I do not know what difference it makes, but the Colt LE6920 is manufactured by Colt Defense, as opposed to Colt Manufacturing, who makes all of the Match Target products.

An entry on Colts web site mentions that the company was divided into two components in November 2002 , it reads.........

Effective November 4, 2002, Colt completed reorganizing its operations into separate military and commercial businesses. As a result Colt Defense LLC was established to conduct the business of manufacturing and selling military products while Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc. will continue to manufacture and sell commercial products. The ultimate goal of this reorganization is to better position and equip each business to compete in it’s own marketplace.


I would like to hear from any of the Colt enthusiasts who could enlighten us (me) on the physical differences in the two company's products.

....................thanks

My  MT 6400C was rollmarked Colt Defense.
Others are marked Colt Manufacturing.

What we need is an inside source at Colt, like they have on the 1911 forum.

The differences are mostly cosmetic, most of the parts are from the same bins, but a few things you should know:

The LE weapons are very similar to military in all respects - different barrel lengths, semi vs. full auto, but for all intents and purposes the same gun.

The Match Target name was arrived at to get around the states that have prohibitions on any rifle with the "AR15" name.  If you live in one of those states, the sunset of the Assault Weapons Ban means nothing to you, and you still need a "Post Ban" gun.  Likewise, the "banned" features are absent on the Match Targets - no bayonet lug, no folding stocks, no flash hiders - compensators are ok, though.

Differences that may matter to a greater or lesser degree to you:

    On most of the civilian guns (except the 6400C/M4 semi) only the chamber is hard chromed.  This was not done to save money - it's no harder to do the whole inside of the barrel than just the chamber - but to improve accuracy, as chrome plating does lower accuracy slightly.   Full auto guns have need of a chrome bore, civilian semi autos much less so.

Also, (again excepting the civilian M4) Colt uses a plastic/lead filled buffer instead of the military aluminum style.  Some report it works fine to high round counts, some say it's junk.  I'd change it, as I like to be as close to GI as possible on this kind of part.

Fire Control Group Pin sizes on Colt's Civilian line are larger - .170 so as to preclude installing M16/full auto .155 inards.  Of no importance, just order any spare parts accordingly.  Front push pin is and has been standard military for several years now.  Plastic butt traps on some MT rifles.

Colt's big advantage is better quality control on machining and materials - and simply less problems, period due to experience - being the actual developer/producer of the weapon for the military since the begining.  Ask any of the big training facilities who has the most trouble free ARs and the answer will always be "Colt".

Warmly, Col. Colt

Col_Colt...............

You're the man!

I knew there was someone who knew their Colt business..... Thanks

Quoted: Colt's big advantage is better quality control on machining and materials - and simply less problems, period due to experience - being the actual developer/producer of the weapon for the military since the begining.  Ask any of the big training facilities who has the most trouble free ARs and the answer will always be "Colt".

I hope you've got your nomex on.  

Quoted: Quoted: I do not know what difference it makes, but the Colt LE6920 is manufactured by Colt Defense, as opposed to Colt Manufacturing, who makes all of the Match Target products.... You have it wrong: Pre- November 4, 2002 Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc. = All firearms. Post -November 4, 2002 Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc. = Handguns. Post -November 4, 2002 Colt Defense, LLC. = Rifles. Same rifles with a different roll mark. The idea was to separate the handgun business from the rifle business to avoid the issues that S&W had.

QCmgr
you may be right (probably so) but I based my comments on a direct statement from Colt, as it was posted on their web site.

Your point makes sense

....tks

Col. Colt,
Good to see you on the AR15 forum.  I fear you are soon to see that it is not quite the civil discourse we see on the 1911 forum. But, I hope I am wrong.

I was just into a local gun store today and asked to see a MT6400c;it's SN was after mine and was marked Colt's Manufacturing,so whats going on?See Jstors previous posts.Are the Colt's Defense lowers different in that they are not blocked or what?

I respect your knowledge,but I ask the question again;how could stock get mixed up if there is no difference in the lowers?How many of our troops have Colts Manufacturing lowers if stock gets mixed up?Are there 3 assembly lines:commercial,mixed,and military/LEO?

Col_Colt

Does the AR6520 have M4 feed ramps?
Thanks

I got a Colt MT6731 July2003 (Match Target HBARII).  Roll marked "Colt Defense".

Thanks,QCMGR;is there any difference in the military and  LEO lowers as to the additional machining you refer to?

Thanks.

I have heard from other posters here that they have "Carbine length" Colt ARs with M4 feed ramps from seveal years ago, apparently it was an unannounced "running change".  I have no data on whether the 20" guns are or will get the same treatment.  Somebody with a new production of either model, chime in here.

Warmly, Col. Colt

I have a MT6731 that I bought in 2000. Marked COLT'S MFG. INC.  on the lower.  Has M4 feed ramps and is stamped m4 on the front of the upper receiver above the gas tube.

Edited to add it also has a GI butt plate, not the plactic kind.  I changed the buffer to the GI one also.

My "pre-ban" Colt AR15 A2 Govt Carbine 6520 (now sold...uggh) had M4 feed ramps with the M4 stamped upper. I think the M4 feed ramps go back quite a few years.

Doesn't matter to me who makes them. What bothers me more is that the object of my desire a fully featured Colt AR-15 is illeagal for sale in the stare that it is manufactored in. Thanks so much to the dirt bag politicans in my beloved CT.  Hopefully the AWB will not be replaced with something else. Can'y wait to get out of here and more South!