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Joined:
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Posts:
310
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MI, USA
Posted: 7/5/2026 9:37:31 AM EDT
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Suffice, I got three to cover the early retro era; - XM16E1/XM148 - M16/M203 - GAU-5A/A Not too deep, but gets the highlights. What about y'all? |
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Mind you most of mine remain parts in boxes rn, but oh… like: -2.5 prototypes -4x 601s -602 -early/prototype XM -1965 XM -1965 SP1 -Multiple A1s across the different barrel markings lol -I have a real M VP 12 that was cut down to 16” by some idiot that I could theoretically build a 605 out of. Idk if I’ll ever get that far lol My interest sort of stops around 1967 when the weapon became standard. I like all the chaos and changes of the experimental era 601 uppers and 602 on the right end Attached File And this is the prototype XM I’m referring to. Currently sourcing parts Attached File Attached File |
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid"
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
Joined:
Sep 2024
Posts:
311
EE: 0% (0)
MI, USA
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Originally Posted By Kalahnikid: M16A1 Don't let your enjoyment of the hobby be deminished by anyone that has had way more years and money to invest than you had. Agree ^ (especially coming from one of the guys who showed me the ropes back in 2017  )My collection is due in large part to my obsession with the weird prototype stuff and small batch guns / rare finds and wanting to have samples for the extensive research I did / threads I wrote. 2x of the 601s were a right place, right time kind of deal. Really couldn’t refuse them. If I had to thin the herd to 2x rifles it would be a 601 or 602 and a 603 (preferably in XM form) for me. In my opinion, the 601 and 602 are most indicative as a sign of the times (Resistance from Springfield Army over the M14, sales to Malaysia, India, and other countries, USAF adoption, etc), and the 603 the rifle that did the majority of the fighting. |
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid"
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
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XM177E1 (actually a 12.7” with a custom slipover) clone Later M16A1 clone. Those are my two favorites - but also appreciate the 602 as my early (SAS) tribute. |
"It just gets that much more exciting when it has a carry handle on it. Or tiger stripes. If you have both, then you have the John Wayne in the Green Berets size of a big win."
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I have four 20" retro clones, and an XM177-E2 clone. An M16A1 Colt kit with a BRN-16A1 lower. Two of the other 20" rifles have Colt uppers and barrel, the fourth is a mockup of an SP1 using all new parts. I won't mind beating on that one. Oh! And I also have a 20" A2 clone, but that belongs in another forum. 
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I have a late XM16E1 (parkerized BCG and barrel with chrome chamber), 1969 style 603, and post Vietnam 603 as standard models as when I got into this you dealt primarily with original parts and the real early stuff was getting scarce. Could do an earlier XM16E1 with repro parts, but just not a thing I gotta have. No more forged 80% E1 or A1 lowers has put a stop to my retro activities. |
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-M16E1 - original parts except H&R lower 2 - M16A1 original except H&R lowers -XM177E1 - waiting on form 1 -XM177E2 - have all parts minus lower - will get to it some day -653 I have an M12 rack that I would like to fill ultimately but I may use 2 spaces for the M16A2 and the M16A1E1 |
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I have an M16A1 with all original 1967 upper on an 80% lower. A H&R XM177E1 upper and a Colt XM177E2 upper I built from an early Sporter ii. They both share the same 80% Lower that has a bunch of original Colt parts, including the full round buffer. I have a Bowman 653 Parts kit I need to build a lower for. I also have a 1980 vintage SP1 that has a Mossberg 12 gauge mounted under the barrel. I have a bunch of other original stuff, but it falls outside the A1 era. |
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I built a Model 602, Model 604, and GAU-5A/A with an M203 set up like a IDF Golani Brigade Mekut'zar grenadier CAR-15. The 602/604 rifles need some small repro or NOS parts to be entirely period correct but I'm not in the hunt for them right now unless the bug bites me again. |
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