Thanks for sharing the articles.
Way back in the 1960s I had only seen the Colt AR-15 SP1 and M-16A1 US Army rifles in Gun Digest (thick soft cover books) and gun magazines.
I was only a kid back then and I only had the Mattel Tommy-Burst set Thompson submachine gun, snub nose revolver and Mattel Marauder M-16 toy rifle, had great fun with them.
But in 1971 when I lived in Seattle, Washington that time I saw a small surplus gun shop in downtown area had a new in box Colt SP1 R6000 rifle, late SP1 configuration with A1 cage flash hider and solid rubber buttpad (no storage yet), took a look at it and ask them to hold it for me so I could come back next day to buy it.
I used up all my saved money for 3 years and paid $200 (in 1971), I was all out of money so my father bought two extra Colt 20 rd mags and about 100 rounds of European imported Norma brand .223 commercial ammo.
Enjoyed using it at my local gun range and I was a member, I was very popular because a lot of members and non-members ask me to try my AR and I try their either bolt or lever guns.
Unfortunately sold my SP1 rifle in 1984 to buy a new Colt R6401 AR-15A2 Sporter rifle.
These are my Colt rifles in the past that I had:
Colt R6420 AR-15A2 Sporter II Carbine 1986 new
Colt R6600 AR-15A2 HBAR Sporter rifle 1986 new
Colt R6530 Sporter Lightweight carbine 1991 new (sold my A2 SPII carbine)
Colt R6551 Sporter Target Model rifle 1991 new (sold my A2 SPII rifle)
My current AR now:
Colt pre ban R6830 Sporter Lightweight carbine cal. 7.62X39 (HBAR heavy contour barrel)
Colt MT6601 Match HBAR lower with Colt never issued '80s USGI M-16A2 upper half 2005
Colt AR6721 AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine NOS made in 2002 bought new in 2005
Colt AR6721 AR-15A3 Tactical Carbine 2010 new
Colt SP6920 Sporter M4 Carbine 2011 new
RRA LAR-15 A4 9mm carbine 2006 new
My next dream gun I'm saving for is the Colt replica M-16A1 rifle.