Are the Colt AR-15's top tier guns?

[aarondhgraham]

Honestly my friends,,,
I know nothing about the AR-15's,,,
I qualified with one in the AF and never shot one again.

But last weekend I was visiting a friend,,,
She's one of these gun people who doesn't shoot much,,,
She was raised on guns and shot a lot when she was a young woman.

Now though, she wears (symbolically speaking) a tin foil hat,,,
She can't join my rifle & pistol club because she won't join the NRA,,,
Any time I say anything about it she just says "Morton Grove" and adjusts her tin foil hat. :rolleyes:

Anyways I was talking about all the different brands of AR platforms you guys are always going on about,,,
She looks at me and said, "I have a Colt AR-15 that my Dad gave me for my 35th Birthday."

Really? sez I,,, "How does it shoot?",,,
"I don't know" she replied, "I've never shot it even once."

So she digs deep in her closet and comes out with a beautiful tactical case,,,
In it is an absolutely pristine brand new Colt AR-15,,,
She even has the original box it came in,,,
And all the papers and stuff.

So, the rifle is a few months past being 20 years old,,,
Does she have a really nice rifle or has it been surpassed by the new stuff?

Any rough estimates on a possible value?

Aarond

[Double Naught Spy]

It is probably worth $700-1200 depending on the particular model and actual condition. Being 20 years old isn't likely to add any real value to it.

It really should be broken down, inspected, and lubed, or at worst, just lubed to help offset rust or the onset of rust if it hasn't already begun.

[madcratebuilder]

A pre ban Colt AR, NIB is a minimum of $1200, possible more depending on model. Could go as high as $2500 in a ban state.

Colt is the yard stick all others are measured by.:cool:

[RyeDaddy]

Madcratebuilder is correct here. It's preban, which doesn't really mean anything in OK or here in TX(free states) but to a New York resident, it's worth quite a bit. Especially unfired. If it were me and there were no sentimental attachment to it I'd sell it and buy a new one for less, pocket the rest.

As was also stated, Colt is the standard in quality.

[aarondhgraham]

I'll pass on the info to her,,,
I'm not sure if she wants to sell it or not,,,
But it is in pristine condition and for sure has never been fired.

Thanks again,,,

Aarond

[C0untZer0]

As my drill seargent would say "They're not guns! now drop and give me 50!"

[JIMSPD9]

It's a WEAPON, not a gun, and they ain't clips they're MAGAZINES.
I WISH I COULD DO 50 PUSHUPS
Ha Ha

JIMSPD9

[Gehrhard]

It is actually a gun, not a weapon as it has not been used against someONE, nor was it intended to, no less even fired. CONFIRM it is pre-ban by her birthday and, yes, sell it, buy a brand-spanking-new lightweight-barreled mid-length gas system carbine (or two -- buyers market w/so many good products available today), take her to the range for some fun, do whatever with the balance, and give her my name if she is cute in that hat...

;)

Gehr

[chris in va]

Tell her it's crap and offer $500 to "take it off your hands".:p

[stoney64]

They're going for $1200 + around here, you need to "store" it for her so it can be appreciated for the fine firearm it is.

[RT]

It would be worth quite a bit in a ban state. She could sell it for a nice profit and buy a Noveske with some optics

[DPris]

Yes, Colt is "top tier".
Their ARs are now using applicable parts from the same parts bins as the full-auto military M-16.
That should tell you something.
Colt is a known standard, many other makers are not.
Denis

[jgcoastie]

Colt is a known standard, many other makers are not.

Yet on the other hand, there are plenty of makers whose quality is well known and respected throughout the industry. Noveske, LMT, Wilson Combat and Daniels Defense, just to name a few...

I'm no Colt-basher, but they are not the end-all be-all of AR-15's. They are, however, great quality AR-15's.

[darkgael]

They are, however, great quality AR-15's.

Agreed. A Colt may be the best "out of the box" AR that you can buy aside from custom guns. I have always considered Noveske, et al, as custom or "semi" custom offerings; they are priced as if they are so.
Pete

[Suwannee Tim]

How must her Daddy feel, buys her a great gun which she puts in the closet and doesn't touch for 20 years.

[DPris]

Coastie,
Not going into a brand war, just answering the original question.
Colt IS a known standard. :)
You can do better in a custom build, you can do far far worse off the shelf. With Colt as a production gun, you know what you're getting.
Denis

[aarondhgraham]

How must her Daddy feel, buys her a great gun which she puts in the closet and doesn't touch for 20 years.

I understand how you can feel that way,,,
Personally I think it was one of those situations,,,
Like when a kid buys his mom a model car for Mother's Day,,,
He bought her something that in reality he wanted to own for himself.

She kept it in her closet because she wanted to always be able to say she still had the gun.

At least that's how I understand the situation.

Now that he's passed she obtained the few of his firearms that mean something to her,,,
For instance she got the Colt Woodsman that he used to teach her how to shoot,,,
She also got his 12 gauge over/under they used to shoot clay pigeons with,,,
Apparently as a small girl she was his live ammo dispenser.

Some she has given to old friends of his,,,
Some of the others she has given to close friends of hers,,,
She gave me his S&W Model 629 because she knows I will shoot it often,,,
The rest (over 30 rifles and 20+ pistols) will eventually be sold off as we catalog and appraise them.

The man had a very eclectic collection of odd guns.

Aarond

[Gehrhard]

Makes me wonder what's really gonna happen to our stuff when the time comes. I mean, really.
Gehr

[danco]

Makes me wonder what's really gonna happen to our stuff when the time comes. I mean, really.

Being dead, I don't think I'll care one way or the other...

~Dan

[aarondhgraham]

Makes me wonder what's really gonna happen to our stuff when the time comes.

Actually we've had some very good discussions in here on just that topic.

One discussion resulted in me making a display shadow box for a German 8mm Mauser that my Uncle brought back from WW-II,,,
It has the rifle, the one picture of my Uncle, and a bit of Bio info on him,,,
The V.A. Hall in my town will get it when I pass.

Me, I made a list of who gets my guns,,,
They will be doled out to my closest friends,,,
Each gun will have a letter attached to them from me.

I can't control what they will do with the guns,,,
But I have tried to select recipients who will shoot and enjoy them.

Aarond