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Posted: 1/25/2024 9:17:45 PM EDT
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Colt Sporter II Changes Over Their Serial Number Range I find these transitional guns fascinating as they were produced during the US Military's switch from the M16A1 to the M16A2. It seems Colt used up some of the extra A1 parts it had in its parts pins on these guns. It does not seem to have happened in a chaotic manner though. The changes seem to follow the chronological order of the ascending serial numbers and I can only assume by date. I assume Colts export and Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) guns like the 723 and 733s probably had something similar going on during this transitional period. Sporter IIs were available in both Rifle and Carbine Configuration. They came in Green Label Boxes marked: R6420 for Carbine  R6500 for Rifle  This info is gleaned from my personal observations, mostly of Guns for sale online. Sporter II Serial numbers start around SP 300,000 and supposedly end at SP 360,200 and we're all Pre 1994 Clinton Assault Weapons Ban. At least 1 gun, 360,190, marked SPORTER falls in this serial number range but is not a Sporter II. I can only assume there are others. All Sporter IIs appear to have slick side lowers with large double screw front takedown pins and are roll marked with the Prancing Horse atop the world next to the Colt Logo and: AR-15A2 CAL. .223 SPORTER II SER. SP 3XXXXX  Dates are hard to pin down, but I'm guessing production started in early 1984 and some late guns may have shipped after the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban went into effect in September of 1994, maybe on leftover lowers? The first Sporter 2 uppers were very much like Slickside Sporter/SP1 uppers, with the exception of the 1/7 A2 profile barrel, square front sight post, A2 Furniture and a Delta Ring securing the Handguard.  Carbines seem to have gotten a pencil profile 16 inch 1/7 Barrels Marked: C MP 5.56 NATO 1/7  As Sporter 2 production continued, and military production of M16A2s filled Colts parts bins with stuff, the guns evolved. Earliest Sporter IIs with slab side uppers and small pad port doors.  Next A1 type Forward assist uppers with teardrop F/As and small pad port doors appeared. Some guns may have received large pad port doors.  There are a group of guns with Flat slip rings, all in the same 31x,xxx serial number block. I would guess that somebody in Hartford found a bin with few thousand Flat Slip Rings left over from M16A1/SP1 production and used them up. They still have small pad port doors.  Large Round/Big D F/As replaced the teardrop F/As. They still had small pad port doors.  Large Pad Port Doors appeared, still with Big D forward assists.  C7 type uppers with brass deflectors were added. All appear to have had big D forward assists and large pad port doors.  A2 Target sight uppers may have been the norm by the end of production, which may have been in 1994 right before the assault weapon ban, at first with Big D F/As and large pad port doors.  Then with Small Round F/As and large pad port doors.  The Large Round (aka Big D) Forward Assists may have been used in both full round as well as clearance cut forms, even though A1 Slickside lowers were used exclusively. I haven't seen any uncut ones though.  There may have been no Sporter IIs made between 1987 and the last ones made in 1994. As I said, dates are hard to nail down. UPDATE 12/5/2024 I have been keeping a spreadsheet on Sporter II serial numbers as I come across them. I just copied and pasted it into the original post. Unfortunately it flipped things chronologically from oldest to newest to newest to oldest and I don't know how to fix that. I did add notes to the places in the serial number list where I observed chronological changes, which I find especially fascinating. These include, Newest to Oldest: C7 or A2 Uppers with Small A2 Forward Assists C7 Uppers Large Pad Dust Covers Big D Forward Assists Delta Rings Flat Slip Rings A1 Uppers Sporter IIs I have info on (Items in parentheses I suspect are not original) .222 Remington, Export, Just "Sporter" Rollmark, Searblock lower, A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, mag fence, A2 Lower, Shaved Bayonet Lug, Rifle 360,190 A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower Marked .222, Export, Colt letter states Shipped 10/27/1994, No Bayonet Lug, Rifle (Shipped to John Keosayian) 359,050 C7 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Rifle. (Looks Original) 354,485 C7 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Rifle with Aluminum Carbine Stock. (Police Trade Mix Master) 354,298 A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Carbine 353,206 A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Rifle (Has Unstaked Castle Nut) 352,928 C7 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Rifle 352,341 C7 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Rifle 352,292 A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Slickside Lower, Bayonet Lug, Carbine 351,962 -C7 or A2 Upper/Small Round Forward Assists A2 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, (has brown furniture) 349,055 A2 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, Had Mossberg 590 Atached 348,295 347,332 Box only, marked R6500 (1985?) A2 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 346,616 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine (Police trade CSP) 346108 1992? A2 Upper???, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 345,834 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine, Z-Cote Camouflage, (1987 date in GB Listing) 345,380 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 345,092 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 344,963 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 344,482 Colt Letter November 1987 A2 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 344,213 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine. 343,321 A2 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 342,841 (Call to Colt 1987 Production) C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine. 342,788 A2 Upper, A2 F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine, (not OG stock or buffer tube spanner nut) 342,364 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine. 341XXX A1 upper ???, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 340,946 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 340,022 C7, Big D F/A (Round), Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 339313 C7, Big D F/A (Round), Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 339,276 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 337.017 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine (police trade) 337,xxx C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 336,061 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 335,811 C7, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle (Extremely Corroded) 335,590 -C7 Uppers - A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 333,995 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 332,625 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 332,172 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Carbine (painted, non original Carbine parts added, may have originally been a Rifle) 331,931 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 330,960 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 329,826 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 329,014 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, Converted Machine Gun. 328273 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Dust Cover?, Rifle. (Collapsing stock added) 328,086 -Large Pad Dust Covers - A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 325,246 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover 324,161 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover (Colt Archive Reports 1985 Ship Date) 322,612 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 322,551 -Big D Forward Assists - A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 322,080 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 321,627 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle 321,118 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, New In Box 321,051 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, New In Box 320,462 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Carbine 319408 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Carbine (Upper is on my XM177E2 Clone) 319,220 A1 upper, Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle (LSO Grip) 318,233 -Delta Rings - A1 upper, Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Flat Slip Ring, Rifle 315,259 A1 upper, Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 314,601 A1 upper, Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Flat Slip Ring, Rifle (Has LSO Grip and maybe Handguard) 313,348 As being bought in 1985 Mentioned in an ARFCOM Thread 313,345 A1, Teardrop, Small Pad Dust Cover, Flat Slip Ring, Carbine (Box Says Carbine but has M4 furniture and castle nut) 313,334 A1 Upper, Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Flat Slip ring, Carbine 312,399 A1 upper, Teardrop F/A, small pad dust cover, Flat Slip Ring, Rifle (Hickok45s Rifle) 311,853 -Flat Slip Rings - A1 Upper, teardrop F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 309,984 A1 Upper, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle, (Converted to Full Auto, later 332,xxx upper could have been swapped?) 309,662 A1 Upper, teardrop F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 308,390 A1 Upper, teardrop F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 307,912 A1 Upper, teardrop F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 307,893 -A1 Uppers - A2 Upper???, Big D F/A, Large Pad Dust Cover, Rifle (A1 Handguard with Triangle front cap, upper may not be original) 307,789 Slickside, small pad dust cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 307,547 Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle (Hogue Grip) 306,283 Slickside, small pad dust cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 306,107 Slickside, small pad dust cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 305,557 Slickside, small pad dust cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 305,532 Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle. 304,977 304,715 A1 Teardrop F/A, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle (Has A1 Furniture, probably not original upper) Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle. 304,023 Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 303,XXX Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle. 302869 Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle 302,867 Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Delta Ring, Rifle. 301,285 1984 from the date of the Magazine. Article in 9/84 SWAT Magazine on the NEW AR15A2. Slickside upper, Small Pad Dust Cover, Rifle. Unknown Serial Number If any of you guys have a Sporter II and want to add it to the list, post it up. If I'm wrong about any of this info, please correct me. |
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I was hoping this post could get a little more traction. I bought one new then and would also be interested in a little more information on the transitional AR’s of them back in the day. From what I gather the past few years they are quite collectible. Mine is 319xxx and can give a date, I ordered it for my 21 first birthday in late July 1985 that came in August. I Still have the receipt to know exactly the time then. When it was manufactured? Maybe a month or Two before it was shipped to my local gun shop. Mix of A1 and A2 parts. A1 upper with early port door and forward Teardrop assist. Glossy black furniture, and a and a peel washer behind the new a2 flash hider Hope that helps you some on info. Any other questions you may have just ask. |
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Quoted: I was hoping this post could get a little more traction. Maybe it's just TLDR I originally posted it the Retro forum where I think it belongs, but one of the Mods moved it here to the A2 forum almost immediately, before I even got all the info up. Thanks for your input, it confirms the info of other guns in the same serial number range. I assume your rifle has a Delta Ring and not a flat slip Ring? |
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Quoted: So did I. Maybe it's just TLDR I originally posted it the Retro forum where I think it belongs, but one of the Mods moved it here to the A2 forum almost immediately, before I even got all the info up. Thanks for your input, it confirms the info of other guns in the same serial number range. I assume your rifle has a Delta Ring and not a flat slip Ring? Yes it has the delta ring |
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A little different, don't know if it applies, but... AR15 A2 HBAR Sporter Serial SP2304xx (so earlier than the Sporter 2s above?) HBAR, 1/7 A2 furniture standard slickside lower Delta ring A2 upper, A2 rear sight, small button forward assist, large pad ejection port cover I don't have the box, and don't know when it was purchased, sorry...I'd guess later 80s? It's complete, with bayonet lug. |
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Thanks for responding. Interesting that the HBAR serial number range is below the Sporter IIs. Maybe Colt blocked off serial number ranges. The fact that your rifle has a small button forward assist and a bayonet lug would most likely date it to the late 80s like you said. |
Just noticed this Rifle on Gunbroker  Interestingly it's SP 360,190 makes it one of the last 10 Preban guns made with the SP prefix according to Bigger Hammers preban serial number list, yet it's rollmarked as a SPORTER and appears to be a .222 export gun. I wrongly assumed they were all Sporter IIs up to 360,200.  |
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Quoted: A little different, don't know if it applies, but... AR15 A2 HBAR Sporter Serial SP2304xx (so earlier than the Sporter 2s above?) HBAR, 1/7 A2 furniture standard slickside lower Delta ring A2 upper, A2 rear sight, small button forward assist, large pad ejection port cover I don't have the box, and don't know when it was purchased, sorry...I'd guess later 80s? It's complete, with bayonet lug. I recently picked a Green Label R6600 AR15A2 HBAR Sporter also. My first factory made AR (outside Govt service)! All my others starting in 87' I've built. SP2241xx HBAR, 20" C MP 1/7, FSB w/bayonet lug, A2 flash hinder A2 funiture Slickside lower Delta Ring A2 upper, A2 rear sight, Large D Forward Assist Thinking mine is from 87-88'. Sling that came with it not USGI (I corrected that) but cleaning kit in buttstock. Two Colt black follower 20 rd mags. No box or manual. C marked Bolt carrier shaved down. No sear block in lower. Large screwed front pivot pin. R6600s made 86-89'. The R6600K model came with the Colt .22LR conversion. In 1990 the Blue Labels came out. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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Quoted: I recently picked a Green Label R6600 AR15A2 HBAR Sporter also. My first factory made AR (outside Govt service)! All my others starting in 87' I've built. SP2241xx HBAR, 20" 1/7, FSB w/bayonet lug A2 funiture Slickside lower Delta Ring A2 upper, A2 rear sight, Large D Forward Assist Thinking mine is from 87-88'. Sling that came with it not USGI (I corrected that) but cleaning kit in buttstock. Two Colt black follower 20 rd mags. No box or manual. Bolt carrier shaved down. No sear block in lower. Large screwed front pivot pin. R6600s made 86-89'. The R6600K model came with the Colt .22LR conversion. In 1990 the Blue Labels came out. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/32677/IMG_0136_jpeg-3121945.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/32677/IMG_2663_jpeg-3121946.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/32677/IMG_2661_jpeg-3121947.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/32677/IMG_2565_jpeg-3121948.JPG Seeing the serial number and that mine has the small button, that probably tracks...IIRC the large button/D-shaped buttons were earlier in the evolution and later they went to the smaller button forward assist. My dad changed the sling on his and put the "jungle" sling kit on it (had a piece of bent wire that went around the front sight post that let you mount the sling to that). I don't know what factory mags it came with originally, probably the 20s. My dad also has a factory Colt scope on the handle...don't know if it's a 3x or 4x though. Thanks! |
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Quoted: Seeing the serial number and that mine has the small button, that probably tracks...IIRC the large button/D-shaped buttons were earlier in the evolution and later they went to the smaller button forward assist. My dad changed the sling on his and put the "jungle" sling kit on it (had a piece of bent wire that went around the front sight post that let you mount the sling to that). I don't know what factory mags it came with originally, probably the 20s. My dad also has a factory Colt scope on the handle...don't know if it's a 3x or 4x though. Thanks! That jungle sling kit you have sounds like the M16 top sling kit. Used to carry them on my M16/M203 since you couldn't use the bottom sling swivel. |
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Quoted: Here's one I picked up years ago. https://i.imgur.com/fZczb4I.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/Y9S0qYl.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/rsAdmZy.jpeg Do you think that port door is original? Maybe it was replaced at some point? I doubt it as the gun looks very original and everything else fits with what I have observed. |
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Just came across 344213 on Gunbroker. Its interesting for 2 reasons. 1) It's the lowest serial number Target sight (A2) upper I have seen. 2) It has a Colt Archive letter stating the date of Manufacture was 11/1987 Thats the first date I have seen other than the 1994 guns and 1984/1985. Its also the second Rifle I have observed with an A2 upper and a Big D forward assist around that serial number range. |
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I have a GS prefix, at the time you could find exactly jack and s--t about the GS prefix, dating it, or anything else. No bayo lug, but had the flash hider, no blocks of any type, 1/2 moon carrier, came with a .22 Colt conversion, ''Colt armored'' scope and carry handle mount and a Colt cheekpiece. 1/7 twist, still have it to this day. Think I bought it in 93 or 94 just before the ban went into effect. They [''preban'' AR's] doubled in price as soon as it passed. |
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Quoted: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220444/1000005381_jpg-3194441.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220444/1000005380_jpg-3194442.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220444/1000005379_jpg-3194443.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220444/1000005382_jpg-3194444.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/220444/1000005383_jpg-3194445.JPG I didn't think those were changed till later on in the serial number run. Must be like the slip rings, they just show up in a random place. |
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This Sporter II showed up on Gunbroker recently. Serial number 354,485 Its interesting because it's the second one on my list that has a c7 upper and an A2 Forward Assist within a couple of hundred serial numbers of each other. The other is 354,298 It also seems very original, including the green label box. These are very late in the Serial number run that ended at 360,000 and After A2 target sight uppers had started to be used. Somebody probably found a bin of C7 uppers and decided to use them up with the existing A2 Forward assists instead of the Big Ds, which had probably run out by that time.     |
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Quoted: This Sporter II showed up on Gunbroker recently. Serial number 354,485 Its interesting because it's the second one on my list that has a c7 upper and an A2 Forward Assist within a couple of hundred serial numbers of each other. The other is 354,298 It also seems very original, including the green label box. These are very late in the Serial number run that ended at 360,000 and After A2 target sight uppers had started to be used. Somebody probably found a bin of C7 uppers and decided to use them up with the existing A2 Forward assists instead of the Big Ds, which had probably run out by that time. https://i.postimg.cc/pLB5Krm1/E20-B7-D03-C4-B7-4-C98-A585-C8-AE245-FC0-D2.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/7PpzkpvX/BB3-E1017-CFEF-4392-90-BE-36987-CEB9-B3-D.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/WpDZxsyh/39-F00-BA4-8826-4-C89-85-A8-4-B66211-F18-B1.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/0yvJ6Dyw/49-BB72-A5-B801-45-F2-9-B5-A-BC07-E93-CDE93.jpg Not a C7 upper but older A1. Canadians hadn’t adopted the C7 rifle at this time. Colt continued to use up older A1 uppers but if they had A2 round handguards called them A2 rifles |
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Quoted: I remember lusting after the "new" A2 big time. Still have this magazine. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/SWAT_magazine-288437.jpg Wish I could read the serial number off that Rifle. I suspect it's one of the first Sporter IIs. |
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Quoted: Not a C7 upper but older A1. Canadians hadn't adopted the C7 rifle at this time. Colt continued to use up older A1 uppers but if they had A2 round handguards called them A2 rifles Colt may even have labeled them "A2 uppers with field sights" at one point. I use the incorrect term "C7" for the sake of brevity. |
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Quoted: The Rifle I thought we were talking about, 354,485, does in fact have a brass deflector and A1 (field) sights. https://i.postimg.cc/WpDZxsyh/39-F00-BA4-8826-4-C89-85-A8-4-B66211-F18-B1.jpg Then I stand corrected. CD |
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Thank you Bullet Cooker for adding those. I have been keeping a spreadsheet on Sporter II serial numbers as I come across them. I just copied and pasted it into the original post. Unfortunately it flipped things chronologically from oldest to newest to newest to oldest and I don't know how to fix that. I did add notes the places in the serial number list where I observed chronological changes, which I find especially fascinating. These include: A1 Uppers Flat Slip Rings Delta Rings Big D Forward Assists Large Pad Dust Covers C7 Uppers C7 or A2 Uppers with Large Round Forward Assists |
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