Hey guys, I'm not sure as this is the right forum for this.  Any help would be appreciated.  I'm working a deal on a "Marine Finish" Colt SP1 20" rifle.  It has a chrome like finish on the upper and lower.  It has been fired but very little and is in excellant shape.  Could any one give me a little history in to this model and what it might be worth?  Thanks for your time.

Scott

From www.gunsnet.net :
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The finish of the SP-1's went from a green tint on early guns to a grey-black finish on latter guns. In the early 1980's Colt made some "COLTGUARD" finished AR's in the 200,000 serial number range. Coltguard is an electroless nickel finish.

Tinpig

Here's an old closed listing on Gunsamerica for $1500.

There was a discussion back in April 2006 about the ColtGuard SP1s. I think you have to be a team member to see it. They made about a 1000 of them.

ETA: Here's a pic of one with walnut stocks. Not mine.

Take off the wood stocks and they are pretty cool looking.

Quoted: Here's a pic of one with walnut stocks

Now if someone would come up with wooden mags.

Doc

They are not worth a large amount more than a normal SP1 from what I've seen.  I had one a few years back and even during the ban, only got around $850 or so out of it IIRC.  It was kind of beat up, and some of the finish was starting to flake off, but it was a great shooter.

They are plated with electroless nickel.

I remember seeing some of these in Florida a few times while visiting my grandparents. There was a local shop that had one on the wall. I thought it was pretty cool but didn't quite grasp the concept of marine finish at the time. As I learned about the properties of metals later in life I realized that it was pretty cool indeed. It would go well with a two tone Glock.

I wouldn't mind having one in my collection just as a conversation piece but I don't think I'd take one of mine and have it plated.

This same shop also had one of the rare .222 AR15's at one time and I'd love to have one of those for the same reasons.

Quoted: They are not worth a large amount more than a normal SP1 from what I've seen.  I had one a few years back and even during the ban, only got around $850 or so out of it IIRC.  It was kind of beat up, and some of the finish was starting to flake off, but it was a great shooter. They are plated with electroless nickel.

The Coltguard with the wood stocks shown above belonged to me - and I sold it for $3500 so perhaps you should have hung on to yours...

Quoted: Quoted: They are not worth a large amount more than a normal SP1 from what I've seen.  I had one a few years back and even during the ban, only got around $850 or so out of it IIRC.  It was kind of beat up, and some of the finish was starting to flake off, but it was a great shooter. They are plated with electroless nickel. The Coltguard with the wood stocks shown above belonged to me - and I sold it for $3500 so perhaps you should have hung on to yours...

Wow - that was a good price you got for it. I think the wood stocks on it makes it look dead sexy.

Wood stocks on a black AR wouldn't be the same.

I picked up the "COLTGUARD" 20" SP1.  It is in pretty good shape.  I don't think it has been fired.  It has set around.  There are dings here and there.  The charging handle and hammer face show some wear from being worked but I don't see any carbon anywhere.  If someone would tell me how to post pictures, I'd post some.  I'm planing to give Colt CS a call and see what they have to say.  I must say it looks really cool with the black and the chrome.  All though the chrome is dull like stainless steel.  Thanks for the info.

Scott

My oldest got one for High School Graduation back in 1985. He wanted a Armalite AR-18 but then we saw one of these in a shop in Glendale and we were both hooked. He calls it Baby. What can I say, it's a Marine thing. His M4 he calls Sweetness. He would give up wife and kids before giving up his Colt Guarded Baby.

Colt said that the rifle was shipped "around or about" 1984.  I wish I knew how to post pictures.  I think the chrome/black looks pretty cool.

Scott

Quoted: I wish I knew how to post pictures. Scott

Posting pictures in threads.

To add some info about the Coltguard finish, it was an "electroless" nickel finish, which meant that it was a chemical process rather than the regular electrolysis type plating process.
It looked really good, but was very soft.  Almost anything bumping up against or rubbing on a Coltguard surface would scuff or mar it.  I think that's why a lot of people think it's a painted finish.
Anyway, they made a thousand or two of these, along with 1911 pistols, some revolvers and other miscellaneous firearms, then abandoned the process when the durability issue came to light.
I got an AR in Coltguard, and saw the walnut furniture on Gunbroker, and thought that would make a really neat combination.  Interesting to see the response to it here.  I wondered if it would sell, and put it on Gunbroker about a year ago, and the bidding went crazy.  You just never know what will sell.