drmustang66 Posted January 20, 2019 Report Share Posted January 20, 2019 I have a Colt AR15 factory made select fire rifle. The serial number is 15,401. I cannot find any information of the date of manufacture. There is no property of US marking. Any help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJX Posted January 20, 2019 Report Share Posted January 20, 2019 1965 according to this site: https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-/123-241681/? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drmustang66 Posted January 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2019 Thanks for the reply. I read the same info but wonder why the serial numbers jump from 14,000 to 20,000 in 1963 and then resumed at 15,000 in 1965. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hammer Posted January 20, 2019 Report Share Posted January 20, 2019 I have a similar gun about 100 numbers off yours. These guns are likely early Colt 604's or 614's before Colt designated the model numbers. The fact that they are not marked U.S. Property tends to lean them to the very 1st police and civilian guns available. However I have heard that some of the early guns that went overseas to Vietnam advisers, the air force and a few other countries were also not U.S.property marked so it may be impossible to know where the gun was first issued. I am by no means an expert on this subject as these guns are not my specialty. Here are a few pics of mine, I'm guessing that yours has similar characteristics. A 605 upper, 20" barrel with early 3 prong muzzle. Post some pictures of yours and we can compare, these are actually pretty rare guns, it would nice to see another one like mine.Mike H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drmustang66 Posted January 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2019 (edited) The person that sold me the rifle stated that very low 15,000 serial number guns were issued to the Air Force. I carried a M16 in Vietnam and wanted a gun from the late 60's.It is my understanding that US property marked rifles are almost impossible to buy. I paid $24,000 two month ago and from talking to various collectors that is the going price. The model number is a 604 for 15,000 serial numbers. Edited January 20, 2019 by drmustang66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpledger Posted July 3, 2019 Report Share Posted July 3, 2019 I'm working with a police department with some M-16 A-2 select fire rifles with serial numbers in the range 8114XXX, 8113XXX and 8108XXX. I believe them to be circa 1986 manufacture, but can't find an authoritative source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryKeim Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 8,000,000 series 1980’s In general these are 700 series commercial/export marked models of the M16A2. From: http://namcom.foroactivo.com/t104-m16-serial-numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougStump Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 Here is my best friend during Desert Shield/Storm, Colt M16 (not A1) serial # 313135. Carried/lived with her for seven months and never chambered a round! Note the luxurious USAF living accommodations. 31st Medical Group. While over there I had in my hands (fondled) Colt serial # 00009. It was assigned to the 1st Medical Group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in IN Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Here's a document I ran across a few years ago that covers the early serial number guns, in case you haven't seen it. I'm in that group too with AR15 full auto serial #2014xx. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hammer Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 John, thanks for posting that document, I have never seen it before. Do you recall where it came from, I wonder how accurate it is? I don't believe that this document has ever surfaced on the AR15.com site as far as I know. Mike Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in IN Posted September 30, 2019 Report Share Posted September 30, 2019 Mike, I got that document a few years ago from a full auto AR15 for sale ad on Bowers board. The seller had posted it as a way of explaining where these guns came from I guess. The serial number on his gun was very close to mine. I sent him a message about it but he never replied. Although not a pristine copy of the document, what you can see of the letterhead at the top looks consistent with "Colt Industries" logo of the time period. Cars are my other hobby and I remember seeing that same letterhead on Holley carb instruction sheets back in the day. Holley was part of Colt for a time back then. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hammer Posted October 1, 2019 Report Share Posted October 1, 2019 John, here is the 1st page of the AR15 serial numbers list that is usually encountered. The number ranges are about the same as your list but there is perhaps greater detail in the breakdown. It still is impossible to determine where my 15XXX serial numbered gun was first issued. Colt will not research this for me either as this is a class 3 firearm. Mike Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in IN Posted October 2, 2019 Report Share Posted October 2, 2019 Mike, yes I've seen that list before. I just don't know if one list is more accurate than the other, or any other details on the sheet I listed. On my list, my gun falls into the range of "British Contract" guns, but there is definitely no British markings like on the lend/lease Thompsons, and could easily be a commercial/export CAR-15 as indicated on the other list. I think it would require Colt to chime in and help with this dilemma, but as you have found out, they won't assist with full-auto rifle research. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in IN Posted October 2, 2019 Report Share Posted October 2, 2019 I also have this neat old operation manual about the AR-15 as a full auto rifle. I found this about the same time I bought my gun. It was on Vollmer's board (remember that)! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MG08 Posted October 22, 2019 Report Share Posted October 22, 2019 I have SN 83x, Rollmarked Armalite and "01". Neat gun. We have several of this range here in MN ( C&R only) that I have seen, all looked to be from a batch brought into the state by a dealer in the early 80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in PA Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Are these early M-16s and full-auto AR-15s C&R eligible? Or are only the Mod 1 Armalite Marked Colts? I know what the ATF identifies on the C&R web site, and I know the 50 year rule. But I never see these early class 3 weapons listed as C&R eligible. Really would like to buy an M-16, but would like it to be C&R. Thanks Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Hammer Posted September 10, 2020 Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 Yes, they are C&R. They are factory made Colt automatics and they are over 50 yrs old. Have you found one to buy, because the early Colt or Armalite Rifles don’t come up for sale that often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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