And so my AR15 saga continues. I was all set to start ordering parts when a friend told me he has a Colt Sporter Match HBAR up for sale because he has fallen on hard times and needs the money (a situation very much along the lines of how I came to have my Garand). Yeah, it isn't what I was going after but I do dig the retro look.
So I'm gonna help a brother out. I'll even give him right of first refusal if I need to sell it, and give him the option to repurchase it within the year no questions asked.
There's only one problem. Neither he nor I know the fair market value for a gently used, early 90's era, pre-ban Colt Sporter Match 20" Heavy Barrel AR15. Looking at GunBroker it would seem the prices are all over the map. So if any of you have an idea what this thing rightly goes for, I'd appreciate any help.
I can't help you price it, but I can help you shoot it...
ReplyDeleteYou can count on it.
DeleteThat's a fantastic rifle! And a 1/7 too! You should have no problems smacking your 8" steel target with it out to 300 yards or more. The 16" carbines may be more handy for indoors, but I think the 20" is best all around. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what they go for though.
Thanks for the recommendation.
DeleteIts a buyers market and the Colt HBAR has a somewhat limited demand with casual shooter's. If it's as nice as you advise then offer your friend $1,000.00 which is a more than a fair price. Once you have the rifle try and purchase a standard A2 upper or a carbine upper. I own an HBAR and unless your shooting in service rifle matche's it is to heavy and the barrel retains heat for a long time.
ReplyDeleteSo $1000 is what I'm thinking too. And I think what I'll do is start building a 1:9 16" upper for it. That way I'll have the best of both worlds. Thanks for the advice.
DeleteAlso, I hadn't considered the heat issue.
I've talked to a couple of Colt guys, good condition Match HBAR, $950-1000 with all the pieces/parts in good working order.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the data point, NFO.
DeleteBear in mind that most of those older colts had a screw for a font push-pin, done deliberately by Colt to keep standard uppers from being attached to their lowers. The rifle will likely also have a hardened steel block pressed into the receiver where the auto sear would be in an M-16, again to prevent the addition of military parts like the auto sear and M-16 bolt carrier. This latter bit is not a big deal, and if I recall, you can get around the push pin bit with an adapter that someone out there makes if it really floats your boat.
ReplyDeleteBottom line: Nice enough rifle as it was built--I had one--but it doesn't lend itself to much modification the way that today's AR's do. Back ion those days, when those were literally the only AR's on the market, Colt built them to their own spec and intended them to stay as they were manufactured.
Yup. Looking at pics, it's gotta screw. I'll have to think about that, or just use it as an excuse to build a lower too. Thanks for the heads-up there.
DeleteOn the above note, $950 to $1000 is a fair price for both of you if it makes you both happy. They are good shooters and heat-wise it's not like you're ever going to get that barrel hot enough to harm it firing it semi-auto only.
ReplyDelete