How do you tell a TRUE M4 upper from a conversion to M4?

What's the best way to tell if you're getting the real thing or not?

Look for the "M4 or 4" stamp on the upper reciever. It's on the forward part under the sights.

Barrel is lightweight (thin) under the handgards and the barrel is usually stamped with a month/year just behind the front sight. Barrels are 14.5 inches 1 in 7 twist, chrome lined and preban but necessitate a 1.5 in flash supressor permanently attached for us civvies.

Military M4s are 14.5 inch barrel flattops but Colt makes some 16" M4s with 1 in 9 twist, chrome lined for law enforcement and the same uppers for civilian sales. Also is a 16" fixed carry handle model. I think the M4 LE upper are model LE6920? http://www.rguns.net shows these 16" Colt LE uppers.  

Explain this to me....does the Colt M4 upper have different hand guards then the Bushmaster M4 upper.  I'm talking about the 14.5" barrels (add whatever muzzel end is needed).

I think that the Colt M4 has some thicker, shorter looking handguards will the Bushmaster M4's have the standard CAR handguards.

Yes exactly. Colt M4s come with fatter handgards on both the Military 14.5 barrels and the LE 16 inch models. How did I neglect to put this in my post?

where can one obtain those Colt M4 handguards (the thicker ones)??  

Without emptying the bank of course.

JT Distributing has the M4 hanguards for only $54.95

http://www.jtdistributing.com/

Only 50 bones?  Geez, I was hoping it would be only a little higher than regular handguards.

Does any one want to trade? please, pretty please.

Oh yeah, does the thick guards make it feel uncomfortable to hold?  I think that the standard CAR handguards feel perfect.

REFERRING TO LBJ POST- I HAVE COLT M4 16 INCH UPPER WITH 1/7 TWIST DATED 9/97 or 9/98 TOO LAZY TO GO CHECK. WHATS UP?

For Law Enforcement and civilian sales, Colt is known for variations and nothing is set in stone. It's part of the Colt mystique if you're a Colt AR fan like me but one of the main reasons some people dislike Colt.

I find the 1 in 7 twist is quite desireable. Currently all the uppers from Colt I have seen are the 16 inch M4 LE6920/AR6920 M4 chrome lined 1 in 9 dated any month/00.

But if you want a real preban Colt Military M4 upper with 14.5 inch barrel, with a permanently attached 1.5 inch Phantom or Vortex flash supressor for us civvies to get to legal length, Dennis Todd handles them I think. He's in PA? These real Colt M4 uppers are pricey. Be prepared for sticker shock.

[email protected]

Ok, now that I got that straight ....

What is the best lower to match that M4 upper with? I think they are all small pins.

Is $2000 worth it for a M4 6920 upper and Colt Sporter lower in good condition? There's a local here that's got one.

I bought an OLY "M4" kit (flattop & M4 profile barrel, no carry handle) complete upper kit for $449. This included a buttstock and a complete lower kit (no lower).

I bought the carry handle, upgraded to M4 handguards and the collapsable buttstock, it was $666.92 total. You could buy the carry handle for less from somewhere else.

I think I got the M2 flashhider for free.

The OLY also has the feedramps cut into the barrel extention.

For those of you who have to have a chrome lined barrel then OLY is not the way to go.

It sure beats paying $699 for just the upper without a bolt and carry handle.

GEF

Lisco,

Value of a firearm goes beyond a linear $$$ amount. -I found that you have to ask yourself what you really want from the rifle.

Do you want brand status, quality, or just a certain "look". While an AR with the dancing pony gives you status, resale value and possibly quality. I say possibly because Colt quality has varied greatly due to their financial troubles. Also Colt civie and Colt military quality has been reported as very different. The civies losing out of course.

If all you want is a good rifle with the look of an M4, any of the top brands will serve you well.

Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite and Eagle have some of the best AR's around. Eagle for instance are some of the best preban lower values around, and will serve as well as any.

If you really want Colt, by all means, but you really can't go wrong with most any major brand.

Cheers

PS. I have a Bushmaster M4-type AR and it is as good as any in my book.