a shooter rather than a collector, and don't mind doing a build, Brownells has brand new stripped A2 (fixed sight) uppers in stock for $99.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I was one of the first kids on the block to have an AR-15, back around 1967. The one directly below was upgraded with an M16A1 upper in 1969 so as to have a forward assist and birdcage flash suppressor.

Then came an HBAR in the '80s, and a Colt Carbine was upgraded to approximate M4 status around the recent turn of the century.

I love 'em all.

John

 

[MCorps0311]

If you want a shooter rather than a collector, and don't mind doing a build, Brownells has brand new stripped A2 (fixed sight) uppers in stock for $99.

The one on the left looks just like the one I humped in Nam with out the scope.I wish I had one just like it.

 

[JayFramer]

they could call it "the steaming heap retro" as far as I am concerned. Maybe put a grim reaper decal on the stock to signify the lives it cost. JMV.

Well to be fair the time the M16A1 and especially M16A2 came out, the guns were largely fixed. I will agree I wouldn't have much use for a first gen M16 repro, talk about a dud!

 

[old tanker]

Well to be fair the time the M16A1 and especially M16A2 came out, the guns were largely fixed. I will agree I wouldn't have much use for a first gen M16 repro, talk about a dud!

While the career bureaucrats at Springfield were lying to Congress about being able to build the M14 cheaper with much of their existing M1 tooling they were telling troops that the M16 was "self cleaning."

It is hard to decide if it was stupidity or sabotage, but a lot of things happened to undermine the testing and fielding of the M16. Maybe I am just too cynical, but I suspect that a cabal of civilians were more concerned keeping Union jobs in Massachusetts than the survival of soldiers in rice paddies.

Imagine for a moment what might have been if back in the 1950s the FAL chambered in .280 British had been chosen instead of the M14 in 7.62x51.

 

[Drm50]

The only 2 ARs that I have owned new, I took on trade from a
LGS that I was always trading "collector stuff"to them for guns
that I had use for at the time. I took 2 new ones, they were green. I think they were about $159 NRT at the time. He said
he couldn't sell them because of bad rep. of M16s at the time.
I never took them out of box and had them a good while before
I was able to off them. This was back in the day a new Colt 1911
was $100 and you would be lucky if a LGS would take a GI 1911
on trade. Shortly after this I got drafted and ended up in RVn.
By this time they had bugs out of M16 and ammo. It was a
dependable and accurate rifle, I just never got was interested
in quasi military rifles. They have no class or soul, give me a
old pre64 Win and I'm happy.