Help with a Colt AR 15 serial number

Colt doesn't make serial number checks for ARs available online. Contact them directly.

MistWolf said:

Colt doesn't make serial number checks for ARs available online. Contact them directly.

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They clearly have an online lookup now. Are you saying, despite a lack of such disclaimers, they don't offer it for their rifles?

To the OP, I still wouldn't trust such things to be authoritative. Weird answers like your not-found do not mean Colt doesn't have the data but just that the web tool doesn't have it, or had some other issue. Call them anyway and see what they say.

shoobe01 said:

They clearly have an online lookup now. Are you saying, despite a lack of such disclaimers, they don't offer it for their rifles?

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Over the years, I've entered the serial numbers of several ARs in the Colt online data search. All have come back SERIAL NUMBER NOT FOUND. In fact, I tried an AR serial number today with the same result.

I followed up with the serial number of a Colt 1911 and and was given year of manufacture, model, caliber, barrel length, caliber and finish.

To get information on AR serial numbers, contact Colt directly.

Post your question on the ar15.com Colt industry forum: https://www.ar15.com/forums/Industry/Colt/29/

There is a wrinkle in the Colt AR serial numbers. They contracted outside the company to manufacture and retail AR's under their name. They did not make every Colt sold with their roll mark. The majority of their production was dedicated to Mil/LEO sales and as the market expanded they responded by having outside sources build their civilian models under license. Information on who did that was not generally made available, and that is partly the reason why some serial numbers don't come up under Colt purview.

Colt is also known for not making all it's parts - the forged platters are sent in, they only machine them. Sadly, as you dig into Colt manufacture it seems to take the shine off of some of the image discovering they are just another industrial entity who fabricate a product with a profit margin in mind.