...do it again?

Current prices for M16s are staggering. I never thought I'd be financially capable of purchasing an M16, but here I am. Well, not now, but in 6 months or so of setting some money aside for it, I'd have enough to purchase an original M16a1/a2 at current pricing, which is what I want, and is around $27-30k from what I'm seeing. It would be a great gun to have and shoot, I'd own a great peace of American history, and I'd be getting in on something that I'm pretty sure won't be available forever. You also get a lot of bang for your buck, per se, because of upper options - .22, belt fed, etc. It'd be a lego gun. I'd probably stash the upper, and just have a bunch of other uppers I swap out.

For those who own one, was it worth it? Did it get old or wear off after a while, and you regretted it? Would you do it all over again? I've been going back and forth for a few months. Finally told myself, set the money aside for it, and after you've reached the that number, if you're still doggin' for it, get it.

Edit:

Other routes I've looked into are lower priced Colts (ar15 marked etc) as well as simple stripped lowers like the PAWS olympic. Both seem to be in the range of $20-25k.

Simple answer is yes I would do it all over again.

It's a lot of money to have tied up in a gun but I also look at it as an investment that will continue to increase in value. Worst case scenario is you buy it and shoot it for awhile and decide you're tired of it and sell it for a large profit. Honestly if you have the means to afford a M16 you really can't go wrong.

Exactly what my buddy with several MGs said. "If it does wear off or you need to offload it for whatever reason, you're pretty much guaranteed to at least get your money back."

Good chance by the time you get your stamp back on it you’ve already made money. Do it!

Stellar advice!

I just bought one of the PAWS lowers that Ruben had, after years of hmming and hawing and watching prices do nothing but rise.

It was the investment aspect that finally pushed me over the edge to jump in.

I work with a guy who, for the last 30 years, invested in machine guns and they're now a substantial part of his nest egg.

That said, I didn't buy the lower specifically as an investment, but again, it did help me make the decision. I bought the lower I did because I intend on using my MCX uppers on it and will have a new, modern machine gun that I can use for more than a safe Queen and range toy.

I thought that I would immediately have buyer's remorse when I wired the cash to Ruben, but I didn't.

Remember that prices asked and prices paid are not always the same. I bought mint A2 a couple months this ago for 3-4k less than used A1s are presently going for.  Have funds ready and be prepared to lay down the money. Buy once cry once. Appreciation will likely happen but should never be necessary for the purchase to be made - these items are an extravagance.

I bought my olympic RR M16 4+ years ago and i look at it each day and when I grab my wallet from the safe and it still makes me smile.

The joy of shooting it has not worn off and it's gone up 33%  in value since I bought it.

As for colt vs non-colt I say go non-colt and save yourself $10k, that is either money for ammo, a second MG or just means you can afford to buy it sooner.

My goal was always to own a M16, I didn't care who made it. But if your dream is to own a M16 with the pony roll mark then follow your dream and don't settle.

Good point. I was always under the assumption, being a highly sought after but low volume product, that I was going to have to pay sticker price. Thanks for that info.

I would love to have the Pony and a2 roll mark. That would be my grail. But non-Colt is intriguing because I get what I ultimately want, an MG, at a lower price, and I will have no issues treating it like I treat most of my other firearms - ran hard and put away wet. A Colt a2? Part of me would be extremely careful to preserve it so it doesn't look like I bought it from a scratch and dent sale. I've got a few more months to decide.

If you want a M16 get one but if your happy with a RR then you will save the $$$ to spend on uppers and ammo.  I picked up a FM-9 upper and while I still working out the kinks it's an absolute blast.  Just yesterday I finally got my 22lr upper and at 1000 rpm it's a hoot.

To answer your question  I would in a heartbeat.

Absolutely I would do it all over again. I have yet to tire of owning MGs after 16 years. Do it, you won’t regret it.

One effect of my MG ownership is sharper focus on my collection of firearms.  Pretty much every trip to the range includes the MGs, so many of the other guns I used to rotate through have been sitting in the safe and/or slowly getting sold off.  I suppose that is a long way of saying that rather than getting bored with MGs or thinking of selling them, I find I am shooting my other items less and selling those off.  I think a M-16 is one of the best guns for entering the MG world, as they aren't in the upper tiers of cost (but of course still crazy expensive) and -- as you note -- are lego guns that can be adapted into dozens of configurations.

At the risk of exhibiting confirmation bias, definitely no regrets.  For the last couple years I've shot more 9mm than 5.56.  I've had a VM-HyTech magwell adapter for unmodified Uzi mags for a while, and recently acquired a Glock 9mm magwell adapter for a second 9mm magazine option.  I also shoot a fair amount of .22 LR using a conversion unit in a 5.56 upper.

Best of luck and enjoy whatever you decide to pursue.

MHO, YMMV, etc.

I have a Colt SP1 RR (conversion) that I might sell towards the end of the year, I'll keep you in mind if/when the time comes.

I just bought a lightning link...so waiting for that as well

There is a lot of good advice in this thread and (fortunately) a lot of different viewpoints. Buy what YOU want. Make sure you won’t feel guilty shooting it. That’s the point after all. This is like buying a house or getting married - make sure this is the one, it’s an onerous process after all. I think any m16 that runs and isn’t a reweld is a solid choice, but personal preference is is just that - personal. Make sure before you buy to actually shoot an m16 and some subguns. Also think about where you will be shooting it. If the only range near you is limited to subguns something to think of.

I wouldn't do it for a m16 but I would do it for a HK sear.

I shoot all my hk guns way more than the m16

i paid $35k for a NIB M16a2 govt marked.....i dissembled the gun down to a bare receiver(keeping all the parts NIB).....rebuilt it into a m4...i enjoy it.....not $35k worth though

if i had it to do again id get a A1 and save the $10k....i do not think a A2 is worth it....save the $$ and get a A1

i like rare guns......so thats why i over spent...after i bought mine more came out at $31-32k, but now i see the Gov marked A2's are back to $35k+

M16's have gone up very quickly lately....the bargains are gone

if you want a .223 full auto its the gun to own

(ive got a ruger Kac556k and its pretty crappy...neat looking gun, but impossible to control unless at 15 yards in FA)

I bought my Colt A2 about 10 years ago. i debated between a frankford arsenal and the A2 i bought. I had an old time NFA guy tell not to F*&^ around and buy a Colt. Well for the last 10 years i have proud of my decision. I would have bought 2 of then if i could have. If a hartford pony is what you want spend the cash, you wont regret it. Be sure to post pics after your purchase.

To me this whole thread's theme is buy what you want.  As previously  posted, machineguns are a "want".  Those that seem happiest with their purchase, bought what they really wanted.  My first machinegun was a Colt roll marked M16 RR.  If I was going into harms way that is what I would want to have.  But I am a collector, not a warrior.  At one time I owned the Colt gun, LL and DIAS.  I love to tinker.  I kept the DIAS because I wanted configurations that did not lend themselves to a M16 RR, like a custom magwell that that uses modified Thompson .45 mags, a MGI magwell that uses AK mags and drums for 7.62X39, and the modification for the Valkyrie Armaments/SlideFire belt fed, one of which is a water cooled 20" system with KNS spade grips, to name a few.  With the DIAS I am not limited to the magwell dimensions of the original design.  But that is me.  I've know several collectors that their favorite is a Colt gun, or off brand or even a LL.  So the real point is what do you want?  Figure that out for yourself, buy that and I bet it will work out for you.

Scott

The market seems to be relaxing - a little at least. Here’s a colt 614 (factory full auto, ar15 markings) asking 25k and yet to sell.

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10571-wts-colt-m-16-model-614/

Not sure how much it's relaxing.  In January/February, there were two VERY clean 614s on Sturm from an estate that took ~6 weeks to sell at $22.5k and $23k.  Same seller also had a conversion and an M16A1, and both sold much quicker.

David Spiwak recently sold a 614 at $24.6k and an M16 (not A1) for $25k.  Both went up at the end of the week and were gone in a couple days.

Watching GB auctions with no reserve, in the last 6 months, M16 and M16A1 have been selling from $24k (low) to $26k (high.)  I think that's a better indicator of market price.  At Knob Creek, best deal I saw on an M16A1 was a private seller asking $27k for a very clean rifle.  Most of the other M16 receivers were in the M16A2 price range, not sure what was going on this spring.  There's an M16A1 HBAR that has been sitting at $27.5k for months, but Frank put up a regular M16A1 at $27k with "Best Offer" and it was down in well under a week.

Oh, forgot to add.  One thing that's struck me as odd is I've seen basically NO price difference in M16 vs M16A1.  Even Ruben has them at the same price.  Maybe the retro style markings that have blank space where a "US Property" engraving would have been roll marked are getting more popular with the Retro crowd?