Armory Sponsor
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Questions about Colt XM177E2 (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 6/20/2006 8:20:14 AM EDT
|
I have a question that I wanted to see if anyone could answer. I have a Colt XM177E2 model 639 with the original Colt Suppressor. My dad bought the gun in the mid 70's and we shot 3 clips of ammo thru it and then put it in a safe. The gun has been transferred to me and I wanted to find out about what it is worth? The gun is in perfect condition since it has been stored in a safe for over 20 years. I have been told that it is a valuable gun. My dad bought it from Aeromarines in Birmingham, AL. He paid $1,495 for it(I wish he had bought ten of them). Aeromarines told him that not that many of these guns were being released to the public. If you can help me with some info it would be greatly appreciated. |
|
I do have the Colt supressor. My dad bought the gun and it came with the supressor. Later, Colt contacted my dad and told him that he would have to turn in the Colt supressor and they sent a birdcage to take its place. My dad found our that Colt did not own the patent on the supressor, the government did, so they did not have the right to sell the supressor. My dad had an attorney write a couple of letters to Colt and before it was over Colt paid the transfer tax for the supressor and the made my dad have a machinist engrave a matching serial number to the gun on the supressor. Most of the supressors were turned in to Colt, so anyone with a gun and supressor is supposed to be very rare, especially with matching serial numbers. The guys at Aeromarines (where my dad bought the gun) told us that according to Colt somewhere between 85% & 95% of the supressors were turned in. I will put pictures of the gun up if someone will tell me how. |
|
Here you go. Now please give us that picture. In order to post an image in a thread it must be hosted online. You cannot post a picture from your computer hard drive. 1) Once your picture is hosted online, copy the url for it. 2) Paste the url in the message text window in the thread you want the picture in. 3) Type - Example [ img]url for your picture[ /img] I purposely put a space between the bracket and i to prevent it from turning into a hot link! Leave the space out when you type it. Also..please note that some sites that host pictures won't allow linking to their site. Geocities is one. If you want to link to a picture or image rather then post it, simply type url between the brackets instead of img. Last Updated :: 2/27/2005 10:26:00 AM EDT |
|
Eddie, Got your email but am unable to reply, keeps bouncing my email addy is [email protected] |
| It is my understanding that the 639 was an export model. I don't know why they decided to release these in the US. I was concerned when I saw the comments about the grenade ring. When I checked, this is the way these Colt suppressors were made. I even found one thread on this site that discussed the ring being backwards. I'm not sure why it is that way, I just know that is the way it was on the day it was purchased. The suppressor I have does not have the Colt info stamped on it. The only thing on it is the serial number which is the same serial number as the gun except there is an "S" before the number. |
|
Except for the markings and forward assist, it looks exactly like the GAU/5A I carried as a K-9 Handler in the USAF from 1979 through 1988. The so called suppressor/moderator did not seem to make the gun shoot much quieter, but it did have the coolness factor. I remember shooting one on the range at Osan AB in 1983, and found that the barrel was extremely worn out and inaccurate. When working the dog on the base perimeter, it was handy rifle and better than just being armed with a .38 caliber handgun. Our basic load of ammo for the GAU was 240 rounds. You have a great rifle there EWEAVER, so don't sell it anytime soon. |
THANK YOU I was really (no joke) scared you were looking to sell this MG. You have made me happy. Jealous. YES, but happy for you. 
|
Thanks for the info, Scotty. Do you know when Colt began using beveled delta rings? |
Colt used the bevel rings on the 629, 630, 639, and 649. Then, they went back to the straight rings on all production until the 1980s when the bevel ring showed up again. |
|
Beautiful rifle you have there! I, too, dislike the looks of the recoil pad. But you are right to leave it on as it's original to this gun. Is it possible the machinist who inscribed the serial number removed the modulator and then reinstalled the grenade ring backwards? |
|
On looking more closely at my files, all but one of the s/n 4.7-5.1M rifles have the rings on just like this model 639. Maybe Colt had some reason for this other than simply a mistake. The one exception I see was a 5.0M rifle sold by Nick Tillota a couple years ago. He might have swapped the ring around himself thinking it had been put on incorrectly as compared to the earlier rifles. I will ask Dennis & Jennie Todd about this next time I see them. With Bob Miller long gone, they know more about these rifles than anyone else I am aware of. Another piece of interesting info came up several months ago when an owner of one of these 5M 11.5" Colt rifles took the time to find out what model number Colt listed on the original factory paperwork. His rifles does not have a model number roll marked on the receiver such as the model 639 shown in this thread. It is roll marked M16, not AR15, but has all the other features of the model 639 including the 4.5" moderator. Colt's original paperwork listed the model number on his rifle, s/n 501XXXX, as an "XM177E2". The owner says that he has verified the model "XM177E2" status with "Jack at Public Safety", the author of "Serial number info on Colt factory M16s" which tony_k tacked to the top of this forum. It is another of the rifles that has the ring on just like EWEAVER's model 639 (see below). Carey 
|
|
I am curious about that barrel marking, found inbetween the muzzle do dad and the front sight base. 4.7 million is right where Colt went from C MP C chrome chambers to C MP B chrome chamber and bore on the M16A1. Also interesting that it has a CH upper, those were not used until later on (higher serial numbers) with the M16A1 series. |
|
Better detail. EWEAVER, I just don't think I would turn that ring around. Too many other rifles are matching yours. Talk to Phil_A_Steen about filing a FOIA so you can get some more history on your beauty. I have been told 2 interesting ideas as to the origin of the model 639. 1. The model 639 was manufactured for a middle eastern government, but the rifles were not delivered.(Shah of Iran?) 2. The model 639 was intended for use as a sterile weapon, possibly used in SE Asia. If so, we should see a few w/o a factory serial number. Anybody actually seen one? Carey 
|
WOW! I wish someone in my family would have made a similar purchase!FYI, some more "food for thought" on the Ring: For the most part (99%) of the rings that I have seen (in photos) on a Model 629/XM177E2 are oriented so that the Flat Side is toward the rear/receiver and the Rounded Side is toward the front/muzzle.  Colt Photo  SMGLee / Reed Knight Collection It is my understanding that this was done so that the "Flat Side" of the ring would act as a "stop" when a 40mm Grenade Launcher was attached. I believe that function was more important for the ring, than the function of it being used to "launch rifle grenades".  Kevin Dockery   I am not sure if that could have changed with the Model 639 since it was not USGI? Thanks, Best of Luck, "Capt Richardson" |
Probably because 1} the suppressor ring is on backwards, and 2)the suppressor itself is not what Colt put on military issue XM177E2s. Rather, it's the earlier XM177 type, which has a skinnier rebated portion, and does not have the flats for disassembly with the standard disassembly wrench. Colt obviously did what Colt always does. They used leftover pieces from military production on nonmilitary pieces to use up stock on the shelves that couldn't be used on military pieces any more. When the XM177 came out, there was no birdcage flash suppressor on the M16. The three prong type was standard. By the time the E2 was developed, the birdcage was standard on the rifles, so they thickened the rebate area, and put the flats on the 177 suppressor as well. Even so, it's still a hellofa collector's piece. 
|
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Questions about Colt XM177E2 (Page 1 of 2)
Armory Sponsor