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I see that the earliest versions had black glass weaved mat type A stocks and one piece hand guards with black glass weaved mat finish. You can see that they switched to brown weave mat next. After that, you can see the different mix and match sets, styles and the shift to slip rings. I am wondering if they ever tried the one piece hand guards in the brown 601 flake glass type material?

I know a prototype clone is just that, a clone. It can never be "perfect" and the builder goes for a "look" they have in mind. With so much data, I think I lost my vision... Any thoughts on using the brown type A stock, then going brown 601 flake finish on the one piece hand guard? Will it look "wrong" on a prototype? Does anyone know what years the brown flake type A stock was first used?

As a side note, I was thinking of using the 000005 number for my lower engraving. I don't know of any pictures of number 5 being around. This would give me some wiggle room on what would be correctly documented for that serial number.

Don't let the photos fool you, the woven furniture is red-brown; it just tends to photograph as black, or near black.

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99.9%  Black
.01%    Brown

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That is a great close up of the weave. I completely get the mix of black, red and brown that is really brown. The variations and combinations of parts on the photos of the prototypes is all over the place.  Thanks for the guidance 57.

I'm thinking I can always sand the paint job off if I don't like it. There really does not seem to be any real rythme or reason to the order of the parts on any given serial number. I have to thank all those that have done research on the prototype types. All the pictures are very helpful.

I had JT dimple all of my pins and shorten the mag release, create mag button lines, re-parkerize the no square port door, create an early gas tube and prototype sight wheel, modify a selector to work with the prototype markings and a I picked up a prototype type flash hinder. I also found a cast prototype FSB (Braceman finished the milling), edgwater buffer, chrome full round BCG and I have an NDS prototype lower. I'm waiting for NDS to work on the prototype trigger charging handle uppers later this month. A new 1:12 Green Mountain pencil barrel will be milled to prototype standards by JT.

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Did anyone get a non-blem proto-type upper from this run?  I have one ordered, but was wanting a non-blem upper.

At the Tulsa show, Armalite #2 & #3 AR-15 prototype rifles are on display. It turns out that the owner is a good friend of my friend. My buddy surprised me and made arrangements for me to actually HOLD these incredible weapons. It is amazing how different the two rifles are. The owner answered some very important questions I had about prototype weapons. It turns out that 0,1,2,3 & 4 were the ORIGINAL prototypes. Even the barrel diameters were different. I was amazed how thin the stocks were, and how LIGHT the weapons are. I even got to fondle the original 25 round mags in the weapons. This didn't just make my day, but at LEAST my month, or maybe even my year. I was so AWESTRUCK.

Gun shows frown on photos, so I wasn't about to whip out my camera. I went back and spoke with him again today. Both of these weapons were in Belgium, and have Belgian proof house markings on the bolts and receivers. After Colt got them back (they were on loan for testing), the same Colt executive was able to procure both weapons. He then sold them to the current owner. Serial number 0,1,2,3 & 4 were the first five original hand assembled prototypes. These first five had a larger "AR15" engraving than subsequent rifles. Also these first five had reverse threads on the rear sight with the sight wheel marked "L", and a clockwise arrow. Later models had standard threads on the rear sight, and an "L" and counter clockwise arrows. All of the first five had different flash hiders and barrel profiles. The first five had super fine lines on the mag catches. He also is 100% POSITIVE that the projection on top of the bipod adapter IS a bayonet lug. He says that Reed Knight has an original low profile bayonet that attaches to the projection, and that he has personally held it and attached it to a rifle. I spoke with him at length about having the rifles disassembled and having detailed photos of all of the parts, and hopefully I have convinced him to do so. He has never even had them apart to see what buffer and bolt was used. The sad thing, is that he is BLIND and will never be able to see the awesomeness of his weapons.

I just went and checked for you, so here are your answers: the butt plate is rubber. The exposed part of the buffer tube in bare aluminum, without anodizing. The edge of the stock, underneath the exposed buffer tube, is beveled, which makes it look like it us a different color. The butt stock is much thinner than a type "A" stock. I believe from your posts that you are doing #4. If that is correct, the barrel diameter is even thinner than later production prototypes.

Apparently, not only does prototype serial number one exist, but serial number zero exists as well, according to the owner of #2 & #3

Quoting the December 1958 report from Aberdeen:

"The barrel has 8 flutes 9-1/2 inches long at the rear of the front sight shoulder. The barrel has a diameter of 0.593 inch (rifle number 18) at the front sight position and a diameter of 0.560 inch at the muzzle. A 6 inch length starting 3/4 inch from the muzzle muzzle has a diameter of 0.472 inch."

So, basically, you have a .560 muzzle diameter for 3/4, it steps down to .472 for 6 inches, the steps up to .593 under the FSB.

Looks like the 25 round mag They had stamped serial numbers, not electro penciled like I have seen on photos of others.