AR-15 Manuf Date

fourdees

August 17, 2003 21:31

I have a Colt SP1 AR-15. It is serial# SP177XXX. It came with the triangle handguards, A1 stock and sights, birdcage flash hider and no forward assist. Any idea when this AR-15 was made?

Thanks.

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  gunner8479

  August 18, 2003 01:01

  Your AR-15 SP1 was probably manufactured 1964 or 1968 to 1984, I can't exactly recall the first year of production. Ther fact that you have a birdcage flash hider may indicate 1970's production unless it was changed. Early SP1 models had a 3-prong flash hider. You have a great gun that brings back memories of the Vietnam era. Try purchasing an A2 upper with 16" bbl. & a pivot pin adapter, then slap on a 4-position collapsible stock and you'll have one mean S.O.B.
  
  gunner8479

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  bama55

  August 18, 2003 03:37

  From the lists I have seen, yours was made after 1978. The list doesn't give a specific year, just serial number range.
  
  "Don't send flowers when I die. Send money now so I can buy more guns and ammo."

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  mark christian

  August 18, 2003 14:45

  According to the best information that I have access to, your AR-15 was produced in 1982. Colt sold around 28,400 AR-15's that year and yours should have a chromed barrel and chamber as well as a forged front sight base which by then had replaced the earlier machined and polished base of the earlier SP-1's. Your rifle should also be marked: Colt's Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford, Conn. USA. This differs from the earlier use of: Colt's Patent Firearms MFG. CO. which is found on earlier rifles. This sounds like a nice rifle and many folks MUCH perfer these earlier AR-15's as they have the Viet Nam era look as well as being "smaller" in feel as well as lighter in weight.
  
  Mark T. Christian

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  fourdees

  August 18, 2003 16:21

  My thanks to Mark, bama55, and gunner8479 for the great info. Mark, sounds like you know your stuff! The barrel is marked just aft of the flash hider with C MP Chrome Bore. The front sight appears to be forged...I didn't realize the older ones were machined. It is also marked Colt's Firearms Division.
  
  It is indeed a very nice rifle. I bought it from my brother-in-law in in the early 90's and it looked brand new...not sure how long he had it, but he kept it in an Assult Systems padded case the cab of his farm truck for dispatching coyotes, and I'm sure it took a few. It came with the Colt scope! I didn't care for the A1 furniture so I replaced it with A2 stuff and put the A1 kit away. It is a pleasure to shoot and is fairly accurate (but I'm sure the fairly part is me:)).
  
  Again, thanks for the info. I was wondering when it may have been made and the only info I ever saw stopped with SP84XXX in 1978. The next mention of SP was SP360XXX and below as preban rifles.
  
  Darrell

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