Colt sporter match hbar oddity?

[Dieselcamino]

Picked up a sporter match hbar lower today, small front pin and no sear block. From what I read almost all of the sporter match hbar's had the large front pin and at least a pinned sear block. Did I acquire some sort of odd ball, the serial number does start out with 011, possibly early?

 

[hq]

Sounds a lot like a transition model from AR15A2 HBAR to Sporter HBAR. I've seen one in early 90's. Essentially A2 configuration except for the small front pin, roll marked as Sporter. Uncommon but not unheard of.

 

[Browning]

Pics?

 

[Dieselcamino]

 

[Jimmy Ward]

Worth Big $$$ in CT.

 

[hq]

Is that really a small front pin hole? In the picture it looks almost the same diameter as the safety/selector switch, which in the other picture is noticeably larger than the rear pin hole as it should.

 

[Charlie98]

Very close to mine... I bought new OCT90. SN MH0033xx. No sear block, but it has the big hinge pin up front.

 

[Dieselcamino]

I'm in Ct actually that's why I picked it up, I measured the front pin hole to be .156, my calipers aren't the best but close enough to safely say it's a small pin.

 

[Dieselcamino]

My first ar build, will the large hinge pin affect which upper I should buy?

 

[Charlie98]

Yes. They make adapters but they suck, plain and simple.

Simply put, for the cost of a new, proper AR lower, I would start there, not with a proprietary odd-sized lower. I tried to adapt a new upper on my Colt lower, it was not worth it, and this was in the Dark Days of $300 lowers.

 

[Dieselcamino]

Unfortunately being in CT, any lower you can use legally is impossible to touch for under 1000$ stripped, so these are one of the very few options

 

[hq]

My first ar build, will the large hinge pin affect which upper I should buy?

If your lower is small pin, pivot pin being .250" diameter and trigger/hammer pins .154", you're good to go with any standard upper. Otherwise you either need an adaptor, which - like Charlie98 said - are more or less band aid. They can be made to work by tightening them carefully with upper installed, I have a couple of Colt lowers and instead of just swapping uppers in less than a minute, you need a pair of screwdrivers to do it. Not a nightmare, just a minor inconvenience.

 

[Dieselcamino]

Will mic it again when I get home, looking into a stag arms retro rifle kit, always liked the vintage look with a 20" barrel

 

[rodregier]

They used to make 3rd party flattop uppers with the proprietary holes for the Colt Sporter Match and Target versions,
but probably more rare today.

 

[Charlie98]

Unfortunately being in CT, any lower you can use legally is impossible to touch for under 1000$ stripped, so these are one of the very few options

Say what??? If I could get that kind of money for my full-on Colt H-Bar, I'd consider selling it outright. Is it really that bad???

 

[Dieselcamino]

Most shops in the state that deal in preban stuff, ( the only way to get ar/ak things, with a few exceptions for "Any other weapon" category stuff) get upwards to 2000$ for full preban colt rifles

 

[Dieselcamino]

Sure be it, after measuring it, the trigger pin is a small pin at least, but the front pivot pin is a large hole, Going to have to try my luck at an offset adapted pin, anyone have any luck with one before?

 

[jmorris]

Most shops in the state that deal in preban stuff... get upwards to 2000$ for full preban colt rifles

Preban being what exactly? Not familiar with CT laws, like pre AWB or something else?

 

[Dieselcamino]

Without getting into too much detail, CT has it's own AWB similar to the Clinton ban of the 90's, so the only "assault" rifles we can get in the state have to be pre 1994 manufacture, and not listed directly. Ex- a 1992 colt ar15 is not okay because it was listed but a 1993 colt sporter is fine because it wasn't ever called out directly, lots of loop holes and gray areas. These laws in turn skyrocketed the value or certain preban lowers like colt sporter. Pistols are a whole other story

 

[Charlie98]

Now I know why Colt big pin uppers command the price they do. Because my Colt is an A2, I've looked for years for a takeoff Colt A3 flattop upper, with very little luck. Now I understand, it sounds like anything that fits into that pre-ban category is in demand in Those states.

 

[rodregier]

Try Googling "flat top large hole upper".

Found this, no idea on stock. https://www.dowdlesports.com/Daniel-Defense-Big-Hole-Upper-Receiver-wFeed-Ramps_p_73565.html

 

[rodregier]

Since Daniel Defense seems to be the primary current mfgr occasionally making large hole uppers,
if you can't find any retail stock, suggest reaching out to them. Perhaps you can get in on the next batch
or they will even do you for you when they get the chance...

https://www.danieldefense.com/

 

[Charlie98]

Since Daniel Defense seems to be the primary current mfgr occasionally making large hole uppers,
if you can't find any retail stock, suggest reaching out to them. Perhaps you can get in on the next batch
or they will even do you for you when they get the chance...

https://www.danieldefense.com/

Meh, what I decided to do in the end was to just keep the Colt as is. Given the market for gen-u-wine Colt rifles, and this was before I saw what they are getting for pre-ban Colts, I didn't really want to molest it. I've since built a 16" carbine, traded into another, and have a stripped lower in the safe that I will probably build up as my flattop A2 copy. Besides DD, I think Stag made big pin flattop uppers as well.