I have a Colt AR-15 A2 marked Sporter II rifle that is in .222 Remington. Serial # is SP 2128xx. It is an unusual mix and a desirable mix of features. It has the typical Sporter II lower with no fences and the upper has the tear drop forward assist but no shell deflector. Has typical SP1/A1 type handle and sights. Barrel is marked C MP .222 REM 1/12. Flash hider is A2 type as are the but stock and grip. It has a bayonet lug. It seems relatively unmolested and almost unfired. My understanding is that a batch of these were sent to a dealer in France in around '85? I am wondering what the original model number was and how this ended up in the US. I am actually curious about any information on this one at all. I saw an advertisement a long time ago with some of these for sale in SGN and I think it was Centerfire Systems. I had always regretted not getting one when I could and I recently found this one and snapped it up. Thanks for any information you can provide on this or any of the few .222 rifles meant for export and ended up back here. I love this rifle. It's like an SP1 but has the A1 forward assist.

Is the lower marked 222? Is it possible that the upper found its way back to the US, and someone popped it on their Sporter lower? Probably much easier to get a upper back into the US than the entire rifle…

Lower is marked AR-15 A2
CAL .222
SPORTER II
SWR. SP 2128XX

COLT'S FIREARMS DIVISION
COLT INDUSTRIES
HARTFORD, CONN.
USA

Exports originally to countries that ban the ownership of ''military'' calibers. Some GI or company imported it back to the US. If it was an importer it should have the importer engraved on it somewhere.

.222 were made for Spanish Italian and French market.
Not sure how many EU countries had a .223 ban.

One way to tell if it reached the EU is looking for the European proof house markings.. every gun must pass the proof house tests before being sold in EU.

Inspect the barrel and receiver closely.

Olympic Arms also sold both rifles and carbines in .222 for the same reason.  They would be CIP Euro-proofed in Europe, not before export from the states.

Yup
Every country has its own markings so you can even tell where it was tested.

If OP rifle is not marked then it never made to Europe and stayed in the US

You have a Colt model R6010

I remember seeing those in ads in Shotgun News several decades ago.

RCA

I have a mini-14 in .222, same deal, made for foreign markets that ban 'military calibers'.

The first gen made in the 80’s was made for Italy and they had a surplus so 190 that stayed in the us.

The second gen was in the salty 90’s which is what you had and it was a cancelled order from another European country with 1200-1500 being made and all stayed in the us sold by a single distributor.

The gen ones were SP1 features and the gen 2 was sporter II’s

Gens 1 had a 222 marked mag and the gen 2 had normal 5.56 marked mags as they are the same

I love this place

It looks like Colt mixed things up here and there based on what they had on hand during the A1-A2 transition and used what they had on the civilian marketplace. Mine is marked AR-15A2 but mostly is configured as an SP1 with A-1 features. The 1:12 bbl and Triangular hand guard is perfect but the butt stock is A2 (I am 6'6" tall) is nice and the grip is A2. It is a mix mash of stuff and the mix is nice. Thanks for the input

Thanks so much. The online information is good but the mix of features seems to be a norm during this time period. I think Colt was using up what parts were on hand during the A1-A2 M16 transition. I have seen several like mine but others with round handguards and even some with 1:7 bbl. It is marked A2 but is much more like A1 in the M16 lineup. As for me, my preference leaves toward SP1. I like the way this one was made. Thanks for the information.

So yours looks like this one I guess..

https://www.armiusate.it/armi-lunghe/fucili-a-canna-rigata/colt-ar15a2-222-remington_i1026895

Extremely easy to convert into a SP1

While this one is the most common configuration over here

https://www.armiusate.it/armi-lunghe/fucili-a-canna-rigata/colt-ar15-sporter-222-remington_i959592

YES Sir! And, within a few serial numbers apart. Exactly the same configuration on the first link. Even the peel washer on the flash hider that is in the white. It thought that it might have been not original. This is really amazing that you shared this with me. I was not entirely sure on the hand guards and that washer. It's exact. Thank you so much. Identical. I need to take the hand guards off of mine and look for proof stampings.

Thank you so much. It's very early in features but is marked AR-15A2. 1:12 bbl and triangular hand guards. Tear drop forward assist A1 upper. A2 stock. Every one I have now seen in Italy is identical. Luckily, this is the exact combination of things that I like. I only wish there were a chance of finding a second barrel because I would love to shoot this a lot. As rare as it seems to be I have too much guilt about lots of use... Thanks again.