Picked up a ar15 a few years back made by oly arms. It had a serial number starting with a "C". The number is C1400. I checked with oly arms internet home page and tried to find it on their serial number page. I did not find it under any of their serial numbers. I e-mailed them and received a response that the lower receivers that start with a "C" where made specifically for the state of California. I want to say that they where made around 1989 (not for sure on date) I do remember that they are a preban lower. The questions are: 1) does any body know any thing about these lower receivers. 2) What are they worth ( i got it for $1000 not a bad deal) 3) Can they be legaly owned in CA. 4) if so can they be sold to someone in CA. ( ya I know never sell your guns I have 3 ar15 and a Car15 and was thinking about dumping this to pick up a few .308 battle rifles. Dont worry I just cant let the rifle go) If any body has some info on this lower I would be greatful. Thanks for your time.

All ar-15s and any variant you can think of or don't even know about are now ILLEGAL in kommifornia to buy, sell, trade, inherit, gift will...so sorry we cant buy it...but that is not true for the most of the rest of the US...good luck.

I have no idea why Oly would make a CA specific model. ALL Olympic Arms models were legal in CA up to 1999 when SB23 went into effect. I bought a preban Oly MFR in CA back in 1993 with a serial number that starts with BL. In 1989 Roberti-Roos banned the Colt AR15 by specific make and model but no other AR15s were affected. This is the first time I've heard of a CA specific Oly.

The "C" prefix serial numbers were in fact made specifically for California back just prior to the Roberti-Roos ban. They were made in large quantities specifically for sale into the state prior to the passing of the RR ban because at that time, we, and no other manufacturer (except for Colt's) was sure what the California DoJ was going to do with regards to interpretation of the bill. There was still a possibility (prior to the passing of the bill) that ALL AR's would be banned including of course, all Olympic brand.

SO... we made them as fast as we could, and were even at the time able to ship them into ca just as raw forgings with a serial number and have that count as legal "gun". Completely unmachined, but with a serial number. We sent them in, they were sold by the dealers, then the customers sent them back to us for machining.

Other than that, there is nothing special about this receiver. It is the same as all the others we have done. The only differences are that it has a special serial number to help us at Olympic identify the receivers.

They are of no special collectors value, we made literally thousands, and there is nothing that would make them any different than any other AR receiver in California with regards to SB23.

Tom S.
Oly Arms

can you imagine how crappy the quality on a "rush job" batch of OLYMPIC ARMS receivers would be?

I wonder if they are held to Olympic Arm's "Tight Tolerances"?

Probably better than your whiney attitude.

damn, you gonna just take that ?

Quoted: can you imagine how crappy the quality on a "rush job" batch of OLYMPIC ARMS receivers would be? I wonder if they are held to Olympic Arm's "Tight Tolerances"?

Dude, it sounds like you don't like Olympic Arms......

So these receivers follow the normal Olympic arms Product flow......


...Back for Rework.

Quoted: Probably better than your whiney attitude.

Let me guess....   another bitter Olympic Arms Owner?

Oly made some of the first ARs we could get.  They've done us good.  No, they aren't the best ARs made but they're priced low too.  If you want a better rifle buy an Armalite, Bushy, or Colt but figure on spending more money.  I don't have any Olys now but I did in years past.