Hi all,

Is there anyplace still out there that has the M16A1 kits that were all over the place a few months back? I have a friend who is a Vietnam Vet, and recently he expressed interest in having an M16 clone like he had . Showing him my M16A1 clone probably had something to do with it. At any rate, I started looking and it seems the usual suspects are sold out of the kits. Any suggestions on a place to look?

Thanks in advance

Watch the equipment exchange on this forum or gunbroker

Seen them at sarco and royal tiger, but usually the price is too high for me and there is no barrel.

http://whatacountry.com/colt-m16a1-parts-kit.aspx

Royal Tiger's come and go. You have to watch close. $350 was a great price for the one I got a couple months ago, it was in great condition.

I made it hot for you.

Guys, thanks a bunch. If you could've seen the look on that old Marine's face when I handed him mine for a little bit.

I just got a kit from these guys. Honestly looks like it was never used.
Two minor dings on the upper. But no big deal to me.  

I know what you mean. An uncle of mine was over early last year and I was showing him a bunch of my retro ARs. Some of them hit home with him since he did a couple tours in Vietnam (around 1969-70) while in the Army. He would love to have one, but not on his agenda right now. His stepson did by an AR last year, but not a retro. What got me started was that I wanted to build on like what I used in the Marine Corps back in the late 1970s. This was my very first retro.

M16A1 clone (late 1970s)


I have built many more since.

I bought one of the Whatacountry parts kits about a month ago. No lower, no barrel. The parts were in excellent condition, with a few nicks and scratches on the upper. The furniture is in very good shape. I am very satisfied, got it at 500 dollars.

So far, I have assembled the upper half, using an AR15sport.com 1:12 pencil barrel. I put in my order for a NoDak Spud lower last week. It has been a very fun project for the summer!

Here is my first build parts list....



and the finished gun. Not hard core authentic but I love shooting it while I work on one with more original parts........

mirion Nice looking firearm
I like your parts list and that you keep track of the prices...i do that too.
I sure hope I can keep my build under $1000.00

hmm. May be my next build!

Even if you can't get a parts kit, don't be discouraged. My build started with a gun-show score and went from being a "visual match only" to an "all colt" and with all parts accounted for, it is right at the $1000 mark. Depending on your requirement for visual authenticity vs all authentic parts, you can certainly get away with less.

The one thing I would absolutely suggest however: pick the variant and get the lower on order with NoDak ASAP.

For the other parts, there is EE and other people here on the forum who will be happy to help out and direct you to good sources. If you aren't looking to do all original, I can direct you to some nice barrels/barrel assemblies that have the right profile (1:12 twist or more modern twists). Then I'd look at parts you can't see to save cost, even a current production BCG could work depending on variant. Again, if you are just going for the visual.




I do the same to an ever greater extent, so you two aren't alone. As for a sub-1K build, mine is too so it is certainly possible!

Call Royal Tiger.  I got a kit from them this week.  I went ahead and bought the barrel from them too.  It is a nice quality kit. The upper looks barely used. The hgs are in great shape.  The bs has a broken plastic plate but they sent a replacement.  I may need to find the upper screw for the butt plate but wtf, it is still a nice kit.  Call the direct.

Purchased a $350 kit from CFS about 2 years ago. Kit was worn but in good shape. Waited over a year for a NDS retro lower. Found an original Colt 1/12 a1 barrel here. After it was done had around $1000 into the build. Worth the wait to have a great retro rifle that is fun to shoot, and accurate. Best of luck in your build. Your buddy will enjoy it.

I got my kit in 2011 at gunthings.com for $599, it had everything but the lower and disconnector. I hadn't been back there in a while, but just checked and they have a similar parts kit (with slightly fewer Colt parts than my old kit) but at a much more stout price at $800. You'd still need a lower receiver.


Here's a link: http://www.gunthings.com/ar15.htm

that's a real 2012 price!

I know it. My whole rifle was $750 when I got the Nodak lower to finish it.