A few quick questions from an FNG on upgrading my old Colt AR-15 SP1 (Pre-Ban, 1973 vintage):

1)Does anyone still make M16A1 (forward assist,etc.) style pre-ban uppers that I could
add to my lower receiver group? I'd like to have something comparable to my USMC issue M16A1 from the mid 70's.

2)I assume that I could just as easily add a current A2 style pre-ban upper...will there be any conflicts with the old lower's take down and pivot pins?

3) Any chance my old SP1 Bolt Carrier Group would work in a new A2 style upper?

4) Does my used pre-ban upper have any sale or trade-in value I could use against the cost of either a new A1 or A2 upper?

5) Any other suggestions?

I'll be using this primarily for plinking...so I'm not looking at any National Match grade components.  Thanks for any input....  

In order:

1) No, no one is making a forward assist A1 type upper any more.  Bushmaster advertises one, but it's actually a cuurent Canadian version, and has the ejection deflector bump on it. You've got two chances to get a real A1 type upper. Colt did put out some Sporters, right at the end of their run, w/forward assists. That wouid be easiest, since they have the big hole hinge. I found one at a gun show, where apparently someone had converted a sporter to an A2 upper.  Have also seen a couple advertised on site here.

Other possibility  is a GI surp upper.  Found a total A1 upper (also at a show), surped out from A1 rifles being upgraded by the military to A2 specs.  Again, you'll find stuff like this at shows, or listed on the for sale section of sites like this.  Patience is the key[:D].

2}Yes, you can use an A2 style upper, but of course that would defeat your intended purpose of building an A1 clone. You'll need an adapter type hinge pin (also for a GI surp A1 upper).

3) There is no difference between SP1 and any other uppers, except that later ones have more metal cut away. Absolutely use your existing pieces. Being closer in weight to the original M16 pieces than what's out now, they'll put less stress and wear on your rifle.

4) Abolutely, your existing upper has value.  Check the for sale sections here for awhile to get some idea of it's value, put it up for sale and you'll probably get in sold in 24 hours[:D]

I, for one, support your intentions.  Over the past years, I've put together clones of all the major variations of the M16 used over the years.  Did a XM177E2 clone on an SP1 carbine 20 years ago, then did an M16A2 lookalike 5 years ago. More recently, an M4gery, and during the past year an M16A1 clone.


Had a ball[:D]

gmc you will see them time to time on ebay just search colt upper.

if your thirty year old rifle is in nice shape and all original, i'd leave it as is.

the AWB-BS should be over soon, and then you can simply get another complete, new rifle in whatever configuration you desire.. or a pre-ban equivalent now.

If you read the listing for that upper closely, you'll find that the pic is incoorect, and what is actually being sold is not what's shown.

I'll repeat my initial comment; nobady makes an exact dup of the A1 upper these days. If you can get a definative statement from DPMS that they do, I'll humbly apologize, but we've been thru this on this subject before[:D]

Re the forward assist notches on SP1 carriers; nearly all the SP1s had notched carriers.  Only the first few hundred had smooth sided carriers.  If you do have a smooth side bolt carrier, you can probably advertise and sell it on site for enough to buy a notched job, and have enough left over for a good chunk of an A1 type upper[:D]