Has anyone received one recently?  Are these kits primarily from later export M16A1s?

Yes they are going to be from the post 74 rifles. The condition can be from excellent to soso. It's a crap shoot. Mine was nice from about 3 months ago. Another good thing is you can sell the full auto parts for $100 on EE and that makes the finished rifle a lot cheaper. Good luck and since this is your first post welcome to the retro forum.

Back when they had grade selections, you could choose the condition you wanted. I don't think that's an option now. I've only bought one of the complete parts kits (all of the parts in it being in almost new, excellent condition), but I've had three 603 upper receivers from them, and they've all been in EXCELLENT condition with dark, charcoal grey anodizing. I foolishly sold one of them, but still have the other two.

I rebuild their damaged uppers. I have gotten some fantastic ones in (complete with hardware) and one that wasn't repairable. They are all from early 80's.

That makes the most sense. The cracks are really small, not in a high pressure area, and not near the ejection port where there is pressure. Almost all of them take just a small tap and fall right back into place. Easy to repair after that. And $50 vs. $200? I'll take repairing any day. lol
I've seen some people try to auction some off where the entire bar is broken and pulled out. They called them "demilled", but that doesn't make a lot of sense for an upper.

I just hate when the kits were in-stock by numerous vendors back 3 years ago, I didn't buy more. I picked up an excellent condition kit from CTD with complete trigger group and the beta 100 rd drum mag for $254.00 plus shipping. At that time sold the drum for a $110.00, trigger group for $80 so ended up with right over sixty dollars plus the shipping in an excellent condition kit minus barrel & receiver.

Would like to get the groups thoughts..... Do you guys think this is the last of the kits or think we will ever see the flood of them like several years back. Granted I've not been in the retro seen that long so I really don't know what to expect from incoming market supply.....

Seems like the kits continue to go up in price while including less and less of the parts. Hopefully the next flood of kits is in the for seeable future.

Do you tig weld these? What rods do you use?

I enjoy buying from people who are selling some of the pieces from their kits. Some want a different upper receiver, different stock, etc., so they'll sell off what they don't want very reasonably sometimes.

I 've always wanted to buy a parts kit for the novelty of it. I did get a RTI kit and I'm happy, but if I had it all to do over I should've just bought a good upper and built from there.

Here's my kit.







The upper is good. BCG looks near new. Buffer tube, buffer and spring appear nice. Parts kit good. I sold the FA stuff amd the gas block.

I bought a Brownells pencil barrel with F marked FSB.



Handguards were cracked so I bought a complete furniture set.



As far as the lower goes, I just bought a cheap 80% and had it retro engraved. I know everyone likes NDS but no matter what, it's just a parts kit on an AR lower. A1 profile lower isn't a huge deal to me.

JB Weld, then sanded down and cerakoted. All have been fired without a single issue. If the crack goes too far, I trash it. Usually they are only about a quarter an inch at the bottom. One was REALLY tough to find. The upper that is on my XM16E1 retro is one of them that came in complete, so it has all authentic parts to an M16. Just the wrong year.

I ordered 2 kits last week along with the missing parts from Numrich and barrels from Brownells.  Ordering Nodak receivers, would grey or black be appropriate for these kits? I plan on adjusting the finish of the lower to match the rest of the rifle.

This is what most look like when you get them "damaged".



So I am mainly filling them and sanding just so it doesn't show through the paint. I just upload a lot of pictures of their uppers before and after. In the folder for Royal Tiger Damaged Uppers

This is the two that came in complete before and after sandblasting, repair, and paint.

Definitely the grey, it will be pretty close to the kit uppers

Went with a gray NDS blem with my CFS kit. After a little work with a little 250 grit sandpaper here and there, turned out great.

I have a feeling if there isn't one more run, then the next batch of demills will be M16A2 kits in a few years down the line.

Thanks for all the info fellas! Looking forward to putting these together, hopefully I won't have to wait too long for my lowers.

Like I said, the demil on the kits is mostly excellent, but there must have been one knucklehead on the crew (always one) cracking the uppers like that.



Would love to see how they removed the taper pins from the FSBs without putting a stray mark on any of the parts. Those taper pins are the Debbil!

They probably use cupped punches and a  5lb hammer, one smack each, done

I received two Numrich A1 buttstocks today that I ordered for the kits along with some mag release springs. One stock had a broken butt plate and the other was missing a chunk on the receiver end. Swapped butt plates so I now have a very nice mottled stock with a good buttplate and a project.  Screwed up and ordered buffer springs instead of buffer detent springs so I ordered the detent springs along with another "type E" butt and an A1 stock set with a "type D" butt. May as well start putting some parts together for a XM-16e1.

In the recent email Royal tiger listed the following options
Fully Assembled Upper [Add $200.00]
Pencil Barrel Option [Add $150.00]

Is Royal tiger someone you would trust on the barrel and putting it all together for the extra $50?

The difference being kit price without barrel $349.95

option 1  $499.95  20" profile barrel profile assembly with A1  front sight base and barrel nut installed 1/7 rifling twist, non chrome lined 5.56mm chambered

option 2  $549.95 Fully assembled  upper receiver with  20" profile barrel profile assembly with A1  front sight base and barrel nut installed 1/7 rifling twist, non chrome lined 5.56mm chambered

Opinions, advice, warnings?

I received another type E stock, the D stock set and buffer retention springs yesterday from Numrich. I also received the Brownell barrels earlier this week. I'm very happy with my dealings with these two companies. Still waiting on RT.

Why pay them to assemble the upper? Unless you don't have the tools to do it yourself.....

I don't have the tools( a front site pin guide block is on my next tools purchase list) and  have heard it a more advance skill to for aligning the barrel and sight for the gas port. Especially if they were  previously drilled and aren't a matched/mated assembly for parts history(only one of the two can be pre-drilled in the case of preexisting holes was what I was told). The image shows the barrel with barrel nut and triangle plate already on it behind a mounted sight, although images and what you get can vary. I just recall Royal Tiger splitting from I.O. which had a history of some issues in the past. not sure where the chips finally all landed.  I was wondering  also if the upper came assembled, if they would use the better quality parts. Workers taking their pick for parts and all that comes from better grade/easier to work with options. The $50 is right at the point of it is  a bit much for what I can likely do and learn from here in past threads. Weighed against assuming it would be built by someone better than say *cough* Century * cough*. I don't want to feel like I went with cheaper than dirt when I get all done, no matter the direction. So overzealous but equally trigger shy on making the commitment sight unseen.

Many guys on here who purchased installed barrels, had badly canted FSB's and it took them some prying and calls to RTI but I believe everyone got replacements that were satisfactory. Hope that was of some help.

How tough is it to swap out the "F" FSB with the one that comes with the kit?

I would send it to John Thomas to do, if it was a new barrel with no FSB attached, I'd attempt it but there's a lot of things you can screw up.

Might be cheaper to go with USGI then?

Received my kits today. Both look really good with a dark charcoal finish. It's not going to take much to make the lower match the nicer one. I'll get some pictures posted up tonight I hope.

My RTI kit as of this past weekend. Not done and the lower is an 80% still.

I like it! What did you use for a barrel?

Brownells

I just bought a kit tonight.  I went ahead and got the kit with the barrel included.  As long as the FSB is installed correctly I am not too worried about the 1-8 twist.  I'll upload some pictures.

I got one with the barrel a while back and the fsb was canted to the right noticeably. I knocked out the pins and tapped it straight and drove the pins back in and it was good. It was drilled good but was installed crooked and the taper pin fat end was sticking out quite a bit, after I rotated it, the pins fell into place and now it's nice and even with equal amounts showing from both sides. Hard to understand an armorer not catching that

Here are some pictures of the uppers that came in my kits.

How was the rest of it?  Pictures?

The rest of the kit was pretty good. BCGs are like new, lots of dried oil, a little dirt. Hand guards with no cracks. I'll get some more pictures up in a bit.

Going to sell my Brownell barrels and find another USGI barrel.  I have a C MP Chrome Bore marked barrel on its way that will be used on one of these builds and I'll keep an eye out for another. Looks like I'll have plenty of time to gather parts. Also found a C MP C marked barrel that I guess will be the start of a late 60's 603 or 604.

Here is the rougher kit after cleanup. Scope didn't come with the kit obviously and the butt stock came from Numrich.

I read on the RTI website that kits now include a buttstock. My handguards had damage so I found a good deal on a furniture set. Doubt I'd buy another kit now, but it is a cool project.

I got my kit today.  If you are looking for pristine condition parts these aren't for you, but it is in excellent condition for any parts kit that came from a military rifle.  My kit had all the parts and I got the barrel.  Other than the 1-8 marking, the barrel looks correct.  It has M4 feed ramps but that is a non-issue for me.  The FSB is dead centered and the barrel installed easily.

I assembled it tonight but didn't do the clean-up some of you guys are doing.  I knocked off the thick grease and dust and put it together.  The only parts I replaced is the crush washer for a lock washer on the flash hider and my rear sling swivel was fairly rusted inside the stock body.  I'll post pictures in the morning.

EDIT:  Ok so here are some pictures.  The barrel may be from the same source as the Fulton Armory kits if I had to guess.  It is chrome lined and 1-8 just like theirs.  The FSB was pinned on acceptable for me.  I just built on a cheap A2 lower that has a dark gray coating.  I already have an excellent condition A1 rifle on a Nodak lower.  The slip ring also looks new.  It is flat but black and pristine.  The barrel nut had one damaged tooth.  BCG and CH are excellent.  The port door, forward assist, and lower stock screw are permanently rusted an orange brown color.

One thing that was odd was the barrel was full of powdered rust or fine dirt.  It was not rust from the barrel itself though.  The barrel is pristine inside.  I just had to clean it all out.  They must be storing the barrels inside a room that they are removing rust from something else.

Just to add to this thread,  the memorial day sale  email flyer has the kits with an assembled upper for $150 extra which was the barrel cost.  link is to http://www.royaltigerimports.com/product-p/ar150011.htm
M16 PARTS KIT W/ ASSEMBLED UPPER  $499.95
Fully assembled upper receiver with 20” Pencil profile barrel assembly with A1 front sight base and barrel nut installed. 1/7 rifling twist, NON chrome lined, 5.56mm chamber

So for the  previous price of "barrel added" option  it comes assembled for the sale.  According to the page buttstocks are back in stock and included.


Description at bottom.(which doesn't seem updated and contradicts the options in drop down box.
7-10 Day lead time due to heavy demand

NOT INCLUDED:

   BARREL (OPTIONAL)
   LOWER RECEIVER (UPPERS FIT STANDARD MIL SPEC LOWERS)
   SEE AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR BARRELS AND BUILT UPPER ASSEMBLIES

BUTTSTOCKS ARE BACK IN STOCK AND INCLUDED WITH EVERY KIT! LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE!! Original M16-A1 parts kits are in good condition for their age; SURPLUS B to a C grade. THE FURNITURE IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION BUT MAY HAVE SMALL CHIPS OR CRACKS IN HANDGUARDS. Buttstocks will likely show cracks or damage on the buttplate. Internal parts are factory Colt including BCG. ALL PARTS KITS HAVE INTACT UPPER RECEIVERS WHICH WILL SHOW SIGNS OF FINISH WEAR. TWO FUNCTIONAL ORIGINAL COLT MAGS ARE INCLUDED WITH EACH PARTS KIT. THE ONLY THING MISSING IS A LOWER RECEIVER, AND BARREL! Uppers fit current milspec A2 style lower receivers.The original black gun! Factory-original, Vietnam-era Colt M16/AR15 parts kits!!! These are the same rifles that saw service protecting America and her allies in Vietnam . . . OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY!!! You'll need to provide your own lower receiver, buttstock and barrel, everything else is all original. Handguards may have small cracks or damage. SORRY, NO PARTS KITS SOLD TO MD, NJ, NY, WA, COOK CTY. ILL, WICHITA KS, AND CT. ALL SALES ARE FINAL, WE WILL NOT ACCEPT RETURNS OR EXCHANGES ON THESE PARTS KITS. CALIFORNIA AND MASSACHUSETTS SALES ARE NOW WELCOME!!


Thank You HipSh0T for your advice, feedback and on going advice to beginners.

Looking good guys, keep up the good work! Those port doors clean right up with a little rust remover....

I doubt they are using the same Criterian barrels as Fulton.  Those are expensive barrels.  Last I heard, Royal Tiger barrels were melonited.

I understand but mine is definitely parkerized.  They reparked the FSB and the hand guard cap as well.  I have a melonited barrel and they are not the same.

Why do you think it's chrome lined?

I looked again and it is not.  I thought their complete rifle stated that it was chrome lined but it isn't.  Mine was parkerized though, very nice looking.

That might be the issue with my Colt barrel,"Bubba" just drove the pins lightly in thinking they would self align.

Bubba also typed this post.

Sure did sell out quick, I guess will be seeing some new builds on here shorty