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Are those ban era colt ar15 collectable?

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People seemingly pay more for the "Restricted" marked lowers but a pre-ban one will always be worth more in the long-run

I paid $1100 for this last month.  It languished on the shelf at my LGS because it was purplish and the CH had been trimmed for an optic (still not sure which one).   It has shiny handguards and an N1 stock so its way cool in my book.  It is worth more in parts but since I have a 6720, I needed a 6520 as well.

https://i.imgur.com/y60kVuSh.png

https://i.imgur.com/Xishbwmh.png

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Are there known ways to decode the serial number like with colt 1911's?

Also, what's the L stand for in LGC. I know GC is government Carbine. Assuming since i have a pencil barrel that the L is light?

This has been a bucket list rifle for me and my first factory rifle as well.

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I'm pretty sure the L prefix started as a way to identify ban-era law enforcement rifles with the 'evil' features. My ban-era LE Competition HBAR (which is the opposite of light) has a flash suppressor, bayonet lug and restricted markings with an L prefix, while the equivalent model at the time available to non-LE customers only had CH at the start of the serial number (and no AR-15 marking either).

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/622/left-806332.jpg

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Off topic but of interest to Colt history buffs.


I’m sure 87% already know and reference this resource but for any gunnuts new to the world of Colt research, I find the following site helpful.

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/467962/61A8037B-8AD8-44DC-874D-9091BE08C006_jpe-2220625.JPG

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People seemingly pay more for the "Restricted" marked lowers but a pre-ban one will always be worth more in the long-run

I paid $1100 for this last month.  It languished on the shelf at my LGS because it was purplish and the CH had been trimmed for an optic (still not sure which one).   It has shiny handguards and an N1 stock so its way cool in my book.  It is worth more in parts but since I have a 6720, I needed a 6520 as well.

https://i.imgur.com/y60kVuSh.png

https://i.imgur.com/Xishbwmh.png

The law enforcement series model AR6520 was made during the early assault weapons ban (1994 - 2004) and the serial number they added the prefix letter of L (for law enforcement) to the original GC prefix serial number of the original R6520 preban model, the restricted LE/ Gov't markings are on the right side of the magwells, the fence around the magazine release button was added and reinforcement at the rear of the lower receivers so it is an A2 type lowers, it doesn't have any sear blocks on the lower receivers, the early post ban models you shown have the early CAR Fiberlite type 1 synthetic collapsible buttstock, but by after 2003 they changed it to the current modern M4 style type 2 waffle stocks.

This law enforcement model AR6520 was announced by Colt to be discontinued back in 2011, and I had seen the 2011 Colt's Law Enforcement catalog and it was not in there, early models before mid 2009 had the large 0.170 hammer and trigger pins, after mid 2009 the noted pins were changed to the mil-spec small standard 0.154" dia.

The AR6520 was replaced by a flattop upper receiver version model AR6720 "AR-15A4 Lightweight LE Carbine" in 2010, the first flattop version was sold by Clyde Armory, GA.

Here's how the old AR6520 A2 Gov't carbine compares to the newer LE6920, the old carbine have a fixed carry A2 type handle which are not good in mounting any optics, the old carbine have thinner profile barrel in front of the front sight and are more prone to bending due to misuse or accidents when users fall down.

Earlier old carbines have semi auto bolt carriers before 2005 but it was changed to M16 full auto carriers on 2005, full auto carriers are more reliable than semi auto carriers because it slows down the bolt cycle allowing the pressure to be less before the bolt disengages and cycles backwards.

Early old carbines had standard non reversible selectors, they started to have reversible selectors around 2006 (or earlier), the current M4 type 2 waffle buttstocks are stronger and larger, more comfortable to shoot than the older CAR Fiberlite type 1 stocks.

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Some info I found one line:

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@PGT_0673

Pretty sure that’s my old rifle…or at least one of the same police surplus run. They were $550 on GB years back. Had a sticker on the stock…something like “FLT xxx” with the X’s being numbers. It’s rack wear on the carry handle. When I got mine it was shiny and I hit it with some alumablack. I’d have to find pictures to get the SN.

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Interesting.  That certainly makes more sense than purposefully doing it for an optics mount.   Any ideas why it's unevenly worn if from a rack?  Putting it in on an angle maybe?  And by rack wear, assume from a vehicle mount or armory rack?

Quoted:
Are there known ways to decode the serial number like with colt 1911's?

Also, what's the L stand for in LGC. I know GC is government Carbine. Assuming since i have a pencil barrel that the L is light?

This has been a bucket list rifle for me and my first factory rifle as well.

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Point being- those were modified for some reason...but it isn’t wear.  

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That’s not rack wear on those carry handles.  If you show me pictures of mushroomed out aluminum I might consider the idea, but I am pretty certain (like 99.5%) that didn’t happen from a banging around in a weapon rack.  Would not be that consistent for one thing.  

I carried 6520’s for years (and then a 6721, 6920, Bushmaster, HKG36, HK416, etc), and I own several.  Always on my list to grab if cheap.  

Locking racks typically latch over the handguard.  If they had some interference with their rack setup, they might have modified the carry handle (which is stupid- should fix the rack, add a spacer to the lock mount, etc).  But that isn’t from wear (banging around in the rack).  I have done a lot of modifications on vehicle weapon racks due to shitty installation jobs when the vehicle was rolled out, and a lot of dealing with the shops to try to get new cars outfitted all correctly from the beginning.  (I was the armorer and rifle instructor so when there was an issue it was always mentioned to me first.)  We had tons of issues with racks not being done in a standard manner year to year in the same model of vehicles.  Add in some different rifle models, and there was always some issue.  Some guns with short barrels we even had to carry muzzle down to get them into the rack and locked them in with a newer claw style lock around the buffer tube.

Point being- those were modified for some reason...but it isn’t wear.