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AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 7/23/2015 1:27:41 PM EDT
I just noticed that Colt has introduced an economy model of their 308.  List price about $600 less.
Anyone know why the large price drop?
Anyone know how well these are selling?
Link Posted: 7/23/2015 3:29:50 PM EDT
[#1]
Colt MARC 901 SHOT Show Report

New Developments from Colt

Notice the length of the receivers.  They are shorter than an SR25 or any of the other 9" behemoth receivered guns out there, as is the BCG.


Link Posted: 7/23/2015 5:05:33 PM EDT
[#2]
Milled-off selector stops suck.
Link Posted: 7/23/2015 5:36:43 PM EDT
[#3]
I almost got the Colt instead of the DEF10, but decided against it because of the financial crap they're going through. Yet another bankruptcy, something has been wrong inside Colt for sometime.

However, i did buy a Colt Rail Gun a couple months ago. I couldn't pass up the deal, 850$, factory new. But that's as much as I'm comfortable investing in a bankrupt company.
Link Posted: 7/23/2015 9:41:56 PM EDT
[#4]
The most awkward looking .308 AR award goes to...........
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 8:57:20 AM EDT
[#5]
my thoughts exactly. Aesthetically "meh."
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 10:15:10 AM EDT
[#6]
agreed, its hideous. if this is Colt's response to bankruptcy they are sure to go under!!
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 11:52:02 AM EDT
[#7]
They are one of the better-handling .308 carbine offerings right now, along with the DPMS GII.

This is really a dust-off of the 1959 ArmaLite/Colt AR10A that Colt tooled up to produce in 1959/1960, but stopped when foreign military orders for the AR15 looked more than promising after both guns were demo'd to nations who were looking to upgrade from WWII-era rifles.

The lower looks strange on the Colt 901 because it is modular, in that you can put an AR15 upper receiver on it with a magazine well insert and move down to anything that fits in a standard AR15.

Link Posted: 7/24/2015 1:12:38 PM EDT
[#8]
Colt was always the betamax to the rest of the industry's vhs, or heck cd/ipod/usbmemorystick - heck they're still selling betamax's LOL. Oversize trigger pins and molded in sear blocks, and like the guy above said, milled off safety selector stops. Who needs that aggravation? In the end it bit them in the tail. There are still, and always will be, the Cold cool-ade drinkers, but as for me, I choose "other".
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 1:45:36 PM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
I just noticed that Colt has introduced an economy model of their 308.  List price about $600 less.
Anyone know why the large price drop?
Anyone know how well these are selling?
View Quote



I am very happy with my 901 rifle.  To be the only one to answer your question, I think they were able to lower the price because they are not using the monolithic upper on the cheaper model.  If it doesn't come with sights, that is another huge cost savings.

The 901 has not been a hot seller, I think because of the hefty price.  And right now is just a hard time to sell AR style rifles.  So even though they are introducing these lower price models, the market is soft, and then add to that stigma of the company declaring bankruptcy and you are seeing the resultant stagnant sales.
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 3:55:04 PM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Colt was always the betamax to the rest of the industry's vhs, or heck cd/ipod/usbmemorystick - heck they're still selling betamax's LOL. Oversize trigger pins and molded in sear blocks, and like the guy above said, milled off safety selector stops. Who needs that aggravation? In the end it bit them in the tail. There are still, and always will be, the Cold cool-ade drinkers, but as for me, I choose "other".
View Quote



I'm not a Colt fanboy.  Don't own any of their rifles or pistols, but I disagree with this statement.

Colt has forgotten more about what makes these types of rifles work than most of the AR15 imitation industry will ever know.

They have also pushed innovation and alternate caliber development that gets overlooked because so many people are new to AR15's and AR10's, and don't really know much of anything about the history of these guns.

Take the Colt 7.62x39 Sporter, for example.  They did a lot of engineering work on that project to get those guns to work.  All of it was ignored when gun show grade companies like Model 1 Sales jumped on the caliber back in the day and thought they could market x39 parts with just an enlarged bolt face and garbage-grade barrels.

I started to see really quick that after-market vismod guns have nothing in common with Mil-spec guns, other than looks.  Not even the detents are the same, let alone the springs, extractor steel quality, barrel steel, chamber dimensions, gas vent holes, dimensional tolerances on the critical areas of the system, QC'd via MPI on lower parts with inspections codes and stamps, etc.

You also know that any AR design they introduce has actually been tested by a team with institutional knowledge that dwarfs that of most of the AR assembler part companies combined.

For these reasons, I would look at a 901 over most of the other .308 offerings currently on the market, especially since they have a smaller receiver set that feels like handling an AR15 more than an AR10.
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 5:37:18 PM EDT
[#11]
I agree with that for sure. Maybe we'll see more hand guard options for the 901 now that is not monolithic. That is what turned me away to begin with.

This system however is the most unique. I definitely still want one, but I'm going to find one used rather than new. It makes perfect sense, fuck the GII, this is where is at. I'm still a large frame AR10 guy, but if I  were to get something else, the 901 would be it.

I bet the large price drop comes from the financial issues. Any profit is good profit, and trying to double your profit just from the name, will bite you in the ass. Also losing the only thing that kept you in business for so long doesn't help much either.

I hate to see Colt go the way like Browning or winchester. I don't want to see them become just a name.
Link Posted: 7/24/2015 7:46:20 PM EDT
[#12]
If they would get rid of the multi mag crap and put out an SR25 style receiver people would be lining up to buy it.
Link Posted: 7/26/2015 3:08:42 AM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:



I'm not a Colt fanboy.  Don't own any of their rifles or pistols, but I disagree with this statement.

Colt has forgotten more about what makes these types of rifles work than most of the AR15 imitation industry will ever know.

They have also pushed innovation and alternate caliber development that gets overlooked because so many people are new to AR15's and AR10's, and don't really know much of anything about the history of these guns.

Take the Colt 7.62x39 Sporter, for example.  They did a lot of engineering work on that project to get those guns to work.  All of it was ignored when gun show grade companies like Model 1 Sales jumped on the caliber back in the day and thought they could market x39 parts with just an enlarged bolt face and garbage-grade barrels.

I started to see really quick that after-market vismod guns have nothing in common with Mil-spec guns, other than looks.  Not even the detents are the same, let alone the springs, extractor steel quality, barrel steel, chamber dimensions, gas vent holes, dimensional tolerances on the critical areas of the system, QC'd via MPI on lower parts with inspections codes and stamps, etc.

You also know that any AR design they introduce has actually been tested by a team with institutional knowledge that dwarfs that of most of the AR assembler part companies combined.

For these reasons, I would look at a 901 over most of the other .308 offerings currently on the market, especially since they have a smaller receiver set that feels like handling an AR15 more than an AR10.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
Colt was always the betamax to the rest of the industry's vhs, or heck cd/ipod/usbmemorystick - heck they're still selling betamax's LOL. Oversize trigger pins and molded in sear blocks, and like the guy above said, milled off safety selector stops. Who needs that aggravation? In the end it bit them in the tail. There are still, and always will be, the Cold cool-ade drinkers, but as for me, I choose "other".



I'm not a Colt fanboy.  Don't own any of their rifles or pistols, but I disagree with this statement.

Colt has forgotten more about what makes these types of rifles work than most of the AR15 imitation industry will ever know.

They have also pushed innovation and alternate caliber development that gets overlooked because so many people are new to AR15's and AR10's, and don't really know much of anything about the history of these guns.

Take the Colt 7.62x39 Sporter, for example.  They did a lot of engineering work on that project to get those guns to work.  All of it was ignored when gun show grade companies like Model 1 Sales jumped on the caliber back in the day and thought they could market x39 parts with just an enlarged bolt face and garbage-grade barrels.

I started to see really quick that after-market vismod guns have nothing in common with Mil-spec guns, other than looks.  Not even the detents are the same, let alone the springs, extractor steel quality, barrel steel, chamber dimensions, gas vent holes, dimensional tolerances on the critical areas of the system, QC'd via MPI on lower parts with inspections codes and stamps, etc.

You also know that any AR design they introduce has actually been tested by a team with institutional knowledge that dwarfs that of most of the AR assembler part companies combined.

For these reasons, I would look at a 901 over most of the other .308 offerings currently on the market, especially since they have a smaller receiver set that feels like handling an AR15 more than an AR10.



Thank you for the input.  I keep looking at 308's and keep getting drawn back to Colt.

LE90116S W/KIT  $1575 right now.   Looks like "warehouse b"  is trying to clear out the original model.  It went out of stock at that price a week or so ago and came back in stock Friday or Saturday.
http://gunsinc.com/product.aspx?ProductId=56951&title=COLT+LE90116S+W%2fKIT++++308+16.1+3OR+MT
Link Posted: 7/26/2015 6:28:58 AM EDT
[#14]
I have the 901 LE  model.. Love it... Accurate and reliable. It is not the lightest 308 rifle out there. But the weight does calm her down with the 7.62 power.  It just gave me an eccuse to get me an Atlas Bipod ..
Link Posted: 7/27/2015 11:18:34 PM EDT
[#15]
The AR901 does away with the ambi mag release and, I think, bolt release. It uses the same upper as the LE901, either chopped or manufactured shorter but threaded for the proprietary float tube. There are some pictures of one with the tube removed in the Colt Industry forum.
Link Posted: 7/28/2015 5:36:37 PM EDT
[#16]
Not really a Colt fan-boy per se............But with that said, every Colt firearm I have ever owned (not many) that I sold.........I made money on them........I have a Colt Sporter Lower in the safe as we speak.......the only thing Colt I currently own..........
Link Posted: 7/28/2015 7:52:54 PM EDT
[#17]
They take Henry Ford's philosophy.  You can have your 901 in any setup you want... as long as it is a 16" HBAR.  They are way too heavy for a 16" carbine.  One of the worst handling .308 carbines in existence.  I was somewhat interested when they first came out, until I picked one up... and then found out they don't offer it with any other barrel profile.
Link Posted: 7/28/2015 9:39:07 PM EDT
[#18]
COLT AR901-16S seems hard to find everythere

Only COLT LE901-16S in stock in few online store

Whats the best AR type .308 other than Colt 901 series?
Link Posted: 7/28/2015 9:55:29 PM EDT
[#19]
No thanks.
Link Posted: 7/29/2015 10:42:37 PM EDT
[#20]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
COLT AR901-16S seems hard to find everythere

Only COLT LE901-16S in stock in few online store

Whats the best AR type .308 other than Colt 901 series?
View Quote



Knight's Armament SR-25's!  I like my 901, just fine.  And I've had a lot of different .308's.  Nothing is on the same level as KAC.  There is no substitute!
Link Posted: 7/30/2015 3:47:05 PM EDT
[#21]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Not really a Colt fan-boy per se............But with that said, every Colt firearm I have ever owned (not many) that I sold.........I made money on them........I have a Colt Sporter Lower in the safe as we speak.......the only thing Colt I currently own..........
View Quote


Same here; 1 Colt left: the first new AR I ever bought off the rack, back when Colt was just about your only option. '84 if I remember correctly, a 16" SP1 carbine; will never get rid since I'm emotionally attached. Its milled off selector bumps sucked then and still suck now, but I'll keep, warts and all.
Link Posted: 7/30/2015 11:45:30 PM EDT
[#22]
No doubt Knight's Armament SR-25 is the best 308 AR on the market.
Unfortunately my budget is only $2000 including scope
Or I should ask, what the best AR type 308 under $2000
I have checked Colt 901, Sig 716 & Windham Weaponry18SFS but still can not make my mind
Link Posted: 8/1/2015 2:13:30 PM EDT
[#23]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
They take Henry Ford's philosophy.  You can have your 901 in any setup you want... as long as it is a 16" HBAR.  They are way too heavy for a 16" carbine.  One of the worst handling .308 carbines in existence.  I was somewhat interested when they first came out, until I picked one up... and then found out they don't offer it with any other barrel profile.
View Quote


ADCO could be your friend.
Link Posted: 8/3/2015 10:03:31 PM EDT
[#24]
With the recent blowout of the Colt LE901-16S, I picked one up for $1,575. I chose the Colt .308 as it takes SR-25 mags and I also have a SR-25 in .308.
Link Posted: 8/4/2015 12:58:43 AM EDT
[#25]
Has the adapter been put to the test since going public? I don't see much of that at all.

Is it just the upper, mag block, bcg and buffer that gets swapped? Any issues with billet uppers and the like?
Link Posted: 8/4/2015 1:20:30 AM EDT
[#26]
If I had an RDIAS I would have one.
Link Posted: 8/4/2015 1:44:37 AM EDT
[#27]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Has the adapter been put to the test since going public? I don't see much of that at all.

Is it just the upper, mag block, bcg and buffer that gets swapped? Any issues with billet uppers and the like?
View Quote


You swap the buffer and buffer spring, install the magazine well adapter on the other complete upper, and install the upper into the 901 lower.  Any standard AR15 upper should work, since their pin spacing should be the same.  It doesn't matter that it is billet.
Page AR-15 » AR Variants
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