Hey, I noticed there is a C and H molded into my carry handle.  The upper is an A1 style with forward assist but no shell deflector.  It's sort of a funny grey color, not the darker black of my Oly lower.  What do those letters indicate?  Maybe nothing?  I also noticed some letters (forgot them though) in a stop sign looking symbol on my bolt carrier, what does that mean?

Go look here.[url]http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/barrelsbolts/[/url]and here.[url]http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/uppers/[/url]

I think my bolt may be the 'SE' one.  Thanks for that link.  Anyone know about the carry handle marks?  

Added another link on uppers,shows Colt/Harvey.

And the color difference is usual.  Colt's anodizing of the M16, M16A1, and SP1 was of a much lighter shade of gray than what they, and everybody else, has been using in more recent years. In fact, you can almost date the production of a Colt piece by the shade of the Aluminum recievers.

As an example, I have a very early M16 Air Force contract upper that is a very close match for the WW2 gray/green parkerized finishes used on M1 rifles.  My SP1, made in the mid 1970s, is somewhat darker, and the very late M16A1 upper, probably produced just before the adoption of the M16A2, is dark enough to almost be a natch for the late model Bushmaster lower it's on.

Just one of the things you live with if, like me, you're into the early style ARs, but have to build them up on current lowers, 'cause you can't afford preban lowers which might color match them better[:D]

Yeah, this thing doesn't come close to matching my black Oly lower.  What the heck is a Colt/Harvey upper doing on my Oly lower anyhow?  Did Oly buy from Colt?  (my oly is a 91 SGW)  Is this upper, being a 1st run according to that cool website, desirable or is it just another Colt upper?

Go look here.www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/barrelsbolts/and here.www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/uppers/

That info helps but not much at all...

Just a thought... [;D]

Makes sense to me. LOL

It's somebody's built up job, almost certainly; just like mine are[:D].

Personally, I'd pay a few bucks more for it than if it was all Oly, simply because I believe that Colt makes better barrels than Oly; but I don't think you can call it a collectors item.  Right now, with all kinds of GI surp 16 and 16A1 uppers, barrels etc on the surplus marke, you're going to see a fair number of pieces around with this combination of aftermarket lowers and Colt uppers on the market for awhile.

Colt Harvey aluminum co.
Colt machined, Harvey Aluminum co. forging.

Bolt carrier is Smith Enterprises.

Scott

Thanks guys, I think we've got it figured out.