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M16 Serial Number and Date of Manufacture


Sandman1957
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This info may be out there somewhere but I have burned a few hours and have not found the specific info I am looking for. I am looking for the date of manufacture for a specific M16 (NFA) (9043575). I may have the opportunity to pick up this M16, and I am trying to determine when it will be Curio and Relic eligible, or how much longer that would be.

 

The info I have is this as a 70's to 80's export or PD gun. If it is early 70's it could be C&R eligible in a couple years or so. If anyone has seen a specific year aligned within the 9,xxx,xxx range please shoot me a link etc.

 

Thanks in advance Sandman1957

 

M16 SN 9mil.jpg

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Steve,

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will soon comment.

All I have is a small paperback titled "United States Martial and Collector Arms".

This book lists the M16 as being manufactured from Sept 1962 to Nov 1965.

Starting Jan 1966, Colt switched to making the M16A1.

Pretty flimsy huh?

Jim C

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Did you guys loo over on AR15.com ? there is a history section and a list of when stuff was made. The gun is not on the C&R list yet, but I did find some relative data . How sure are you on the SN ? a 9 Million SN seems pretty late - most of the early guns are much lower in the range.

 

 

USGI SERIAL NUMBER DATA BASE (serial numbers listed in chronological rather then numerical order):

101-14,484
1959-1963
US Air Force/Project AGILE/SEAL issue Colt's AR-15 Model 601, roll marked ARMALITE. Some sold commercially to police departments, small numbers to foreign militaries such as Malaya, India, Australia, Burma, and Singapore.

20,000-39,999
1963-1964
US Property marked AR-15 Colt's Model 02 issued to US Advisors in Vietnam, and US Air Force. Few hundred commercial/export examples were made that lack US Property markings.

40,000-49,999
1964
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604.

50,000-199,999
1964-1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 & US Army XM16E1 Colt's Model 603.

14,500-14,916
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series and US Property marked GX series for S.A.W.S. contract (note, CAR-15 refers to a family of Colt's weapons, not just short ones).

15,000-19,999
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.

200,000-202,446
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.

202,447-379,353
1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604, and a few commercial export models. There are also examples of commerical/export marked models using the 20X,XXX serial number range produced in the late 1960's.

400,000 series
1966-1973 or so
Only a few rifles/carbines made in this serial number range and known examples are spread out over several years of production. Zero US Property marked rifles have been observed. Highest know example is 418,XXX and dates from the early 1970’s.

500,001-749,999
1966-1967
US Property marked XM16E1 Colt's and M16A1, both Colt Model 603. There are also a small number of US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 found in this serial number range. Serial numbers in this range were not run in order. M16A1’s have been observed with serial numbers as low as 604,505, and XM16E1’s have serial numbers as high as 741,12X.

750,000-752,443
1966
Experimental HBAR.

752,444-899,999
1967
US Property marked M16A1.

900,000 through 909,999
1966-1970
US Property marked Govt. Carbines.

910,000-919,999
Unconfirmed, only know of one Colt in this range, it is in US Air Force inventory, and I do not know the model number.

920,000-999,999
No known examples.

1,000,000-1,999,999
1968-1969
US Property marked Colt's M16A1

2,000,000-2,24X,XXX
1968-1971
US Property marked H&R M16A1.

3,000,000-3,469,217 (approximate)
1968-1971
US Property marked Hydramatic M16A1.

9,000,0000 series
1970’s & 1980’s
In general these are 1970’s and early 80’s “A1” type 600 series commercial/export marked weapons. There are some exceptions, for example US Property marked Govt. Carbines.

AL prefix
1970
Lebanese contract rifles, some 14,000 made.

Note on 4,000,000 series Colt’s, there are quite a few commercial/export marked rifles/carbines mixed in.

4,000,001-4,060,000
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.

4,060,001-4,221,800
1970
US Property marked M16A1.

4,221,801-4,285,400
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.

4,285,401-4,521,000
1970
US Property marked M16A1.

4,521,001-4,521,850
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.

4,521,851-4,638, 400
1970
US Property marked M16A1.

4,638,401-4,643,400
1971
Model 613 for Malaysia.

4,643,401-4,701,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.

4,701,401-4,701,900
1971
Model 613 Commando

4,701,901-4,844,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.

4,844,401-4,849,400
1972
Model 613 for Taiwan.

4,849,401-4,926,000
1972
US Property marked M16A1.

4,926,001-4,928,000
1972
Model 613 for Philippines.

4,928,000-4,936,400
1972
US Property marked M16A1.

5,000,000-5,4X,XXX (app)
1973-1982
US Property marked M16A1 Colt's Model 603 (not aware of any Air Force M16 Colt Model 604's with serial numbers this high). Also some export/commercial models.

6,000,000-6,590,478 (approximate)
1983-1986
US Property marked M16A2 & US Property marked XM4 prototypes Colt's Model 720.

8,000,000 series
1980’s
In general these are 700 series commercial/export marked models of the M16A2.

7,000,000-7,429,766 (approximate)
1988-2003
US Property marked FN M16A2. There are also Balimoy M16A1 lowers restamped A2 in this serial number range. These were used as replacement parts by Anniston.

W prefix
1994-current
US Property marked Colt's M4/A1 Carbine, Colt's Model 920/921.

A prefix
1990’s on
900 series Commercial/export versions of the M4 Carbine.

10,000,000 serial number range
1997-
US Property marked Colt's/FN M16A4

Edited by MG08
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Sandman. I have a 9 million series. Serial no. 9025256. Roll marked M16 also. It's very hard to find a confirmed build date. I'm going to send in a FOIA request on mine.

But it looks from what I have found that mid to late '77 is pretty close.

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That's a shame. They used to send letters on M16s. Here's one from 1998. Cost $100 at the time. Interesting that it was shipped in 1995 to a Colt executive. No born date though.

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/b8te8z.jpg

 

Just wondering who redacted this letter?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a bit of trivia, the M16 (no bloody A1) that I carried in the first Gulf War was serial # 313135, chrome lined chamber but not the barrel which started to rust. The morons in charge sent us over there with six M16's and zero cleaning kits! Acquiring a cleaning kit in country presented no problem when you have custody of two 3,000 lb a day ice machines. He who controls the ice controls the universe.

 

While there I was able to examine (fondle) serial # 00009! Yeah, the Air Force had some antiques.

  • Upvote 1
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That's a shame. They used to send letters on M16s. Here's one from 1998. Cost $100 at the time. Interesting that it was shipped in 1995 to a Colt executive. No born date though.

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/b8te8z.jpg

 

The Colt executive may had been able to get a Colt Archive letter when mere mortals were unable to get one?

Edited by Bridgeport28A1
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  • 3 years later...

I realize that this is an old thread, but it still comes up in M16A1 serial number searches so I decided to throw my 2 cents in as I have not been able to find much relevant info as to the date of manufacture of a 9-million serial number M16. It just so happens that I inherited Ser. 9380166, an M16A1 Model 603 and I actually found the original Form 4 and sales receipt today. It sold for $409.95 on Dec. 3rd, 1979. BTW, The Form 4 was submitted on or about Nov. 30th, 1979 and stamped received by the BATF on Feb. 8th, 1980. It was approved by the BATF on Feb.15th,1980! I'm not sure how that would help anyone to prove their M16 is a relic as it hasn't been 50 years old yet, but at least I have some documented proof of the date of purchase for a 9 million serial number Colt 603 M16. As I read the specifics, the gun has to be submitted to the FATD to be classified and/or reclassified. Info here: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/curios-relics

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