Just bought a Colt Sporter Target. Was a little surprised when it didn't have a Bayonette lug on the upper. Milled off like my post ban's But the price seemed great, So I took a chance.. Excellent condition, markings seem correct, came with 2, 20 rnd. Colt blocked & riveted to 5 rnd. mags? Low serial # ST 0035xx . Is this a true Preban? Or did I screw up? Thanks..

You have a blue label preban, none of them have the lug. Congrats on the new toy!

Yep, your Sporter Target is a pre-ban.  "Blue label" Colts came without a bayo lug so don't worry about.  Enjoy!

Thanks guys, I'll sleep better tonite!!!

Congratulations! It should be a beautiful shooter [:)]

If you would like to replace the front takedown screw with a pushpin you can buy one [url=http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/lowers/oak-01.asp]here[/url] for $9.95. I've got two on the way for my blue label Colts. They are scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Short-fuse,
I also have a Sporter Target with a low serial no. (ST0050xx). My Sporter has the blocked lower, large hole and a bayonet lug. Years ago, I had a phone conversation with a Colt representive about my Sporter and the bayonet lug. He sent me a letter with the following information. My rifle was mfg. in 1990 (as I imagine yours was). When Colt decided to mfg. the new Sporter series they begin using the remaining parts of the green label AR-15 rifles. Between the ending of green label rifles around 1989 and the beginning of blue label rifles in 1991 was a model called the white label series. This rifle can have any number of combinations including the presence of a bayonet lug and a lower receiver without the block. I've had numerous discussions with Colt owners/collectors about this interesting period of time and what I've written here seems to be correct.

The magazines are probably plugged to five rounds to comply with most states hunting laws.

True enough.  My SP1 came with blocked mags; the difference being that, in the early versions the blocking wire was easily removed by simply pulling the floorplate and dropping it out; while in the later types, the block was riveted to the floorplate and you had to grind off the head of the rivet to get the block off.[:D]

I always got a kick out of the wording in the Colt owners manual regarding the 5rd limiter in the factory mags. It went something like this:

"The five round limiter in your Colt Sporter factory magazine was designed to comply with local and state hunting laws. It can not be removed because it is riveted in place. [b]Whatever you do, DON'T:[/b]

a) Drill our rivet with 1/8" drill

b) Remove magazine floorplate with flat-bladed screwdriver

c) Carefully remove limiter and spring while noting orientation of spring

d) Discard limiter

e) Reinsert magazine spring using correct orientation

f) Reinsert floorplate

g) Rock and roll

[B]Whatever you do, DON'T DO THIS. STEPS A THROUGH G ARE VERY, VERY NAUGHTY!!!"[/B]

[:D]

So what was the good price that you paid for the preban?

$800.00 and it is in excellent + condition Thanks for asking...