- Colt Huntsman Serial Numbers
- Colt Sp1 Serial Numbers Dates Chart
- Colt Serial Numbers By Year
- Colt Sp1 Mfg Dates
Due to financial problems, and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity, ArmaLite sold the AR-15 design and the AR-15 trademark along with the ArmaLite AR-10 to Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1959. Colt started selling the semi-automatic version of the M16 rifle as the Colt AR-15 in 1964. The first mass production version was the Colt AR-15 Sporter, in.223 Remington, with a. Sep 10, 2007 Unfortunately with the pre-Bush1-ban rifles it is very hard to determine a build date, but because of his ban it is fairly safe to say that a Legend fixed stock or underfolder is 1986 thru 1989. The 386 is the factory number, DF is for the 'Down Folder' with the other numbers the serial number.
Colt Single Action Army
The Colt Single Action Army (also known as the Model P, Peacemaker, M1873, Single Action Army, SAA, ) is a single action revolver with a revolving cylinder holding six metallic cartridges. It was designed for the U.S. government service revolver trials of 1873 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, today Colt’s Manufacturing Company, and adopted as the standard military service revolver until 1892.
It is perhaps the most copied, fraudulently modified to replicate an original Colt SAA, than any other revolver made.
Colt Single Action Army & Bisley Revolvers, Pre-WWII Production: Year: Serial Number Range: Year: Serial Number Range: 1873: 1-199: 1907: 299. I am trying to find information on the serial numbers for yearly production runs for the colt ar15 sp1 from 1964 to present. Any information will be of great help., 06:33 PM #2 Red Hat. S000001-S001000 no date 1000 rifles S10001-S12915 Feb 1974 2915 rifles TOTAL 3927 rifles. Sterling rifles S15001-S-1985 12,362 rifles. The first 1000 Howa rifles had the serial number on the upper and the flash hiders have matching serial numbers on them. Total production was 20,307 not all of which were imported to the US.
The Colt Single Action Army has been offered in over 30 different calibers and various barrel lengths. Its overall appearance has remained consistent since 1873. Colt has discontinued its production twice, but brought it back due to popular demand. The revolver was popular with ranchers, lawmen, and outlaws alike, but current models are mostly bought by collectors, shooters participating in Cowboy Action Shooting and re-enactors. Its design has influenced the production of numerous other models from other companies.
Bound by the Rollin White patent (#12,648, April 3, 1855) and not wanting to pay a royalty fee to Smith & Wesson, Colt could not begin development of bored-through revolver cylinders for metallic cartridge use until April 4, 1869. The Colt Single Action Army was designed for the United States government service revolver trials of 1873 by Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company and adopted as the standard military service revolver. Its original moniker was the 'New Model Army Metallic Cartridge Revolving Pistol'.
The very first production Single Action Army, serial number 1, thought lost for many years after its production was found in a barn in Nashua, New Hampshire in the early 1900s.
The .45 Colt cartridge was of center fire design containing charges of up to 40 grains (2.6 g) of fine grained black powder and a 255-grain (16.5 g) blunt round nosed bullet. Relative to period cartridges and most later handgun rounds, it was quite powerful in its full loading.
The Colt Single Action Army revolver (along with the 1870 and 1875 Smith and Wesson Model 3 ('Schofield') revolvers replaced the Colt 1860 Army Percussion revolver. The Colt quickly gained favor over the S&W and remained the primary US military sidearm until 1892 when it was replaced by the .38 Long Colt caliber Colt Model 1892, a double action revolver with swing-out cylinder. By the end of 1874, serial no. 16,000 was reached; 12,500 Colt Single Action Army revolvers chambered for the .45 Colt cartridge had entered service and the remaining revolvers were sold in the civil market.
Variations 1873–1941
Colt Huntsman Serial Numbers
Colt SAA Flattop Target
The Single Action Army became available in standard barrel lengths of 4¾', 5½' as well as the Cavalry standard, original 7½'. The shorter barreled revolvers are sometimes called the 'Civilian' or 'Gunfighter' model (4¾') and the Artillery Model (5½'). There was also a variant with a sub 4' barrel, without an ejector rod unofficially referred to as the 'Sheriff's Model', 'Banker's Special', or 'Storekeeper.
![Dates Dates](https://s3.amazonaws.com/mgm-content/sites/armslist/uploads/posts/2014/03/14/2811124_02_colt_sp1_ar_15_1977_manufactur_640.jpg)
From 1875 until 1880 Colt marketed a Single Action revolver in the .44 rimfire Henry caliber in a separate number range from no. 1 to 1,863.
Half life 2 4k. A 'Flattop Target Model' was listed in Colt's catalogs from 1890 to 1898. Colt manufactured 914 of these revolvers with a frame which was flat on the top and fitted with an adjustable leaf rear sight. The front sight consisted of a base with an interchangeable blade.
In 1896, at serial number 164,100, a spring loaded base pin latch replaced the cylinder pin retaining screw and by 1900, at serial number 192,000, the Colt Single Action was certified for use with smokeless powder. In 1920, larger, highly visible sights replaced the original thin blade and notch. The revolvers remained essentially unchanged from that point until cessation of manufacture at the beginning of World War I.
45 Colt Cartridge variations
Colt .45 Cartridges
The first Colt Single Action Army revolvers were manufactured in .44 American caliber for the 1872 government trials, as the .44 American was the cartridge used in the 1000 Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolvers issued to the troops. After the tests, the Colt was declared the superior revolver and the government specified that a .45 caliber cartridge would be required. With the adoption of the Colt Single Action Army revolver in 1873, the service cartridges were Copper cased .45 center fire Benét inside primed “Colt’s Revolver Cartridges” loaded with 30 grains of black powder and an inside lubricated bullet of 250 grain. They were manufactured Frankford Arsenal, Philadelphia, PA, through 1874. In 1875, the cartridge was shortened so that it would also function in the newly adopted S & W Schofield revolver. It was designated “Revolver Cartridge” and loaded with 28 grains of black powder and a bullet of 230 grain. The Benét primed cartridges were manufactured until 1882 and then replaced by reloadable cartridges with brass cases and external primers.
Adobe illustrator with crack. The original .45 Colt black powder load of 40 grains propelled the 250-255 grain bullet at a nominal 970 feet per second (300 m/s). Authors John Taffin and Mike Venturino have demonstrated that modern black powder loadings of the 45 Colt cartridge frequently achieve velocities in the vicinity of 1,000 feet per second (300 m/s) with the 7½' 'cavalry' barrel length, even though modern solid-head cases make it impossible to load a full 40 grains. Specifications for 20th-century smokeless loads set velocity with a 255-grain (16.5 g) round-nosed flat-point bullet at 870 feet per second (270 m/s) providing 429-foot-pound-force (582 J) energy.
The current version of the 45 Colt differs from the original cartridge case in that the rim is significantly larger (with a groove immediately above it) and the internal aspect of the primer pocket is surrounded by solid brass instead of protruding into the powder chamber. This 'solid head' case is stronger and resists deformation of the primer pocket. Some commercial and custom revolvers and single-shot pistols (such as the Ruger Blackhawk, T/C Contender and others) employ high-pressure loads that are dangerous in the Single Action Army and other vintage arms chambered for the 45 Colt cartridge, especially 19th-century 'pre-smokeless' revolvers which should be fired (if at all) only with black powder or light smokeless loads.
Prior to World War II, the 45 Colt used a groove diameter of .454'; post-WW II production adopted the .452' groove diameter of the 45 ACP. Handloaders should slug their barrels to determine the correct groove diameter, and size cast bullets accordingly.
Calibers
By 1878 the Colt SAA was being offered from the factory in additional calibers for civilian and foreign military sales. Many were sold in .44-40 Winchester Center Fire (44WCF), introduced in 1878 to allow cross-compatibility with the Winchester '73 lever action rifle; this model was called the 'Colt Frontier Six-Shooter' which was etched and later roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel. Additional period calibers for the SAA included .38-40 Winchester (38 WCF) introduced in 1884, the .32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) introduced in 1884, the .41 Colt introduced in 1885, the .38 Long Colt in 1887, the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum in the 20th Century. Some of the separately-serialized .44 Henry rimfire revolvers were rechambered to .22 rimfire after 1885. The SAA at one time or another was offered in dozens of calibers from .22 rimfire to.476 Eley, though the .45 Colt has always been the most common. A scaled-down .22 rimfire version called the Scout or Frontier Scout was available in the late 20th Century.
1st -, 2nd -, 3rd -Generation Colt Single Action and Calibers
From 1873 through 1940 (with small numbers assembled during and after World War II, the so called 'Pre-War, Post-War' model), production of the Colt Single Action Army reached 357,859. This is identified as the 'Pre War' or 'First Generation' of the model. Calibers, at least thirty in all, ranged from .22 rimfire through .476 Eley, with approximately half, or 158,884 (including Bisley and Flat Top Target variations), chambered for .45 Colt. The next most prevalent were the .44-40 Winchester Center fire (WCF) at 71,392; 38-40 (38 WCF) at 50,520; 32-20 Winchester (32 WCF) at 43,284 and, the 41 Colt at 19,676.
Second Generation Colt Single Action Army revolvers were produced from 1956–1974 and carried serial numbers in the range of 0001SA to 73,205SA. About 400 of the Second Generation Colt Single Actions were factory engraved by Colt's, the factory engravers of the period were Alvin Herbert, Earl Bieu, Dennis Kies, Robert Burt and Leonard Francolini. One of the most sought-after engravers who have worked on Colt revolvers was Alvin White and the shop of A. A. White Engravers.
The Third Generation began in 1976 characterized by a change in barrel thread pitch and a solid cylinder bushing replacing the removable/replaceable part from the first and second generations. This Generation ran until 1982 as a limited-issue product with the serial number range of SA80,000 to SA99,999. In 1994, production resumed with the increase in popularity of 'Cowboy Action Shooting'. These models are known either as 'Late Third Generation' or sometimes Fourth Generation with the serial number convention changing yet again starting with S02001A and continuing with the 'S' prefix and 'A' suffix to 2009. Colt currently offers the Single Action Army in one of two finishes: either an all-nickel or blued with color case-hardened frame; in the traditional three barrel lengths: 4¾', 5½' and 7½'; and six chamberings: 32-20, 38-40, 44-40, .38 Special, 357 Magnum or 45 Colt; a total of 36 variations.
Engraved Colt’s
It has been argued that having a Engraved Colt not done by the factory diminishes the value of the Colt Revolver. In a sense that may be true to those who collect only Factory Engraved and Factory Lettered Colts. However many firearms are sent outside or ordered in the white by distinguished master engravers for finishing work to specific customer demands.
The engravers Guild has a list of outstanding Master Engravers who are very competent in engraving fine firearms and sometimes at a better value than the factory prices.
Original Colt Bisley
Credits:
Wikipedia, On Line Free Encyclopedia,
The Study of the Colt Single Action Army,
The Official Record of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver,
Colt Sp1 Serial Numbers Dates Chart
Photo Credits:
Michael G. Veitch
Kid Sopris, www.kidsopris.com
Os dejo un listado bastante completo de los números de serie de la familia Colt, así como sus años de producción y fabricante.Colt Serial Numbers By Year
Colt Serial Number List and FAQ
Serial Number Prefix Model Name Sample Model
BD AR15A3 Tactical Carbine 6721
CC Colt Carbine R6520
CH Competition HBAR 6700
GC Government Carbine 6520
GS Governmodel Model Service 6550
MH Match HBAR 6601
ML Match Lightweight R6530
MT Match Target
SP Sporter SP1 or SP2
ST Sporter Target 6551
TA 9mm 6450 6430
TA: There are only around 10,000 TA model guns and less than 8000 without sear block.
USGI SERIAL NUMBER DATA BASE (serial numbers listed in chronological rather then numerical order):
101-14,484
1959-1963
US Air Force/Project AGILE/SEAL issue Colt's AR-15 Model 601, roll marked ARMALITE. Some sold commercially to police departments, small numbers to foreign militaries such as Malaya, India, Australia, Burma, and Singapore.
20,000-39,999
1963-1964
US Property marked AR-15 Colt's Model 02 issued to US Advisors in Vietnam, and US Air Force. Few hundred commercial/export examples were made that lack US Property markings.
40,000-49,999
1964
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604.
50,000-199,999
1964-1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 & US Army XM16E1 Colt's Model 603.
14,500-14,916
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series and US Property marked GX series for S.A.W.S. contract (note, CAR-15 refers to a family of Colt's weapons, not just short ones).
15,000-19,999
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.
200,000-202,446
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.
202,447-379,353
1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604, and a few commercial export models. There are also examples of commerical/export marked models using the 20X,XXX serial number range produced in the late 1960's.
400,000 series
1966-1973 or so
Only a few rifles/carbines made in this serial number range and known examples are spread out over several years of production. Zero US Property marked rifles have been observed. Highest know example is 418,XXX and dates from the early 1970’s.
500,001-749,999
1966-1967
US Property marked XM16E1 Colt's and M16A1, both Colt Model 603. There are also a small number of US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 found in this serial number range. Serial numbers in this range were not run in order. M16A1’s have been observed with serial numbers as low as 604,505, and XM16E1’s have serial numbers as high as 741,12X.
750,000-752,443
1966
Experimental HBAR.
752,444-899,999
1967
US Property marked M16A1.
900,000 through 909,999
1966-1970
US Property marked Govt. Carbines.
910,000-919,999
Unconfirmed, only know of one Colt in this range, it is in US Air Force inventory, and I do not know the model number.
920,000-999,999
No known examples.
1,000,000-1,999,999
1968-1969
US Property marked Colt's M16A1
2,000,000-2,24X,XXX
1968-1971
US Property marked H&R M16A1.
3,000,000-3,469,217 (approximate)
1968-1971
US Property marked Hydramatic M16A1.
9,000,0000 series
1970’s & 1980’s
In general these are 1970’s and early 80’s “A1” type 600 series commercial/export marked weapons. There are some exceptions, for example US Property marked Govt. Carbines.
AL prefix
1970
Lebanese contract rifles, some 14,000 made.
Note on 4,000,000 series Colt’s, there are quite a few commercial/export marked rifles/carbines mixed in.
4,000,001-4,060,000
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,060,001-4,221,800
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,221,801-4,285,400
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,285,401-4,521,000
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,521,001-4,521,850
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,521,851-4,638, 400
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,638,401-4,643,400
1971
Model 613 for Malaysia.
4,643,401-4,701,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.
4,701,401-4,701,900
1971
Model 613 Commando
4,701,901-4,844,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.
4,844,401-4,849,400
1972
Model 613 for Taiwan.
4,849,401-4,926,000
1972
US Property marked M16A1.
4,926,001-4,928,000
1972
Model 613 for Philippines.
4,928,000-4,936,400
1972
US Property marked M16A1.
5,000,000-5,4X,XXX (app)
1973-1982
US Property marked M16A1 Colt's Model 603 (not aware of any Air Force M16 Colt Model 604's with serial numbers this high). Also some export/commercial models.
6,000,000-6,590,478 (approximate)
1983-1986
US Property marked M16A2 & US Property marked XM4 prototypes Colt's Model 720.
8,000,000 series
1980’s
In general these are 700 series commercial/export marked models of the M16A2.
7,000,000-7,429,766 (approximate)
1988-2003
US Property marked FN M16A2. There are also Balimoy M16A1 lowers restamped A2 in this serial number range. These were used as replacement parts by Anniston.
W prefix
1994-current
US Property marked Colt's M4/A1 Carbine, Colt's Model 920/921.
A prefix
1990’s on
900 series Commercial/export versions of the M4 Carbine.
10,000,000 serial number range
1997-
US Property marked Colt's/FN M16A4'
Serial Number Prefix Model Name Sample Model
BD AR15A3 Tactical Carbine 6721
CC Colt Carbine R6520
CH Competition HBAR 6700
GC Government Carbine 6520
GS Governmodel Model Service 6550
MH Match HBAR 6601
ML Match Lightweight R6530
MT Match Target
SP Sporter SP1 or SP2
ST Sporter Target 6551
TA 9mm 6450 6430
TA: There are only around 10,000 TA model guns and less than 8000 without sear block.
USGI SERIAL NUMBER DATA BASE (serial numbers listed in chronological rather then numerical order):
101-14,484
1959-1963
US Air Force/Project AGILE/SEAL issue Colt's AR-15 Model 601, roll marked ARMALITE. Some sold commercially to police departments, small numbers to foreign militaries such as Malaya, India, Australia, Burma, and Singapore.
20,000-39,999
1963-1964
US Property marked AR-15 Colt's Model 02 issued to US Advisors in Vietnam, and US Air Force. Few hundred commercial/export examples were made that lack US Property markings.
40,000-49,999
1964
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604.
50,000-199,999
1964-1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 & US Army XM16E1 Colt's Model 603.
14,500-14,916
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series and US Property marked GX series for S.A.W.S. contract (note, CAR-15 refers to a family of Colt's weapons, not just short ones).
15,000-19,999
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.
200,000-202,446
1965
Commercial/export CAR-15 series.
202,447-379,353
1965
US Property marked US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604, and a few commercial export models. There are also examples of commerical/export marked models using the 20X,XXX serial number range produced in the late 1960's.
400,000 series
1966-1973 or so
Only a few rifles/carbines made in this serial number range and known examples are spread out over several years of production. Zero US Property marked rifles have been observed. Highest know example is 418,XXX and dates from the early 1970’s.
500,001-749,999
1966-1967
US Property marked XM16E1 Colt's and M16A1, both Colt Model 603. There are also a small number of US Air Force M16 Colt's Model 604 found in this serial number range. Serial numbers in this range were not run in order. M16A1’s have been observed with serial numbers as low as 604,505, and XM16E1’s have serial numbers as high as 741,12X.
750,000-752,443
1966
Experimental HBAR.
752,444-899,999
1967
US Property marked M16A1.
900,000 through 909,999
1966-1970
US Property marked Govt. Carbines.
910,000-919,999
Unconfirmed, only know of one Colt in this range, it is in US Air Force inventory, and I do not know the model number.
920,000-999,999
No known examples.
1,000,000-1,999,999
1968-1969
US Property marked Colt's M16A1
2,000,000-2,24X,XXX
1968-1971
US Property marked H&R M16A1.
3,000,000-3,469,217 (approximate)
1968-1971
US Property marked Hydramatic M16A1.
9,000,0000 series
1970’s & 1980’s
In general these are 1970’s and early 80’s “A1” type 600 series commercial/export marked weapons. There are some exceptions, for example US Property marked Govt. Carbines.
AL prefix
1970
Lebanese contract rifles, some 14,000 made.
Note on 4,000,000 series Colt’s, there are quite a few commercial/export marked rifles/carbines mixed in.
4,000,001-4,060,000
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,060,001-4,221,800
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,221,801-4,285,400
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,285,401-4,521,000
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,521,001-4,521,850
1970
US Air Force M16 Colt Model 604.
4,521,851-4,638, 400
1970
US Property marked M16A1.
4,638,401-4,643,400
1971
Model 613 for Malaysia.
4,643,401-4,701,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.
4,701,401-4,701,900
1971
Model 613 Commando
4,701,901-4,844,400
1971
US Property marked M16A1.
4,844,401-4,849,400
1972
Model 613 for Taiwan.
4,849,401-4,926,000
1972
US Property marked M16A1.
4,926,001-4,928,000
1972
Model 613 for Philippines.
4,928,000-4,936,400
1972
US Property marked M16A1.
5,000,000-5,4X,XXX (app)
1973-1982
US Property marked M16A1 Colt's Model 603 (not aware of any Air Force M16 Colt Model 604's with serial numbers this high). Also some export/commercial models.
6,000,000-6,590,478 (approximate)
1983-1986
US Property marked M16A2 & US Property marked XM4 prototypes Colt's Model 720.
8,000,000 series
1980’s
In general these are 700 series commercial/export marked models of the M16A2.
7,000,000-7,429,766 (approximate)
1988-2003
US Property marked FN M16A2. There are also Balimoy M16A1 lowers restamped A2 in this serial number range. These were used as replacement parts by Anniston.
W prefix
1994-current
US Property marked Colt's M4/A1 Carbine, Colt's Model 920/921.
A prefix
1990’s on
900 series Commercial/export versions of the M4 Carbine.
10,000,000 serial number range
1997-
US Property marked Colt's/FN M16A4'