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colt AR15 or M16 barrel?

chrisnokc
I inherited an upper and barrel from a family friend and i need some more information about what i got. It is A colt upper it has the "C" inside A box in the front right side of the carry handle. The barrel is marked "MFR26978 MP CHROME BORE". Both the upper and barrel are olive drab green. My questions are is the barrel colt and if so is it 223 rem. or 5.56 nato and is it a M16 or an AR15 upper and barrel? Thanks for reading and any info would be appreciated or if anyone knows a web site that might help me.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Nwcid
    There is no difference between an M-16 and AR-15 barrel.

    Here is how to ID barrels, http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/barrelsbolts/
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  • chrisnokc
    thank you Nwcid that answers some of my question but im still curious if i can shoot the 5.56 nato rounds through it without damaging the barrel.
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  • Nwcid
    quote:Originally posted by chrisnokc
    thank you Nwcid that answers some of my question but im still curious if i can shoot the 5.56 nato rounds through it without damaging the barrel.


    It should say right on the end of your barrel like the first pic in the link I sent.
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  • chrisnokc
    Your right i guess if i had looked at what i was looking at i might have seen it. I will assume that since it is not marked 5.56 nato that it is not. I also found some interesting info about the upper this is an m16 full auto upper conversion since i have no forward assist its probably pre 1967 and just a m16 and not a m16a1. I am building an AR for my daughter to shoot and this is what i came up with for her to play with. With very little recoil and its easy to shoot i think she will enjoy. Thank you for your help.
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  • shoff14
    Do you have any pictures of the upper and the markings. The upper sounds like a Colt reciever, but the barrel markings probably indicates an FN barrel. How is the carrier marked? There should be a C stamped below the carrier key. Are there any markings on the front sight?
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  • chrisnokc
    Sorry I dont have any pictures of the barrel or reciever the only markings on the barrel are as described in my original post. I have figured out what the upper is. My concern now is just the barrel and what will be safe to shoot in it.
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  • shoff14
    quote:Originally posted by chrisnokc
    Sorry I dont have any pictures of the barrel or reciever the only markings on the barrel are as described in my original post. I have figured out what the upper is. My concern now is just the barrel and what will be safe to shoot in it.



    The barrel is NOT a Colt barrel. I will retract my previous statement about it being a FN barrel. The barrel on your receiver seems to be made by General Dynamics, Cage Code #26978. So the barrel is a replacement from the original. Being that it is a mil surplus type product the barrel should be 5.56.
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  • shilowar
    The early Colts were AR-15 M16A1s, select fire semi-auto/automotmatic
    for the military, is it a 1 in 12 twist barrel?

    I have a 1965 manufacturered M16A1 that has a forward assist, though I don't know that it is the original upper
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  • chrisnokc
    Thanks SHOFF14 for the info on the barrel it will help knowing that i can use up the 2000 rounds of ammo i have. SHILOWAR the barrel is a 1 in 12 twist also the upper i found on the first website from NWCID shows the same upper i have has no forward assist and the sear relief hole on the under side is the large hole the site explains that from 1963 to 1967 there was no forward assist and in 1967 they added the forward assist and changed it to the XM16A1 which became the M16A1. In the (AR15 M16 FAQ) section on uppers the picture of the M16 is identical to what i have.
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  • USN_Airdale
    99.9999999999% of barrels for the AR-15/M-16 are chambered for the 5.56mm NATO round, irregardless of the receiver markings.
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