I have a rifle version, had a few questions for a carbine owner if someone here has one.

These seem to be a pretty rare bird.  I've never seen one in person but there was one for sale on a different board a year or so ago--that's the first time I'd heard of the carbine version.

There is one on gunbroker, from a pawnshop

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=448988143

yeah, was hoping someone had a confirmed one to compare it to.  it doesn't look quite right.  serial range is too early from the rifle versions, rifle version lower steel parts remained parkerized which this entire lower is coated.

I had one that was made in 1976 by colts records.

Call colt with the serial number and see what they tell you.

Mine had a 16 inch pencil barrel, a1 upper with standard carbine handguard and an alumnium two position stock assembly. The lower receiver was a standard sp1 slap side receiver with standard markings. that rifle wa sold nearly ten years ago.

To confirm, yours was a Coltguard (electroless nickle) from 1977?
I didn't think the rifles were available in Coltguard till the early 80s.

I am sorry I misunderstood the model, the one I had was not nickle plated.

Not trying to hi-jack the topic, but I have the rifle version, which I bought used and its seems to be more of a matt/flat nickel finish, with a gold/yellowish tint to it.  It's not as bright as that carbine for sale, but identical finish to Colt's flat/matt nickel finished Government/Commander series 70 .45 acp pistols from the 80s.

The serial number on this rifle is "SP 2024xx" and I was told that its from around 1981/82.

Since the upper receiver is badly damaged and would require mega re-working to get it right, I'm just going to replace it a spare Colt SP1 upper receiver and the whole rifle re-anodized to a period correct grey since I don't know of a place that can reproduce the correct looking Coltguard finish.

colt couldn't confirm it but said that the $100 letter should be able to tell but that takes 100 days.

yeah most of the ones i've seen have been in the 20xxxx range serial

I had a local shop cerakote my 9mm carbine in silver to emulate the colt guard,
but unfortunately they weren't able to get a good finish out of it, so ended up
having it done in Multicam green.  Looking at this, I now wonder if I should have
had them try harder?

So what is the timeframe for Coltguard approx, late 70s into the 80s ?  I have been looking online and seen a Colt Carbine (CCXXXXX serial) and one with a sear block too. Was the Coltguard applied on just one model of rifles and carbines (one production run) or an optional finish for many years? Just curious. And in my google poll all the rifles I see have the darker steel FCG parts, but the carbines FCGs all color match the nickel.

I had the CG rifle too. I sold it several years ago, and I recall how difficult it was to photograph, due to the reflective finish. I agree, this one doesn't look just right. The serial #, and confirmation from Colt is the only way to be sure. If it wasn't a pawn shop, I'd consider buying it, and asking the dealer to agree to a refund if the Colt letter comes back as a regular model.

eta: I'd buy it if I was a Colt collector, living in a State that allowed it. Part of the reason I had the Coltguard rifle way back when, was it was a "pre-ban".

A lot of the images I am finding are probably not nor were they meant to represent genuine Colt Guard finishes. It seems that there have been quite a few folks trying to replicate the look over the last few years. Some of those clones may have gotten out into the population by now. Just sayin.