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Centerfire A1 kit complete

5K views 46 replies 12 participants last post by  d65 
#1 ·
#4 ·
bubbamauser. Very nice job on that.. For history sake, the pronged flash suppressor while historically accurate, was eliminated for the flush round flash suppressor we see today..
It worked, I guess, but was getting caught on everything it came in contact with.. Like walking with a pitchfork in front of you..
Looks great, nice job..
 
#6 ·
Thanks. I like the way you think.

4th, thanks. This one came with the newer birdcage but I like the way these look and it was accurate to the early ones. I can see it catching all the brush within 20 feet but I'd probably go with something else if that would be a problem.
 
#10 ·
I would leave it be, but it is up to you.. We only put 19 rounds in the original 20 round mags.. Old timers said if we put 20, they jammed.. I was not going to question them..
Really liked the idea of the V shaped front on them.. Some guys had hands like Andre the Giant, some guys small hands.. Just moving your hand a bit forward or back, gave a comfortable grip..
Posted before, but rumor had it Colt went to Mattel Corp. for the front grip.. They were set up in the toy plastic industry.. True, false, hell not sure.. But the name kind of stuck.. "Matty Mattel's."
 
#12 ·
Looks good Bubba. I am jealous. One of these days I'm going to try and build an retro A1 clone.
 
#13 ·
very nice retro ya built there!-- it is a lot more true to the OEM than mine is!

those old triangle HGs got really tiring to hold on to after about the 16 hour mark! some how having one today it don't seem soo bad- i suppose because i can put it down for a minute and rest!-LOL

i may build a 9m with one of my slabside uppers -- i yanked the slabside off the old a1 and put a flat-top on it for a 2-7 vortex scope--LOL

i just cant see through the damn A1 peeps no mo-- no lie GI!
 
#14 ·
I got mine finished as well. Came out real nice, But I think I got the sight a tiny bit cocked to the right. I might take it out again this week and run a couple more mags through it. While I was at the range a guy was buying a ar for 3500 bucks, I am sure it is nice but I think I will stick with my 700 dollar ar. Lol
 
#16 ·
Called Sportsman Guide and tried to get them to match Royal Tiger price. They said RT said cracked stock no match. This is the second time they pulled the NO price match. Only reason to SG is no BS return. When RT was IO they were a nightmare. Are they any better now?
 
#19 ·
Cool. Would love to hear the actual results once you get it.
 
#20 ·
Hell Bubbamauser, you've gone this far and the lower looks so good , why not just refinish the upper to match with a OEM spec finish?
That would be the route I'd probably take myself.

That way I could wear out the finish myself ,, All over Again,,,,,:brows::ar15:

I was at Wally World last Friday and they had several S&W Ar's for $780 something and Bushmasters @ 950 something. Back to normal prices again around here, NOW,,,,,,,,

WHERE'S THE 22 RIM FIRE AMMO AT ??
 
#23 ·
Guys here is the origonal A1 from back in 1968. Tim and my best Bro Moose Munoz. Had full auto, semi and safe.
Am I getting old? Damn they seemed so light compared to these new ones the Military carries..
Anyone know the weight difference from the old A-1 too the new one the young guys are carrying..
I should have mailed the damn thing home and registered it... Nobody was keeping track of them.. Wonder what a full auto registerd A-1 would go for?
Have a bunch of pictures. Have to get off my lazy ass and post some close ups for you guys.
Guys were mailing home Russian and Chinese AKs.. Stupid me did not want those junk guns.
 

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#24 ·
last time i saw a M16A1 sale it went for $12,000 for the full NFA deal. that has been a few years ago. my FFL was a NFA dealer and DOD certified contractor for many years. he has a couple of H&R,colt and hydromatic m16a1s along with various HKs from the early 1980s --i don't recall what he paid for um-- i know he got those HKs for like $220 each not counting the NFA tax of course and a few uzis and some mac-10s. my guess is when he paid $220 for the HKs that is about what he got the rest for.

a few years ago he had some problems and sold some of the collection off . i know he sold one UZI to a collector for $6,000--and a MP5 for $8,000!

the bad thing is back in the day he was telling me" you better get you some of these HKs,FNFALs uzis and m16s while the getting is good! and I balked at that $200 tax stamp! LOL! damn $200 don't seem like much at all today!

weight? i think the a2 is a about 1 lb more --the barrel alone is an extra 1/2lb and the a2 upper and a few other little things add a few oz.

i all ways liked the old A1s -- i sort of wished they had stuck with the pencil barrel for the a2 as even with the pencil barrel they all ways seemed to be accurate shooters .
 
#25 ·
1 lb.. Damn I must have been young and in shape j4. Small hurricane here, the Army Reserve came in to town to help hand out food and ice.
Young Troop let me hold his M-4 or whatever they are called.. My God it felt like a 100lbs.. Asked if he wanted to sell it but he said he could get in big big trouble for doing that. :biggrin:
Any advantage too the pencil barrel on full auto? Accuracy, I would guess, would be better with the heavier barrel.
Put a few rounds through the A-1 on full auto, they held up very well. We beat the piss out of them and were of the generation of "The weapon that does not need cleaning." Hell I do not think their was a cleaning kit in the whole company.. They kept going bang..
With all due respect to our discussions on magazine.. We abused the hell out of the original ones also. In the dirt, dropped them, all kinds of disrespectful things.
They worked also. Any problems, heave it grab another one.. No slings, slings got caught on stuff.. 300 rounds max carry. Some guys carried a bit more..
ADD: Oh God no bayonets. We traded those too the Marines.. Those guys liked them..:wink:
 
#26 ·
Hell yeah, us Jarheads like bayonets!!!!! You can take out a Russian tank if you know how to use those suckers correctly. LMAO!!!

I really miss my old A1 from back in the day. Colt it was. It wasn't heavy, as long as you were holding it like John Wayne!!! Sumbeach felt like 100 pounds after about 5 minutes holding it with one finger by the front sight, with your arm fully out stretched. Damn arm hurts just remembering the fun......
 
#27 ·
Got my kit a couple of hours ago. Tried to post pics but friggin new phone doesn't know the drill. Over all am pleased. Fore stock missing a couple of teeth, butt stock has broken butt plate with part of top missing. Carrier looks good. Upper receiver good, no cracks and missing 30% anodizing. Kit appears complete. Think I go the retro route with retro wear like Bubbamauser. Royal Tiger came through for me. YMMV
thanks for the tip Bubbamauser!
 
#31 ·
Just curiours. Old A-1 M-16s

Curious. I see a lot of guys are interested in the old A-1. I was not around when they came out, Uncle Sugar had other plans for me.
Were they available on the civilian market in semi auto only of course? Hell maybe even full auto, pre 68 would have been pre ban, with they tax stamp, yes, no.????
Want to see the old ones still going strong. My God go too the Orient. Thai Military is still using them to great effect to shoot Cambodians trying to sneak across their border. Unlike, America, I like their style. They just shoot the illegals trying to sneak in, I like the Thais..
Their also all over Mexico, I would guess, left over from when the C.I.A. was shipping them south,
for whoever they did not like at the time?
On the border in Thailand, few years back at a crossing check point.. Damn every Thai Soldier had the old A-1..
Going on 50 years and still ticking.. Says something for them..
My failed attempt at importing, good God I could have gave every member one for free.
 
#32 ·
Kit looks good Willie. So how much was it shipped, from Royal Tiger??
 
#34 ·
Price 349.95 plus Shipping on line was $13 and change. I phone ordered and $12 and some change. Ordered a GPC fair to good stock set M16a1 style with trap door butt plate for about $39.95. They also have non trap door sets same condition and price. Google search Discount Shipping and call the number to get the discount code. My shipping was about $5. Hope I get a good butt plate.
 
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