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Old July 18, 2012, 04:59 AM   #1
rob i
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new colt LE6920, question

Hi-

This is my first post in the rifle forum, as I've just purchased my first rifle.

It's a brand new Colt LE6920, and I noticed something last night after i brought it home that looks a bit wierd.

Now, please bear with me because I have zero knowledge about AR-15's and have no idea if what i'm looking at is acceptable or not.

Where the lower meets the upper, there is a raised bar on the magazine well (best i can describe it), that doesn't line up properly.

I took a look at some pics on gun broker, and some are lined up perfectly, and some are a bit off like mine.

Would this be a deal breaker for anyone? Is this poor fitment, or is this something to be expected to vary on each of these rifles?

Also, the forestock (i think that's what it's called), also seems to be lined up a bit wierd. compared to the sight, it appears shifted a bit to the left. Again, I have no idea if this is normal, or if I should send this back to colt.

Any feedback is appreciated. I just got this last night, so I will be learning as I go.

Thanks-
Rob
Attached Images
File Type: jpg le6920 close up.jpg (239.7 KB, 140 views)
File Type: jpg stock 2.jpg (239.7 KB, 118 views)
File Type: jpg le6920 left side small.jpg (229.0 KB, 120 views)
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Old July 18, 2012, 06:43 AM   #2
Crow Hunter
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I am not for sure if this is what you are talking about but

Quote:
Hi-

Where the lower meets the upper, there is a raised bar on the magazine well (best i can describe it), that doesn't line up properly. If I am not mistaken, it just acts as a "cap" to prevent trash from getting into the magazine well through the slot in the lower where the magazine catch pieces run. As long as there isn't an open hole at the top, it shouldn't effect functioning.Not a problem. Keep in mind the 2 pieces are seperate and are produced on 2 completely different forges, possibly by 2 completely different companies. They won't necessarily, nor do they need to line up. If I am understanding what you are talking about. (I assume the raised portion between the bolt release and the Colt emblem.) I would not have ever noticed it and I have 5 Colts and I have never looked at this before.
I took a look at some pics on gun broker, and some are lined up perfectly, and some are a bit off like mine.

Would this be a deal breaker for anyone? Is this poor fitment, or is this something to be expected to vary on each of these rifles?Definitely to be expected, keep the manufacturing method and fuctional issues in mind. They are forged and then finish machined. Those features will be produced by a forge.

Also, the forestock (i think that's what it's called), also seems to be lined up a bit wierd. compared to the sight, it appears shifted a bit to the left. Again, I have no idea if this is normal, or if I should send this back to colt. Just twist it the other way. The "forestock" (handguard) is just held in place by the delta ring and the front cap, it wiggles around.

Any feedback is appreciated. I just got this last night, so I will be learning as I go.

As has been said before in other posts, you don't get a Colt because you want great "fit and finish". These rifles are produced on the same assembly line with the same components as the military rifles minus the lower and 16" bbl. Part of that process is after they build the guns, they take them apart, mix the pieces up and assemble new rifles and function test them. That tends to nick/ding the parts ups. You also have to keep in mind that Colt makes hundreds if not thousands of these rifles every day and they have many different suppliers as well as make many of their own parts. Everything will not be as uniform as some companies that only source from one supplier and make fewer rifles. If you take the handguard off (forestock), it probably has white assembly grease smeared and if you put it in the right light, your parts probably aren't the same uniform color. If this really bothers you, then you need to go with a different company. Probably one of the higher end "boutique" companies like Noveske, Wilson Combat, etc that produce smaller numbers of rifles with more attention to detail. If it were my rifle, I wouldn't have even noticed. If it fires and ejects, that is all I worry about. It was more important to me what parts/components/testing that the Colts go through than how they look. But it is your rifle and you need to be happy with it.

Thanks-
Rob
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Old July 18, 2012, 06:54 AM   #3
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Thank you so much for the very detailed reply crow hunter. I believe you got the gist of my questions perfectly.

This is my very first rifle and I just picked it up last night. I am more of a handgun guy and have come to expect very uniform fit and finish on my pistols, so wasn't exactly sure if the fitment on my colt rifle was par for the course or a reason to send it back. Sounds like it would be almost laughable to send this back for this, from what I gathered from your response.

Once I learn more and read the manual I will take it to the range and post my results. Hopefully it runs well!

Thanks!!!!

Rob
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Old July 18, 2012, 07:36 AM   #4
Crow Hunter
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You picked a very good rifle. It is the standard by which all the other companies are judged.

Field strip it, make sure all the bits and pieces are there, and take it shooting. Keep in mind that it will have been test fired at least 10 rounds from the factory, so it will probably be a little carbon left in the action, this is normal.

Sight it in at your preferred range, keeping in mind the large offset from the higher than "normal" sights. Your sights are 2.5" over the centerline of the bore so if you are really close and you set up your sights to hit POA/POI you shots will be WAY high at a longer distance. That is a big difference with ARs and "normal" rifles/pistols that have the sights much closer to the bore. Because of this offset you can set the rifle up for "dual zeros" where the bullet will cross the Line of Sight 2x. I usually sight mine in for 50yards/200m so that POA/POI at 50 yards, should cross LOS again at around 200m with only a variation of 2" or so above/below the aiming point. Search Improved Battlesight Zero by LTC Santose.

Eventually you may want to branch out into different types of optics, do this based on what you use the rifle for, not what the "cool guys" use. Definitely take their advice, but if you don't shoot your weapon the way they do, you won't be satisfied with your choices. For example, if you are going to shoot your rifle trying to get tight groups from a bench, don't get a Red Dot sight, it isn't a good optic for this. The opposite is also true, don't get a high magnification benchrest type magnified optic if you are going to try and shoot running coyotes or a doing "combat" type matches.

Congratulations on joining the Dark Side and enjoy your rifle!
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Old July 18, 2012, 08:01 AM   #5
one4gatr
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Quote:
This is my very first rifle and I just picked it up last night. I am more of a handgun guy and have come to expect very uniform fit and finish on my pistols, so wasn't exactly sure if the fitment on my colt rifle was par for the course or a reason to send it back. Sounds like it would be almost laughable to send this back for this, from what I gathered from your response.
Rob... you and are cut from the same cloth (handgun guys) and I agree with your assessment. I am pretty anal and would look at a few in the local GS and see if you notice the same fitment issue. I would also strip it down and reassemble to see if maybe something didnt lock down properly. Otherwise I wouldnt expect (or accept for that matter) that kind of misalignment considering what you have invested in the gun. And honestly who knows if down the line that will have any impact on the weapon.

My vote... send it back.
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Old July 18, 2012, 08:44 AM   #6
RT
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Upper/ lower fit has ZERO bearing on accuracy or reliablity. Those "bars" usually don't align-- non issue. Go shoot a few hundred rounds through it to make sure there are no issues. Remember, that it's a mass produced, modular rifle, not a high end custom
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Old July 18, 2012, 09:06 AM   #7
Crow Hunter
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Quote:

one4gatr

Rob... you and are cut from the same cloth (handgun guys) and I agree with your assessment. I am pretty anal and would look at a few in the local GS and see if you notice the same fitment issue. I would also strip it down and reassemble to see if maybe something didnt lock down properly. Otherwise I wouldnt expect (or accept for that matter) that kind of misalignment considering what you have invested in the gun. And honestly who knows if down the line that will have any impact on the weapon.

My vote... send it back.
The hanguard moves around, it isn't going to effect the gun. It is only held on with a spring and a flange on the front behind the front sight base. You can take them off (with 3 hands) by just pulling down the delta ring and pulling the upper and lower part off. They are loose by design and can wiggle around alot and can be rotated clockwise/counter a few degrees with just hand pressure. As long as the front end cap is straight, which it looks to be, there is nothing wrong with it. It's normal.

Stripping it down won't do anything for the "bars" on the side. They are forged into the part and their alignment is set by where they are in relation to the holes drilled for the take down pins. As long as you can't see down into the magazine well from the top, the cap on the upper is fine and sending it back won't do you any good. They will just send it back as "in spec" and you will have spent the cost on shipping the rifle back.

I have been reading gun forums for a long time and I have personally owned/dealt with 17 different ARs and I have never seen or heard of this being a problem.

As a matter of fact, until this thread, I have never even thought about it before.
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Old July 18, 2012, 10:30 AM   #8
Fishbed77
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Quote:
Also, the forestock (i think that's what it's called), also seems to be lined up a bit wierd. compared to the sight, it appears shifted a bit to the left. Again, I have no idea if this is normal, or if I should send this back to colt.
This is just the nature of the mil-spec carbine handguards. If you want handguards with a tighter fit, I suggest the excellent and inexpensive Magpul MOE handguards.

As far as the raised bar on the magazine well, that is a non-issue and will not affect the value of the rifle.

If anything, I'm guessing fact that your lower says "LE" in the model number instead of "SP" may affect the value down the road, and probably for the better.

Last edited by Fishbed77; July 18, 2012 at 10:35 AM.
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Old July 18, 2012, 12:35 PM   #9
rob i
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A tremendous thanks to all who have responded. One4gatr gave me a bit of pause, so I contacted colt to ask if they wouldn't mind if I sent them a few pics.

Patiently (impatiently really) awaiting response, but I am quite sure they will echo those responses who have stated that it is a non issue and that most don't line up perfectly.

Thanks!!!
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Old July 18, 2012, 07:38 PM   #10
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Crow Hunter gave excellent advice, the upper's "cap" above the long "bar" on the lower is a non-issue (at least I've never heard of this being a problem in any rifle). I will admit it looks better when it lines "perfectly" but I've seen much worse than your pictures. As he said the upper and lower receivers can be from different forges but even if from the same forge it can happen.

My ArmaLite upper/lower is "off" almost exactly like your Colt. My S&W lower and Daniel Defense upper are much better and my Valkyrie lower and BCM upper are "perfect". All function fine and the ArmaLite receivers actually fit slightly tighter than my two FrankenARs.

If the slop in the handguards bothers you, Magpul MOEs will fit super tight.

And by the way, you bought an excellent AR!
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Old July 18, 2012, 09:09 PM   #11
chris in va
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The 'cap' and forearm on my $630 Sport are perfectly aligned. I wouldn't be happy with that on a $1000 gun.
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Old July 18, 2012, 10:37 PM   #12
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Congrats on the Colt. those are very minor, and you're probably nit-picking tiny little things like most of us gun guys do.

Go shoot your rifle and enjoy it.
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Old July 19, 2012, 08:55 AM   #13
rob i
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Thanks for the replies. Was at my friends gun shop last night (the shop where I bought the gun) and showed him the pics. He's been selling and collecting ar-15's for a very long time and echoed what most here have said. He also said colt would do nothing about it because they wouldn't consider it a flaw at all.

I still await colt's response, but I think we all know how it's going to go.

I am eager to shoot the rifle.

Thanks
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Old July 19, 2012, 08:58 AM   #14
rob i
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Also, upon further inspection, it doesn't appear that it's misaligned as the right side lines up better than the left. It seems the top cap is actually a bit longer than the bar below. I saw a pic online that showed this as well. However in that case the top cap made a T in relation the the bar on the lower. Interesting.
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Old July 19, 2012, 12:08 PM   #15
wwd88888
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Should not matter

I have an old Colt AR15A2 Match HBAR that has always had a lot of play between the upper and lower..it has always been wicked accurate and never given me any problems.
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Old July 19, 2012, 04:56 PM   #16
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just shoot the thing, should function 100%. my brand new le6920 digested 200 rds in an hr session today w/ no issues. mine also has that cap thing misaligned, most ar15s i've seen aren't aligned (including my psa ar15 i sold to finance the colt-the psa was 100% functional as well).

lube up the innards of the rifle, take it to the range and have at it. i'm sure colt will politely tell you it's no issue like many other already have.
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Old July 20, 2012, 07:05 AM   #17
Crow Hunter
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I checked my rifles last night.

4 out of the 5 had the cap "misaligned" so that the upper was offset to the left of the lower. Including the 6724 HBAR Elite.

1 of them was like the letter "i". The upper was smaller than the lower.

None of them have ever had any type of functioning problems other than one time that I got grease on the firing pin in freezing weather. (The reason I don't use grease in the BCG anymore)
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Old July 20, 2012, 07:32 AM   #18
rob i
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You guys are the best!!!!

I still haven't heard from colt, which means they probably rolled their eyes at my email and moved on to something more pressing.

I appreciate, tremendously, all of your input. As I said, I've never owned one before and had no idea what to expect. I have heard they are made to military specifications, so I thought that meant everything would fit dead on balls accurate


Thank you!
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Old July 20, 2012, 10:22 PM   #19
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Quote:
I have heard they are made to military specifications, so I thought that meant everything would fit dead on balls accurate
You are forgetting that a military specification is a minimum requirement!
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Old July 20, 2012, 11:29 PM   #20
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Quote:
You are forgetting that a military specification is a minimum requirement!
However the M16/M4 military specifications/TDP are way more demanding than the standard quite a few popular commercial ARs you see in many gun shops are held to.
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Old July 21, 2012, 03:20 PM   #21
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However the M16/M4 military specifications/TDP are way more demanding than the standard quite a few popular commercial ARs you see in many gun shops are held to.
And many exceed it as well.
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Old July 21, 2012, 08:40 PM   #22
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Quote:
And many exceed it as well.
In what ways? Does it really matter in most applications or are we talking diminishing returns?
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Old July 21, 2012, 09:10 PM   #23
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In what ways? Does it really matter in most applications or are we talking diminishing returns?
There are plenty of ARs available commercially that exceed the requirements of the TDP or "mil-spec" in one way or another. Why do you think people drop so much coin on ARs from Noveske, Barrett, H&K, etc.? And yes, we are talking diminishing returns!
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Old July 22, 2012, 12:09 AM   #24
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Well anyway, back to the OP, your Colt LE6920 is a fine rifle that's very close to what is issued to our troups. The main difference is barrel length and semiauto instead of select fire.
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