I dont remember where I got it. What’s the opinion on this one? Attached File
Attached File

I got a repro from AR15sport recently. Honestly never saw a real one to say what differeces there are.

I been meaning to ask AmericanSheepDog that very question. Did the original Colt 601s or any of them have holes in the mag catch and take down pins. I have looked at lots of pictures of 601s and older rifles and they all seem to NOT have holes in the mag release and take down pins. I was wondering if that was just something the cloners started doing in the 80s 90s 2000s or when ever it started.

Serial number 04 has some dents or shallow dimples. Were them factory? https://www.ar15.com/forums/AR-15/Colt-Model-01-601-Consolidated-Photo-Reference-Thread/123-773784/

Then SN 0111?? which popped up on GB in 2018 has the hole in the mag release. Is that hole factory or did someone build it from a kit and added a modern day mag release with a hole? I honestly have no idea.

Edit - I meant to say mag catch and trigger/hammer pins. I think I was half asleep when I said take down pins.

Huh, I saw so much on the dimpled ones that I never questioned it, but I see what you mean now.

Found THIS old archived thread talking about it as well.

Go take a look through pictures of early 604 and XM16E1's, that's where you will see a decent amount of dimpled catches and pins.

This is a question I don’t think I personally have enough info to make a claim one way or another.

I will say SN 04 is a bad reference in this case because it is an ArmaLite prototype manufactured in Costa Mesa, CA in 1958, not at Colt in 1959. It has several differences from production-run rifles, and was altered several times throughout its life. I included it in that thread though because it is the rifle that ArmaLite sold to Colt when they sold the rights to manufacture the AR-15. In a configuration close to the current one (i think it had a knurled slip ring around that time, but had already been altered 2-3 times since original production), it served as the basis for Colt to stand up 601 production. The mag catch on the prototypes are shorter, it doesn’t have channel for an over-insertion hump like 601s do, and there are no bosses for the bolt catch rollpin. The roll pin is installed from inside the magazine well.

As you can see in the reference thread, takedown pins and safeties are most often dimpled on early guns. I do think the 2000s era cloners were of the opinion that everything was dimpled, which we now know not to be true. Some also thought the ejection port cover didn’t have a pad on the 1958 prototypes, which also isn’t true.

Hopefully that provides some context, but probably wont provide clarity lol

Okay, I wanted to ask this question anyway so I'm gonna hijack this thread briefly.

So 601's had a large port door pad. Because I'm dumb, and didn't pay enough attention, I put a small pad door on my 601 thinking that was right since it was early. Now that I know it's not, would a newer large pad door actually be more correct? Are there correct repros otherwise that I missed? I'm guessing actual originals would be a fortune, if they are around.

Originals are $150-$250 probably, but yes, ArmaLite prototype, 601, 602, and early XM16E1/M16A1 all had square pad port doors

I think ar15sport has reproductions

Looks exactly like the one I have, and I know mine is original. (Except for getting reparked prior to the build. )