I've poured over the website because I'm sure the info is here....somewhere.

I want to do a retro 'looking' build.  I don't care about period correct or any of that- I just want retro or retro looking.  I've clicked on some of the sponsor links in the banner but they're selling the popular tactical look.

So I need sources for a carry handle upper, and appropriate furniture.  I see Palmetto sells a butt-stock but after slogging through hundreds of non-categorized pages I gave up looking for the rest.

Links?

There are several manufactures that list the A2 upper, your best bet is to google search A2 upper and see who has it in stock. There is a place but I cannot remember the name but it is similar to joeboboutfitter and I remember seeing an A2 there.

Buy an A2, replace round forearms with triangle, replace a2 pistol grip with A1 grips. Solved.

This is where you need to go: Fulton Armory

Look at Sarcos fathers day sales. They have lots of vintage looking AR parts. You can also contact John Thomas in the retro forum or look up retro arms works for some inspiration.

Brownells has a bunch of Retro parts.

I just built this using a Brownells barrel and upper plus some other random parts scrounged from other sources.  Not really period correct, but it looks the part for me.

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Surplus A1 parts are harder to find now, but on the other hand there are now reproductions available.


This carbine has a "retro" look, due to the carbine sized triangular hand guards and the slick side upper.  Mostly, my goal was to use a slick side upper and a pencil weight carbine barrel to produce a carbine with aluminum upper and lower that was under 6 pounds - and this one is 5.7 with magazine and sling.  The entry stock is more or less proportional with the short hand guards.



This is a sort of XM-177E2 clone, using a 12" barrel and a faux moderator blind pinned and welded to the barrel to give it a 16" permanent length barrel.  The barrel profile is have under the hand guards and has a .75" diameter at the gas block so it's only retro ish - but it's well balanced and the barrel is very stable and offers better accuracy than a pencil weight carbine.  
 


Below are an M16 clone built on an NDS lower and an SP1 upper, and the other is an M16A1 clone built on an NDS lower and a police take off M16A1 upper half - although both were done when NDS lowers were actually in stock most of the time.

finding A2 and A1 uppers is usually the tough part for now.  Retro uppers seem to be "in" again so good luck finding a reasonably priced (used) A1, A2, C7, or SP101 upper.  That and manufactures rather crank out flat tops it seems like

Thanks all, lots of good info in here!

It looks like I can just buy the whole thing from Fulton, although it's very expensive.  Looking at the individual parts to build doesn't seem to save much money either.

The other thing I'm unsure about is compatibility between original surplus parts (like A1 or A2) and modern available parts.  So If I find a surplus A1 upper can I get a modern lower (pin size was different?) or if I find a surplus A1 stock set will it fit an A2 or any of the modern manufacture.  If I swap to a triangle stock I would need to pull off the front sight?

You might as well take a picture of your wallet now, because once you delve into Retro, it will never be the same again...

I know right?

That's why I want to build retro looking vs retro.

Surplus parts will fit just fine. 

The handguard capfor triangle handguards is different than one for round ones. So yeah you'd need to swap it. I can't recall if the triangle cap will work with with triangle handguard or not. Someone else can chime in on that.  

I've got a little less than $700 into the 20" A1 I posted a few posts up.

'
There are no visible parts on an A2 that are the same as an A1 other than the safety selector.

I know the OP stated he didn't need correct, but that's about as far from correct as someone can get.

Buy an A1 upper and barrel from Brownells, use an A2 lower but don't use an A2 stock, they are very different from a type E and an A2 stock on a "retro" build is an eyesore IMO.

With the Brownells upper, and barrel, an A1 flash hider and the correct furniture, you will have a decent retro-ish rifle.

ETA: While different, most A2 parts will for the older rifles, you wont need to do any major disassembly to change furniture.

When I was building an A2, I got everything I needed, short of the lower through the Equipment Exchange here.  Just keep your eyes open for a carry handle upper.  I was able to pick up a few of them there for much cheaper than buying new stuff.  I guess you could go with all new parts, but when you think about it, if you use new internal parts, like the LPK, barrel, BCG, and some used parts, you will have what effectively is a brand new rifle.  Plus you will help out some other members who are looking to unload their extra stuff.

Ron

...Semper Fidelis...

This place has lots of new reto style stuff, check them out.
NoDak Spud

Not sure if you are interested in a great deal on a new A2 kit, but Stag currently has their model 4 rifle kit on sale.  I just ordered one and will pick up a stripped Anderson lower from the local Cabela's tomorrow for $49.99 and start my first attempt at a build.  It will resemble the classic A2, at least.
Stag Model 4 Kit

There's good resources to be found in the retro forum: https://www.ar15.com/forums/f_3/123_AR-15---M-16-Retro-Forum.html

As was said, Brownell's has uppers and lowers, though the lowers have some errors and have been taken down for the moment. Look for them to sell them as 'blems' soon though. At a discounted price, of course.

They (Brownell's) also posted in a thread that they will be releasing retro furniture (triangular handguards and type D stocks) sometime this summer.

AR15Sport.com has a 1:12 pencil barrel as well as a 1:9, which will work for a retro M16A1 build.

The buttstocks that you'll get from PSA will likely be A2 buttstocks. If you want a retro rifle, look for an A1 Type E (trapdoor) or Type D (no trapdoor). ar15sport.com should have both of those as well. The A2 stock is longer than the A1 stock, and in my opinion, not quite as comfortable.

If you can be patient, nodakspud.com does have the correct A1 type lowers and uppers, but there's a good waiting period for them to be available. So if you're patient, contact them and get in line for a set.

Problem solved.

CDNN Colts

CDNN had two of these left at $800 so I figured I'd better jump on it.  

Good price?

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Yup.  Good score for a full Colt of that era that isn't made anymore, especially LE models.

For any Retro questions, we have a full sub-forum for retros, builds, collectibles, NFAs, SP-1s, old school AR10s from the 1960s, etc.

Some of mine: