A colleague of mine just attended Colts AR/M16 L.E. Armorers School. He took his very coveted Colt L.E. only (letterhead purchased, although semi auto) M-4 Tactical carbine.
It seems he found out from the Instructor that his gun has a Bushy bolt and carrier.
The Colt guy said that they run into this a lot. It seems that somewhere along the supply line, from factory to end user, these parts are getting switched out because Colt parts command twice the price of other comparables.
Now when you see those ads for "Genuine Colt Bolt and Carriers," they may or may not have come out of some poor schmucks gun before it was sold.
FYI

I'm pretty sure that mine is factory Colt.  Box and bag were sealed at time of purchase.

If you can tell us from where he bought the rifle, we can make sure that vendor doesn't get any more business from any of us ever again.

Okay, just a question from someone whos only been involved with ARs for a short time.  Are Colt parts that much better ?   Or better at all for that matter ?  Or do they command a higher price only because of the name ??

 Thanks

Bill294,

Easy on the vendor attack.  He may not have known either.  it may have happened befor reaching him.  then again maybe not.  

my 2 cents

Then again...the guy who ID'd the part as being non-Colt could have been mistaken...

What difference does it make anyway? Most every company uses sub-contractors to produce parts that can not be justified as a "in house" production part.

If you want a collectors item, then yes it does matter that the gun needs to be completely Colt.  As far as function and reliability, he's probably gotten a better deal with the Bushmaster parts in his gun.  To answer someone's question, yes it is a matter of the only thing you get extra by paying more is the name brand "Colt".

I think Colt put alot of those other companys parts in themselfs. About a year ago I called Quality Parts Co who is Bushmaster and asked for a bolt and carrier and was told they had none in stock. I was told that Colt had bought all of there stock because Colt couldn't make theis own fast enough. Bushy makes stuff.

red man

The guy that ID'd the part works for Colt, he is an armorer instructor.
I don't know the vendors name, but I was told they are also a class III manufacturer.
Brian has already replaced the bolt with a "Colt" product. Apparently the carrier was Colt and the bolt was a Bushmaster.
The way I see it--big effin deal, except if you are paying the $$ for a Colt product. Personally I'm not stuck on that.
I did want to bring it to everyones attention, especially since the Colt Armorer/Instructor said it happens quite frequently and is done by "greedy" vendors.
Take care

These non Colt bolt carriers, are they full circles with no firing pin shrowd?  Does Colt use full circle bolt carrieries in their LEO models?