IMBLITZVT
Ultimate Member
Well I am not a big AR15 guy but I guess I am becoming one! Pre SB281, I owned one Bushmaster M4 Type. Now I have two other receivers waiting to be built, a registered M16 on the way and for the latest, this XM16E1. Yes I know some of you guys call this a build but really its just assembling parts. Having done FAL, AK Flat and 1919a4s, the AR15 sure is an easy gun deal with. Pre-SB281, I had no thought of a Retro AR15 build. However with the now or never part coming, I looked around to make sure I got everything I wanted. Well I thought a retro M16 build would be cool.
So before Oct 1, I got myself a Nodak Spud retro XM16E1 receiver. For years I have heard people refer to AR15 by their Colt number... and had little interest in learning them. Well I guess it was time. In deciding which early M16 to clone, I was looking for one that stood out, had history and still had the look. For me, I decided I wanted to do the early version of the gun, the problem M16 so to speak. So there was the 601 and 602 which were very early pretty much prototype guns. Then the Army introduced the 603 XM16E1 and the AF had their 604 M16. At first I really wanted to do the 604 M16. However I like the Army guns a bit more as its really the Army that uses the guns in action. Since I was already in that time period, I thought the gun used in "We were Soldiers" would also be cool as more people could relate to it. So even if the AF 604 M16 had the name and the lack of the forward assist, two features I liked, I decided on the 603 XM16E1.
Finding parts is not easy but also is not super hard. The question becomes then, what parts are correct? I found two websites that were a lot of help!
http://imageevent.com/willyp/firearmsalbums/uscoltarmalitem16ar15556
http://www.retroblackrifle.com/
After that I found someone of GB who had most of the parts and I bought a big lot from him. As always, there is a balance between the correct parts and price. I decided that I wanted the gun to look right rather than be 100% original, at any cost. So I decided to got retro look with modern less expensive parts. I wanted to do a 1964-65 build.
I ended up with:
-Repro Three Prong FH.
-FN made 1/12 Chrome lined barrel. Of course Colt, MP marked barrel would have been correct, but the extra cost were not worth it to me. Can you tell?
-Forged Smoothed FSB with no drain for front sight. I thought about a cast FSB but again the cost were to high and this is still correct.
-No Drain hole Front handguards.
-Modern Gas tube, again who can see?
-Flat slip ring
-XM16E1 Style upper which is slightly different from M16A1 uppers.
-Microbest chrome bolt. New production but looks like the original. Only brand I could find that did not slap their logo on the side! Its a M16 bolt so I can run it on my registered receiver eventually.
-Early M16 Selector. With the recent court case, I decided to weld up the FA features on it, so now it has the same profile as a AR15 selector.
-Early dimpled take down pins.
-Repro early bolt hold open
-Repro Many Circles mag release button
-Modern Armalite AR15 Lower parts kit, including Trigger group.
-Modern buffer tube and buffer as you really can't see them!
-Type D stock, correct early version with no cleaning kit door. It does have the drain hole screw but who cares.
-Early Assist.
-Garand style sling
-Early 223 marked mag.
I sent the receiver out to Identmarking and they added the original Colt engraving to the receiver. It still has the Nodak Spud markings for legal reason but the look is pretty good. As you can note the receiver is a partial fence lower. It has a fake buffer tube staking roll pin. I had the fake auto sear markings added and the auto marking added. However in welding up the selector, I made it so it will not rotate into the auto position and if it could, it would be like the safety was on.
I bought the AR15 tools, including receiver and mag block and wrench. I installed the barrel and checked headspace. About the only thing I did not do is install the FSB as it came on the barrel that way.
With it all, you can see slight Anodizing color differences. I could send the Upper, trigger guard and cocking handle out to get an exact match for about $200 but frankly I think its close enough for $200.
I still have some work to do on it and decisions to make. As you can see, some parts have some wear to them. The metal I can repark myself easily. However you can see the cocking handle has some wear and that I can't do by myself. So I may "weather" the gun a bit so it does not look so new. I am in no rush, so I will think about that for a little while.
Total cost ended up to be a fair amount more than a new average AR15. Probably closer to the $1500 mark. Way to much money but it was now or never, so thanks to O'Malley, I have a nice retro XM16E1. I hope you guys found it interesting but not to interesting since its illegal to get one now!
So before Oct 1, I got myself a Nodak Spud retro XM16E1 receiver. For years I have heard people refer to AR15 by their Colt number... and had little interest in learning them. Well I guess it was time. In deciding which early M16 to clone, I was looking for one that stood out, had history and still had the look. For me, I decided I wanted to do the early version of the gun, the problem M16 so to speak. So there was the 601 and 602 which were very early pretty much prototype guns. Then the Army introduced the 603 XM16E1 and the AF had their 604 M16. At first I really wanted to do the 604 M16. However I like the Army guns a bit more as its really the Army that uses the guns in action. Since I was already in that time period, I thought the gun used in "We were Soldiers" would also be cool as more people could relate to it. So even if the AF 604 M16 had the name and the lack of the forward assist, two features I liked, I decided on the 603 XM16E1.
Finding parts is not easy but also is not super hard. The question becomes then, what parts are correct? I found two websites that were a lot of help!
http://imageevent.com/willyp/firearmsalbums/uscoltarmalitem16ar15556
http://www.retroblackrifle.com/
After that I found someone of GB who had most of the parts and I bought a big lot from him. As always, there is a balance between the correct parts and price. I decided that I wanted the gun to look right rather than be 100% original, at any cost. So I decided to got retro look with modern less expensive parts. I wanted to do a 1964-65 build.
I ended up with:
-Repro Three Prong FH.
-FN made 1/12 Chrome lined barrel. Of course Colt, MP marked barrel would have been correct, but the extra cost were not worth it to me. Can you tell?
-Forged Smoothed FSB with no drain for front sight. I thought about a cast FSB but again the cost were to high and this is still correct.
-No Drain hole Front handguards.
-Modern Gas tube, again who can see?
-Flat slip ring
-XM16E1 Style upper which is slightly different from M16A1 uppers.
-Microbest chrome bolt. New production but looks like the original. Only brand I could find that did not slap their logo on the side! Its a M16 bolt so I can run it on my registered receiver eventually.
-Early M16 Selector. With the recent court case, I decided to weld up the FA features on it, so now it has the same profile as a AR15 selector.
-Early dimpled take down pins.
-Repro early bolt hold open
-Repro Many Circles mag release button
-Modern Armalite AR15 Lower parts kit, including Trigger group.
-Modern buffer tube and buffer as you really can't see them!
-Type D stock, correct early version with no cleaning kit door. It does have the drain hole screw but who cares.
-Early Assist.
-Garand style sling
-Early 223 marked mag.
I sent the receiver out to Identmarking and they added the original Colt engraving to the receiver. It still has the Nodak Spud markings for legal reason but the look is pretty good. As you can note the receiver is a partial fence lower. It has a fake buffer tube staking roll pin. I had the fake auto sear markings added and the auto marking added. However in welding up the selector, I made it so it will not rotate into the auto position and if it could, it would be like the safety was on.
I bought the AR15 tools, including receiver and mag block and wrench. I installed the barrel and checked headspace. About the only thing I did not do is install the FSB as it came on the barrel that way.
With it all, you can see slight Anodizing color differences. I could send the Upper, trigger guard and cocking handle out to get an exact match for about $200 but frankly I think its close enough for $200.
I still have some work to do on it and decisions to make. As you can see, some parts have some wear to them. The metal I can repark myself easily. However you can see the cocking handle has some wear and that I can't do by myself. So I may "weather" the gun a bit so it does not look so new. I am in no rush, so I will think about that for a little while.
Total cost ended up to be a fair amount more than a new average AR15. Probably closer to the $1500 mark. Way to much money but it was now or never, so thanks to O'Malley, I have a nice retro XM16E1. I hope you guys found it interesting but not to interesting since its illegal to get one now!
I was in the USAF so I would've done the AF version. I will point out that while the Army used more frequently, the Air Force used them in battle as well. 
It shoot great, guess I can add AR to the list of guns I have "built". Needs to be sighted in but otherwise it shot perfect with some wolf. I have never shot one without the brass deflector. It really does kick the brass backwards. Shooting lefty with it would not seem realistic. 
