Semi-auto clone of Viet Nam era M16?

[Father Knows Best]

I've got an itch to get my hands on a Viet Nam era M16. Of course, I don't want to pay the freight for a real, registered and transferable one, so I'm thinking of one built on a semi-auto only lower. What would be really cool is one assembled with actual surplus parts on a semi-auto lower. Does anyone make such a thing, or am I looking at building my own? Any good sources for M16 "parts kits"?

 

[AFhack]

I've seen Colt SP-1s at guns shows for as little as $1200...

There are a handful of companies that make parts for the kind of fresh build you're talking about. You might want to take a look at the AR-15 forum of www.ar15.com for more details. There are a bunch of folks that post regularly there that build old school AR-15s.

 

[.45Guy]

I just sold a Sendra a few months back. All GI built on a semi lower.

 

[joab]

I have seen what you are looking for, parts kits minus recievers from, Sarco for $425
There was also someone selling VN era furniture for $20 not to long ago

 

[rangerruck]

this is in the for sale area right now.
WTS/WTT: 1978 SP1 with extras (SC)

 

[DMK]

Here's one I built. It's got a real Colt M16A1 upper with the slim profile barrel, chrome bore/chamber, forward assist, and it had an A1 flash hider, but I like the more retro look of the three prong. I put it on a DPMS A2 lower with a DPMS parts kit, RRA NM trigger, and New Old Stock M16 furniture (no cleaning kit compartment).

I got all these parts (except the bolt/carrier, trigger and the lower receiver) on the AR15.com equipment exchange.

 

[buzz_knox]

Fulton Armory makes (made?) a legacy model of the original AR-15.

 

[XavierBreath]

CDNN has Colt SP1 uppers right now for $369. They are supposedly still in cosmoline.

 

[GoRon]

Are the takedown pin sizes normal?

Will they hook up to a RRA lower normally?

 

[DMK]

Are the takedown pin sizes normal?

Will they hook up to a RRA lower normally?

Real M16 uppers have standard takedown pin sizes. It's the Colt commercial uppers (like the SP1) that can have large pins.

 

[boing]

The CDNN uppers are small pin, and will fit on any standard non-Colt lower. I built mine on a Stag lower and it fit perfectly.

IIRC, they're not true SP1 uppers, but take-offs from M16s that were converted to A2 configuration, or something like that. I bought mine a couple of years ago, and it was as new, still in cosmo and brown wrapper.

Need to get me one of them "wait-a-minute" flash hiders some day.

 

[Father Knows Best]

Pardon the ignorance, but what's an "SP1"?

 

[AZ Jeff]

"SP-1" is Colt's designation for their first generation commercial (semi-auto) AR-15.

 

[DnPRK]

CDNN sells M-16A1 uppers. The SP1 does not have a forward assist, CDNN's A1s do.

 

[Raygun]

The local dealer I order all of my stuff through has a couple of SP-1's he's selling, in case you're interested.

1965 Colt SP-1
Colt SP-1

 

[JNewell]

Most of those barrels are going to be 1/12", which is probably not first choice.

The SP1 upper would be a slickside; most M16s used in RVN were A1s, which had the forward assist. (The lowers also had the mag release "fence" and a few other less obvious external differences.) You'll need to decide whether you want to create an M16 look-alike or an M16A1 look-alike.

 

[Father Knows Best]

I'm interested in getting as close to the Vietnam era rifle as possible. I understand that may actually be several rifles, as the M16 evolved somewhat between its introduction and the pullout of US troops.

 

[joab]

father
Check Sarco
http://www.sarcoinc.com/m16.html
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