Question about Colt Military profile 20 inch A3 upper

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question about Colt Military profile 20 inch A3 upper

Posted: 9/21/2005 4:51:14 PM EDT

Are some Colt M16A3 uppers not marked with the white numbers on the upper receiver rails.

Would this be an indication of the age of the upper (older ones no marking, newer ones have marking?)

or do all legit colt flat tops have the marks and I've been had?

also I hear talk of silver vs. black crush washers for the A2 flash hider, My LE6920 has the black and

my other Colts have silver crush washers. Which is correct for a legit M16A3 upper.......

The upper is a 20inch Military profile 1/7 C MP and an unmarked A3 upper and is marked with the number 0 near the receiver and is marked with the number 59 near the front sight base

Posted: 9/21/2005 4:57:23 PM EDT

[#1]

I think you mean the M16A4.

And Colt doesn't make M16A4s for the US, FN does.

Posted: 9/21/2005 5:00:03 PM EDT

[#2]

No I mean M16A3 or A4 and if they dont have the contract now they do produce these rifles.

See link for Colt Defence

Posted: 9/21/2005 5:28:16 PM EDT

[#3]

there was a thread about a similar topic not to long ago, let me see if i can find it.

Edit:
found it

ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=247844

Posted: 9/21/2005 5:38:23 PM EDT

[#4]

Receiver has C and AF forge marks and no M4 mark on top front but does have some sort of proof mark between the slip ring and the ejection port

Posted: 9/21/2005 8:22:56 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I think you mean the M16A4.

And Colt doesn't make M16A4s for the US, FN does.

Bullshit

Posted: 9/21/2005 8:25:43 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Receiver has C and AF forge marks and no M4 mark on top front but does have some sort of proof mark between the slip ring and the ejection port

Your upper is colt

Sounds like it was made around 1994~1995. Is the reciever gray?

The silver washer is a peel washer and would be correct for any Colt before 1998

It will not have an M4 mark on the front of the receiver as it is a rifle and they don't have extended feedramps. The M4 stamp is only on Colt carbines.

Posted: 9/21/2005 8:26:18 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
I think you mean the M16A4.

And Colt doesn't make M16A4s for the US, FN does.

I believe this is in order

Posted: 9/21/2005 8:31:24 PM EDT

[#8]

Which markings are you basing your date of manufacture on?

The finish is lighter than current Colt production, but not the older light gray finish

Posted: 9/22/2005 5:11:08 AM EDT

[#9]

C AF forge codes were used on all flattops until 2001

Peel washsers were droped in 1998.

Your barrel doesn't have a date stamp, which would mean it was made before 1995.

Your receiver is gray so that mean in was made before 1997.

So your upper is made before 1995.

Posted: 9/22/2005 6:11:51 AM EDT

[#10]

Tagged

Posted: 9/22/2005 8:17:57 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
C AF forge codes were used on all flattops until 2001

Peel washsers were droped in 1998.

Your barrel doesn't have a date stamp, which would mean it was made before 1995.

Your receiver is gray so that mean in was made before 1997.

So your upper is made before 1995.

There are exceptions, but that is a very good outline of the general rules.

There have been some Colt's M16A4 upper floating around for about a year now. From the ones I have seen it looks to me like Colt's put them together from extra parts, and they are "new old stock". I don't think I have seen, or even heard of two that are the same.

Posted: 9/22/2005 9:10:24 AM EDT

[#12]

I think the ones we have with 1998 dates stamps may not be used up parts except for the bolt.

It seems like the C AF RAS upper, 1998 barrel, peel washer, carrier, would all be correct for circa 1998 Colt.

Posted: 9/22/2005 9:42:31 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I think the ones we have with 1998 dates stamps may not be used up parts except for the bolt.

It seems like the C AF RAS upper, 1998 barrel, peel washer, carrier, would all be correct for circa 1998 Colt.

The ones I have is one of those, and the bolt group was a refurb. Kind of a odd set of parts to turn up now.

Posted: 9/22/2005 10:40:27 AM EDT

[#14]

You probably got a bolt with the angled cuts behind the lugs, correct?

Posted: 9/22/2005 11:22:30 AM EDT

[#15]

No, it is one of those bolts with the date code. Thing is the finish on the bolt was perfect. Only see that on a refinished item in that part of the finish is removed when zeroed at the factory, not to mention the proof test. In addition there is a white paint mark on the bolt, never seen that except on Colt refurb parts. An then there was the finish on the carrier, it was thick and crystallized, like it had been heavily blasted and reparked. In other works it looked like one of those Colt factory refurb bolt goups that Van is (was?) selling.

Posted: 9/22/2005 11:39:43 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
In addition there is a white paint mark on the bolt, never seen that except on Colt refurb parts.

There was a white paint blob on the bolt that came with my new MT6700C.

Colt is putting refurb bolts in their civvie ARs?

In this thread a guy bought a new MT6601 and it had a white paint blob on his bolt.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=29&t=148001&page=2

ETA: Spelling

Posted: 9/22/2005 11:58:10 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
In addition there is a white paint mark on the bolt, never seen that except on Colt refurb parts.

There was a white paint blob on the bolt that came with my new MT6700C.

Colt is putting refurb bolts in their civvie ARs?

In this thread a guy bought a new MT6601 and it had a white paint blob on his bolt.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=2&f=29&t=148001&page=2

ETA: Spelling

Many thanks for the info. Come to think of it, my MT6400C's may have had those too, need to go back and look at my pictures.

I do not think Colt's would use refurb bolts on new guns. A bolt in a new gun will have some residue from the primer on the bolt face, have a bit of carbon on it, and will have a bit of finish wear on the back of the lugs where it locks on the extension. A refurb bolt will have perfect finish, and look like it has never been fired.

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:04:05 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Many thanks for the info. Come to think of it, my MT6400C's may have had those too, need to go back and look at my pictures.

I do not think Colt's would use refurb bolts on new guns. A bolt in a new gun will have some residue from the primer on the bolt face, have a bit of carbon on it, and will have a bit of finish wear on the back of the lugs where it locks on the extension. A refurb bolt will have perfect finish, and look like it has never been fired.

Interesting! I will have to re-examine my RO901 carrier and bolt.

Who is doing the refurb?

Posted: 9/22/2005 12:18:17 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:

Many thanks for the info. Come to think of it, my MT6400C's may have had those too, need to go back and look at my pictures.

I do not think Colt's would use refurb bolts on new guns. A bolt in a new gun will have some residue from the primer on the bolt face, have a bit of carbon on it, and will have a bit of finish wear on the back of the lugs where it locks on the extension. A refurb bolt will have perfect finish, and look like it has never been fired.

Interesting! I will have to re-examine my RO901 carrier and bolt.

Who is doing the refurb?

Colt's is, Van has been selling them. You can see them on autoweapons.com. Web site does not appear to be working now, or I would give you a link.

Posted: 9/22/2005 3:10:30 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
A bolt in a new gun will have some residue from the primer on the bolt face, have a bit of carbon on it, and will have a bit of finish wear on the back of the lugs where it locks on the extension. A refurb bolt will have perfect finish, and look like it has never been fired.

I went home and rechecked the bolts.

The bolt from the MT6700 has the residue and NOT the white paint dot. Oops...

The RO901 upper I got from Dennis has the perfect looking bolt with white paint blob.

Any reason not to use the refurb bolt or should I use that one as the spare?

Posted: 9/22/2005 9:05:33 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
A bolt in a new gun will have some residue from the primer on the bolt face, have a bit of carbon on it, and will have a bit of finish wear on the back of the lugs where it locks on the extension. A refurb bolt will have perfect finish, and look like it has never been fired.

I went home and rechecked the bolts.

The bolt from the MT6700 has the residue and NOT the white paint dot. Oops...

The RO901 upper I got from Dennis has the perfect looking bolt with white paint blob.

Any reason not to use the refurb bolt or should I use that one as the spare?

I will have to go through pictures of my bolts this weekend. Did not keep any out of my 6400C's.

Don't see any reason not to use a refurb bolt. Not like these are real old or anything.

Posted: 9/22/2005 9:22:57 PM EDT

[#22]

Thanks Ekie.

I love my Colt ARs and thanks to you and others, I keep learning more about them!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Question about Colt Military profile 20 inch A3 upper

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