Also, remember there is a difference in what people are willing to pay on EE then on GunBroker.  Maybe not a $55K difference but you know what I mean about different sites commanding different prices.

I won't fault him one bit if he gets his price, that is not what I am been talking about, more power to him if he does, that will mean a bunch of the rest of us can actually ask and may possibly get way more for our stuff.

You can always ask and if you get it more power to you!

One thing I think comes into play more often than we like to think is regions of the country and what you already own.  If this is his only FA gun, it is priceless to him, if you are like me, I have a few of them, so not so priceless to me.  Collectables is a very subjective market, if you have never owned something, then it is worth the cost of admission, if you have own a few of them, not so much.

Think of it this way.... In 1994 if one was lucky, you could buy a transferable M60 for $6-8K.... What does that same transferable M60 go for today? I think prices are going up quicker than people think.  Eventually it'll hit the 601 market.  Lets say a 604 upper.  5 years ago, you could get for $100-125... Now you are looking at $225-250.  You might say that's just a $100 increase but it is also a 100% price increase as well.  Right now, the 100% increase hasn't hit the higher end market like the mid end, but I predict it will.

I got my Stoner 63A in 1994 for $12K and a 601 at that time was advertised on the high end at $1200.

I think the seller is dreaming if he thinks he can get 100K for a 601 now, will he in 10 years? Who knows but possibly but at that point what will other MGs cost?

I’m not trying to be sarcastic here, but it sounds like the Colt 601 rifles are worth (a lot) more to member 604guy than their current market value dictates. As is always the case, an item is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it. Therefore, I would humbly suggest that 604guy might consider buying one (or more) Colt 601 rifles at the current “grossly undervalued” (to him) market price.

I'm waiting for a better one to come along.... I figure it'll run me $100K but I deserve the best

Dang! I sold my three digit 601 with all the accessories for much less than that. It was to a buddy who bought several MGs from me, so I gave him a break (a hellova break compared to 89k). I've sold most of my collectables, because I'm getting older and can't see having machine guns I can't shoot. Still from 30/35k to 89k in a year....dang.

Is this one yours or was it another one that sold a year ago for $35K?

Colt 601 Ensemble

That Sturmgewehr one was mine.

Hey guys, not to rain on anyone’s parade, but based on what I saw this spring from this seller, I would tread carefully.

When I was looking for a pre-86 M16A1 this spring, I scoured the net trying to determine market value, including closed auctions and anything posted on forums or GB. As I recall, this seller had several, ahem, “generously” described M16s for sale with lots and lots of retro keywords. I might be picky, but to me, a 614 is NOT an M16A1, because it does not say “M16A1” on the mag well. On top of that, I would not pay a premium for a 614 over a M16A1 when market had 614 about 20% under an M16A1.

I wish GB had a more detailed ended auctions view so we could look further into his history.  We can, however, get a snapshot. Look at his recent sales - they include a Pre-May MG. This isn’t a regular joe on a fishing trip to pay for for his daughter’s medical bills. This is a dealer trying to draw top dollar for retro MGs, with all the correct search terms to match.

I don’t know all the minutiae of what’s correct for a 601 versus a 601 receiver restored to “original condition.”  I’ll leave that final determination to you retro experts. I could be wrong and this rifle is truly a unicorn “barn find”, but I think prudence dictates caveat emptor applies.

I'm not familiar with a semi-auto selector for the 01.  Was this something that was actually available for purchase in early '60?
Any detail/documentation would be greatly appreciated.

From a 1960 published Colt Contractors Operation Manual:

Attached File


The semi auto selector was also listed on a published list of 601 accessories. I'm just having trouble finding it.

Is there something wrong with a dealer using correct search terms for the firearm he has listed for sale?

Great--another treasure hunt!
I'm curious if anyone here has ever actually seen one of these.

Oh, and if you find the list of accessories, I'd love to see it.  I've gathered everything I am aware of after years of hanging around here--but if I've missed the semi-auto selector, perhaps there's something else?

From what I can remember the semi auto selector is the only real oddball item. The other stuff was more common and well known (delfts, bayonet, slings, mag pouches, waffle mags, grenade ring and energa dummy grenades, manual, blank firing adapter, aluminum rod cleaning kit, bipod + pouch)

I have never even seen a picture of the semi auto selector but seem to recall them being made for overseas work. I still need the cleaning kit and semi auto selector if you happen to stumble across more than one.

There is a member here that owns one but has kept it top-secret, not because he didn't want people to know about it, but because it would be very easy to fake.  The fake part would be indistinguishable from a real one with the talent of some of the machinists out there.  I'm not sure of the proof marks on the back side (assume the E in a circle), but I have seen a picture of the part.

...and I was seconds away from posting pictures, but the only way I was allowed to see them was to promise not to share. Sorry boys. .  I'll talk to him about maybe sending it to the trustworthy folk, but I know he doesn't want it on the open forum.

THANKS FOR KEEPING THE PROMISE ASD,, much appreciated. You ARE a man of your word!
I am the owner of the original Colt made semi only selector available for the M601s.. Willp was the researcher who was able to ID what it was when I got it. In one of the original 601  manuals there is a line that says "the semi auto selector was available at the unit commanders request".
And as said by ASD, I will not post pics of this very uncommon item.. Sorry Guys.

Will you provide any more info on how it works? I'm trying to picture how it will only function as semi in any position. Does it looks like a normal auto selector with the shark fin removed?

yes but that's when you are talking about real estate, yachts or jets. At $90k, this is cheaper than a used Lamborghini!

There's nothing wrong with using correct terms to describe what you have for sale.

I see an issue when you list a Colt 614 as an M16A1 with corresponding M16A1 price (albeit high end) when a 614 generally sells at -20% under M16A1.
I see an issue when there are contradictions between description and posted photos.
I see an issue when all the correct retro buzzwords are used but do not describe the item for sale (keyword spamming.)
I see an issue when speculation and conjecture are used in a description ("This space could have been used for...")

Based on the pattern of behaviors I saw, coupled with possible deficiencies noted in this thread, I would stop and say "Hmmm...." before I wrote a check for what appears to be roughly triple current market value.  In fact, it's why I did not purchase from this seller.

I'm certainly going to sit on my Colt 601 for a very long time. I'm pleased to hear of some of these current asking prices starting to take off like this (realistic or not). The bottom line is that these are rare guns and very, very few in the NFA registry (Saw a story on American Rifleman). I paid 22K for mine in the year 2013, with a 2 gun purchase deal, the other being an M16A1.

I need to move to a free state

Did you post a thread about it in the past? Perhaps asking for an ID before you knew what it was? I seem to recall seeing pictures of one posted before but, my memory is fuzzy. I think it's got some kind of "unique identifying feature" in the middle of the thumb pad?

delete

I totally understand the edit and secrecy. If it's what I remember seeing, I definitely get it.

I can already imagine the shifty gunshow guys and sleazy gunbroker sellers trying to pawn off fakes for some stupid price.

Ya, I don't have a dog in the fight, as I don't own one.  But you're definitely right.

I think there could be a fascinating thread where we describe (text, no pics) what goodies we have that are not to be photographed.

Perhaps true of those who earned it themselves. But once they have it, especially if they inherit it...

And it's all relative. If I'd won a $300,000,000 lottery I'd drop that kind of coin if I wanted to; $90k would be chump change at that point.

I hope he gets 200k

It's my understanding that the buffer tubes were anodized and then treated with a spray-on coating to provide a certain amount of lubrication.
This coating was gray and easily wore off with friction such as might occur between the buffer tube and the stock, exposing the black (or purplish) anodizing underneath.
That's probably why many old "gray" guns show a black buffer tube flange when it "should be" gray. Shine a light inside a gray buffer tube and see what color it is in there - I believe the gray coating was really to lubricate the buffer and spring, not the outside.

Not to hijack the thread, but I think it's relevant to mention as to that coating, remember that Armalite was a subdivision of Fairchild Aircraft. The coating is an engineered aviation coating commercially known as Perma Slik, and is still produced in several forms by Everlube Products (Perma Slik product information page here). Everlube products is a business unit of Curtiss-Wright, which had its origins as an aviation company.

Some long-time members may recall buying Perma Slik in spray cans from georgaprecision.com (not georgiaprecision.net, the gun maker in Kansas City, MO) to refinish old 20-round magazines back before "retro" was a thing. (Thread from 2001 here.)

Perma Slik is still available from aviation supplies vendors like SkyGeek , PilotsHQ , Neely Industries and others for about $25/can. Not cheap, but it goes a long way.

From the Neely Industries product page: "Perma-Slik G is an air drying, MoS2 based, solid film lubricant with an epoxy binder system. This coating provides a low coefficient of friction, good corrosion resistance, and performs best in higher load carrying applications. Perma-Slik G is qualified to MIL-L-23398 and MIL-PRF-46147C. Typical applications are for coating fittings, connectors, guide rails and tracks, bushings, shafts, splines, cams, seals, clamps, and couplings. This is also used by the military and gun enthusiast to refinish AR-15 and other gun magazines."

As Trump recently said at a rally, "Don't tell anybody this, it's a secret, but..." Want a gray buffer tube? Buy a black one, clean it with the correct solvent, spray with Perma Slik. Attached File
    Attached File

Found an old can from 2001 that I'd kept as a reference:

Attached File

How would someone know if the rifle was Colt manufactured or just put together from the proper components. Back in the day, parts kits and individual components were easy to find. If there is nothing to verify the authenticity of the rifle, I don't see how it would bring that kind of money. Are people that naive.

Listing shows location as Nashville, TN.

And we can't find the guy.....

The FFL07 SOT and Full Auto crowd here in Middle Tennessee that I strap-hang out with are at a total lost as to who this guy is.  Efforts to reach him to view his weapons have been unsuccessful.  Two of the biggest FA collectors in this area with the deep pockets to buy whatever in the hell they want have tried to contact him, but the comms go dead once the request to see the firearms is asked.

Can't say if its a security concern, or things aren't as they appear.

Just Odd.