Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I picked up an original 1968 M16A1 Upper, Barrel, Front Sight, Full Auto Bolt
Buttock and triangle Handguards..

Plus an added bonus of a M7 Bayonet

I am waiting on the Rear Sight parts

The Lower of course is a Repo since a Full auto Lower would be Expensive and difficult to purchase.



Including authentic Magazines

Did you have the upper and barrel refinished? They look almost new in the pictures.

Not that I use a bayonet for anything but I like the idea of having them. I have one for my AR, M1A, M1 Garand, M1917, etc. It's sort of like having as many accessories for each rifle as I can get. Like getting a GI cleaning kit. Or the old canvass carrying cases or the M1 Garand airborne jump cases, ammo belts, etc.

Looks great! Where did you get it?

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Very Nice...I'm Green with Envy !!!

arlington22201 wrote:Looks great! Where did you get it?

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I put it together myself with surplus parts I picked up at Gunshows, I found the upper for Sale on Line at CMP.
I wanted Real 1960's M16A1 Parts and not Reproductions except for the lower of course.

M1A4ME wrote:Did you have the upper and barrel refinished? They look almost new in the pictures.

Not that I use a bayonet for anything but I like the idea of having them. I have one for my AR, M1A, M1 Garand, M1917, etc. It's sort of like having as many accessories for each rifle as I can get. Like getting a GI cleaning kit. Or the old canvass carrying cases or the M1 Garand airborne jump cases, ammo belts, etc.

The Barrel was wrapped in cosmoline and gauze so it was a old new. the upper was refinished but is an actual M16A1 Colt upper with the C H on the right side under the rear sight. the Front sight was a takeoff and is original finish like the barrel. The Barrel needed to be drilled for the sight post so the barrel was never used.

Man, I am so jealous right now. That really came out great.

here is another picture.

I went to the range today to try out ol Jenny..
I am amazed how much more kick the .223 has with a longer barrel..

Very nice.....reminds me of 1967/68.

Bill

bikiboki wrote:Very nice.....reminds me of 1967/68.

Bill

I had to build the M16A1 due to the Lower Receiver being a modern lower, the M16's had a flat side and no Forward Assist.

in 1967, the XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1. Major revisions to the design followed. The rifle was given a chrome-lined chamber to eliminate corrosion and stuck cartridges, and the rifle's recoil mechanism was re-designed to accommodate Army-issued 5.56 mm ammunition. Rifle cleaning tools and powder solvents/lubricants were issued. Forward assist was added but no Case deflector like the A2 and M4. the 67's still had the tri-prong flash hider
the 1968 and later had the "Bird cage" style flash hider, this had to do with the open prongs getting caught in twigs and branches.

It's amazing that the AR15 platform has not changed much since it was invented by Armorlite back in 1957.

Here is the whole Family with WWII U.S. And Japanese Swords

That is a cool pic! Very nice collection.

I added the final pieces to the build,
1 - I removed the A2 Stock amd installed the Type C M16A1 Stock
2 - I removed the Magpul grip and replaced it with the correct M16A1 Grip

Looking good brother! I love it!

The buttstock you just installed is actually an M16 stock. The M16A1's stock had a trap door with checkering on the door, but not the surrounding plastic. The length was the same as the M16's It also had rounder edges like the M16's. The A2's is much "squarer", longer (hence the need for a buffer tube spacer) and the whole base is checkered instead of just the door.

Oh, and if you want to have an adventure try some 62 grain ammo at 100 yards with it. You better have a big target though (3 X 3 feet for the background, I recommend) , because it will have some huge groups, but you will get to see where some bullets go through it sideways...

grumpyMSG wrote:The buttstock you just installed is actually an M16 stock. The M16A1's stock had a trap door with checkering on the door, but not the surrounding plastic. The length was the same as the M16's It also had rounder edges like the M16's. The A2's is much "squarer", longer (hence the need for a buffer tube spacer) and the whole base is checkered instead of just the door.

Oh, and if you want to have an adventure try some 62 grain ammo at 100 yards with it. You better have a big target though (3 X 3 feet for the background, I recommend) , because it will have some huge groups, but you will get to see where some bullets go through it sideways...

I have read this many places.. I am trying to copy the early (1967) M16A1 when it transitioned from the XM16E1

Solid Fixed
Original Colt rifles had a solid stock without an internal storage compartment and one piece butt pad. This stock can also be identified by hinged rear sling loop. This stock was used on the original M16 and early models of the M16A1 until 1971 when it was replaced by the A1 type stock.


A1 Fixed
An improved stock designed for the M16A1, this introduced an internal storage compartment into the stock accessed by a textured trapdoor in the butt pad. The original hinged rear sling loop was also replaced by a simpler and more robust fixed loop. Despite being commonly known as the A1 stock it was not designed until 1971 (the M16A1 was released in 1967) so early model M16A1s retained the earlier solid stock with hinged sling loop.


A2 Fixed
The M16A2 used a new stock that was slightly longer (16mm, nearly indistinguishable to the regular observer) and made from a much stronger material. The easiest way to differentiate this stock from that found on the M16A1 is the squarer edges on the butt pad, and the fact that the butt pad is chequered over its entire surface (as opposed to the A1 stock which was only textured on the trapdoor cover).


I have the A2 Fixed Stock that I picked up a while back and and not going to use it
I have the Tube and spacer.

I went to the range last week with it and it shot well with 55gr .223 I plan on getting out tot he outdoor range so I can try out the 855 green tips
62Gr 5.56

Here is another site that talks about the stock changes.

I have the TYPE D - FINAL SOLID BODY
Used on the Model 603 M16A1 and 604 M16 starting in 1964

TYPE E - HOLLOW BODY / TRAPDOOR
Used with the Model 603 / M16A1 and latter Models starting in 1969

I can assure you right now that green tips and a 1 in 12 barrel don't mix, but you should try it to prove it to yourself. I will guess you will find the accuracy hits horrible at about the 50 yard mark. I can tell you I saw it done at Quantico Marine Corps Base. At 100 yards some of the rounds were going through the target sideways.

e. Cartridge, 5.56-mm, Ball, M855. (Used in the M16A2/3/4 and M4-series weapons.) The M855 cartridge has a 62-grain, gilded metal-jacketed, lead alloy core bullet with a steel penetrator. The primer and case are waterproof. This round is also linked and used in the M249. It has a green tip (5, Figure 2-42). This ammunition should not be used in the M16A1 except under emergency conditions, and only at targets less than 90 meters in distance. (The twist of the M16A1 rifling is not sufficient to stabilize the heavier projectile of the round).

f. Cartridge, 5.56-mm, Tracer, M856. (Used in the M16A2/3/4 and M4-series weapons.) The M856 tracer cartridge has characteristics similar to the M196 tracer with a slightly longer tracer burnout distance. This cartridge has a 63.7-grain bullet. The M856 does not have a steel penetrator. It has a red tip (orange when linked 4 to 1 for the M249) (6, Figure 2-42). This ammunition should not be used in the M16A1 except under emergency conditions, and only at targets less than 90 meters in distance. (The twist of the M16A1 rifling is not sufficient to stabilize the projectile of the heavier ammunition).

grumpyMSG wrote:I can assure you right now that green tips and a 1 in 12 barrel don't mix, but you should try it to prove it to yourself. I will guess you will find the accuracy hits horrible at about the 50 yard mark. I can tell you I saw it done at Quantico Marine Corps Base. At 100 yards some of the rounds were going through the target sideways.

e. Cartridge, 5.56-mm, Ball, M855. (Used in the M16A2/3/4 and M4-series weapons.) The M855 cartridge has a 62-grain, gilded metal-jacketed, lead alloy core bullet with a steel penetrator. The primer and case are waterproof. This round is also linked and used in the M249. It has a green tip (5, Figure 2-42). This ammunition should not be used in the M16A1 except under emergency conditions, and only at targets less than 90 meters in distance. (The twist of the M16A1 rifling is not sufficient to stabilize the heavier projectile of the round).

f. Cartridge, 5.56-mm, Tracer, M856. (Used in the M16A2/3/4 and M4-series weapons.) The M856 tracer cartridge has characteristics similar to the M196 tracer with a slightly longer tracer burnout distance. This cartridge has a 63.7-grain bullet. The M856 does not have a steel penetrator. It has a red tip (orange when linked 4 to 1 for the M249) (6, Figure 2-42). This ammunition should not be used in the M16A1 except under emergency conditions, and only at targets less than 90 meters in distance. (The twist of the M16A1 rifling is not sufficient to stabilize the projectile of the heavier ammunition).

Right, the twist rate is too slow, alot like trying to throw the bullet down range.

The Barrel is a Colt C7 Chrome lined I got from a Military Exporter so it's a 1:7 Twist, I wanted to keep the A1 Profile / Pencil but wanted Rifle accuracy
with todays ammo. So I splurged a little on the barrel, they are very hard to find and I waited 6 months before he found one.

Here are a couple new pictures

Some great looking ARs in here! I think my next build will be a retro