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Posted: 3/24/2019 2:33:23 PM EDT
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Greetings
I obtained an early AR15 a while ago. It seems to be in original condition. As far as I know serial number range 000001 to 000100 was used by Armalite for prototypes and the pre-serial-production rifles 000101 to 000125 for the Malaya (Malaysia) contract 000126 to 000148 for the Indian Contract So mine was just produced after the Indian contract. Serial number 000150 is somehow aligned with an inventory number 2 on the stock, assuming that 000149 was delivered to the same customer. Does anyone know to whom my AR15 was delivered to? Australia, Burma or Singapore Police? Thanks for any info, Olaf |
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You can probably email Colt and they can tell you.
https://www.colt.com/page/archive-services Nice find, looks like the auto sear is removed? |
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I already tried to get some info from the colt archive service. Very nice folks there, but they can not help me. They have no access to miltary contract data, only to the files related to commercial sales. The auto sear is still there, it is a legal registered full auto weapon. |
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The historians at Knight's Armament Company of Titusville, Florida would probably have some information about that. In fact they might even want to buy it from you. It would not surprise me at all if Reed Knight owns serial number 149...and 151 as well. I don't think there are "historic weapon" exceptions to our glorious gun laws. It's outside the US so it can never come home. Until we get our freedoms back. 
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A historically relevant find...please share with us the details of how it came into your possession. So no trace at all how this rifle made it's way to Switzerland. I guess (but do not know!!) that a Swiss dealer bought a small lot of these somewhere in the world and imported them to Switzerland. I would not wonder if there are more around, but that is the first one I have seen here up for sale. That's all I know. |
Hello, thank you for posting. That is a very nice looking rifle you have, you are lucky to own that piece of history! Could you post a few more pictures for us? Larger photos, we all love photos here.  I would like to see one of each side showing all of the visible aluminum from the slip ring to the lip of the buffer tube. I would also like to see the wear patterns on the front and rear of the carry handle, and around the back of the pistol grip. I have a clone built around a worn XM16E1 upper receiver and I am curious what the wear patterns on your 601 look like.
http://s1127.photobucket.com/user/somebob/library/sendra?sort=2&hotlinkfix=1553828269882&page=1 Quoted:
Greetings I obtained an early AR15 a while ago. It seems to be in original condition. As far as I know serial number range 000001 to 000100 was used by Armalite for prototypes and the pre-serial-production rifles 000101 to 000125 for the Malaya (Malaysia) contract 000126 to 000148 for the Indian Contract So mine was just produced after the Indian contract. Serial number 000150 is somehow aligned with an inventory number 2 on the stock, assuming that 000149 was delivered to the same customer. Does anyone know to whom my AR15 was delivered to? Australia, Burma or Singapore Police? Thanks for any info, Olaf |
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It is interesting that this rifle appears to have a Colt VP proofed barrel. I have a friend with three 601's, all with three digit serial numbers, and all three of those rifles have Colt VP barrels as well. You would think that the early rifles would have Winchester barrels. Does anyone think it is possible tgat Colt added their VP proof marks to Winchester barrels? It is also interesting to note tgar the trigger and hammer pins are dimpled only on one side, AND the firing pin cam pin appears to be chrome plated, even though I have read that they never used chrome cam pins.
Attached File Attached File |
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It is interesting that this rifle appears to have a Colt VP proofed barrel. I have a friend with three 601's, all with three digit serial numbers, and all three of those rifles have Colt VP barrels as well. You would think that the early rifles would have Winchester barrels. Does anyone think it is possible tgat Colt added their VP proof marks to Winchester barrels? It is also interesting to note tgar the trigger and hammer pins are dimpled only on one side, AND the firing pin cam pin appears to be chrome plated, even though I have read that they never used chrome cam pins. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/432342/IMG_5105_JPG-895476.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/432342/IMG_5104_JPG-895477.JPG |
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Yes, my 3-digit rifle has a Winchester barrel but with the "tiny VP" proof mark. It's long been my supposition that Colt bought the barrels from Winchester but did their own proof-testing. |
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Quoted: I don't know where CHE is and I don't recognize the flag but this is one weapon not even Reed Knight can get his hands on! I don't think there are "historic weapon" exceptions to our glorious gun laws. It's outside the US so it can never come home. Until we get our freedoms back. How else do you think he ended up with an M1A1 Abrams tank in his museum, in fully operational condition? If they'll let him have a functional currently in service example of a main battle tank, getting a single MG from overseas is child's play. |
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Quoted: Mr. Knight is extraordinarily well connected and if he wants a specific weapon, always for "research purposes", he gets the required permits or special exemptions. Much of the contents of his museums is "on loan" from the US government, which can acquire whatever the hell it wants to acquire. How else do you think he ended up with an M1A1 Abrams tank in his museum, in fully operational condition? If they'll let him have a functional currently in service example of a main battle tank, getting a single MG from overseas is child's play. I was unaware of the extent of his treasures. Even though I'm in FL I've never made the pilgrimage. |
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@OlGunner does your Winchester barrel have a Winchester proof mark as well? If not, are you just going by the measurements to call it a Winchester? Coukd it be that Winchester (only) proofed barrels are so rare because they were just for replacement? Quoted:
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Yes, my 3-digit rifle has a Winchester barrel but with the "tiny VP" proof mark. It's long been my supposition that Colt bought the barrels from Winchester but did their own proof-testing. I consider measurements merely an "indicator" because they do fluctuate a bit, but I've never found a Colt-produced barrel that didn't have the C on the extension. |
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@M16Indiana The barrel has absolutely no marking except the tiny VP proof mark. Based on measurements, the lack of the "C" on the barrel extension and the low SN, I have no reason to believe it is not one of the barrels Winchester produced for Colt. I consider measurements merely an "indicator" because they do fluctuate a bit, but I've never found a Colt-produced barrel that didn't have the C on the extension. |
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Greetings I obtained an early AR15 a while ago. It seems to be in original condition. As far as I know serial number range 000001 to 000100 was used by Armalite for prototypes and the pre-serial-production rifles 000101 to 000125 for the Malaya (Malaysia) contract 000126 to 000148 for the Indian Contract So mine was just produced after the Indian contract. Serial number 000150 is somehow aligned with an inventory number 2 on the stock, assuming that 000149 was delivered to the same customer. Does anyone know to whom my AR15 was delivered to? Australia, Burma or Singapore Police? Thanks for any info, Olaf Olaf, That is an amazing piece of history. Thank you for sharing it with us! |
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Both of my barrels have the "C" on the extension but fall within the dimensions that would otherwise indicate it was a Winchester barrel. One has the VP marking and both are marked with the M1 forward of the front sight base at 12 o'clock, although the two markings are drastically different. Quoted:
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@M16Indiana The barrel has absolutely no marking except the tiny VP proof mark. Based on measurements, the lack of the "C" on the barrel extension and the low SN, I have no reason to believe it is not one of the barrels Winchester produced for Colt. I consider measurements merely an "indicator" because they do fluctuate a bit, but I've never found a Colt-produced barrel that didn't have the C on the extension. Unfortunately, the other common stamps--the Ms and Ws and M1s and Cs and VPs, above the chamber, under the handguards, beneath the FSB, on the bottom, the left side, the right side, etc., etc.--just don't seem to exhibit much logical consistency. |
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Yeah, this is why I only consider barrel dimensions an indicator--a suggestion. Even among the relatively small sample of barrels I've owned or examined, the upper limits of Winchester barrel diameters and the lower limits of Colt barrel diameters seem to have some overlap. Not a surprise, I guess, considering that we're talking about measurements within a few thousandths of an inch. That "C," though, is IMO the definitive sign of the manufacturer. Unfortunately, the other common stamps--the Ms and Ws and M1s and Cs and VPs, above the chamber, under the handguards, beneath the FSB, on the bottom, the left side, the right side, etc., etc.--just don't seem to exhibit much logical consistency. |
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Very nice! What is the going rate for the early AR15's in the EU? With all the gun control we hear about, what kind of process do you have to go through to buy/transfer one? It looks like an A stock but it looks like the sling swivel doesn't spin. Am I missing something? |
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Very nice! What is the going rate for the early AR15's in the EU? With all the gun control we hear about, what kind of process do you have to go through to buy/transfer one? It looks like an A stock but it looks like the sling swivel doesn't spin. Am I missing something? |
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