History of AR15 questions

[MTT TL]

In 1990 a NiB Colt AR15 could be had at the LGS for $395. That was the old carry handle model.

DPMS made ar’s too around that time, too!

DPMS made parts on mil contracts from the mid 80s until the 90s. They did not really enter the AR retail market heavily until after the AWB was lifted. Although there are probably a few examples out there. They made good stuff up until well you know... FG.

LMT was (and still is) one of the better makers back then but again they were mostly military. I am not sure if they sold any on the retail market but I'd be surprised if there are not a few out there.

[armoredman]

1974 I was buying squirt guns.
I had to look up that Bushmaster "Assault Rifle" - ugly. I remember Bushmaster being famous for the arm pistol before I heard about their ARs. After firing an M16A1 in 1984, that SPRRROOOIIINNNGGG in my ear turned me off to ARs until last year.

[RickB]

Armalite, "the" Armalite, went out of business in 1980, and I don't think they ever made many rifles; their business plan was to sell gun designs and production rights.

[ed308]

In 1990 a NiB Colt AR15 could be had at the LGS for $395. That was the old carry handle model.

Quote:
DPMS made ar’s too around that time, too!
DPMS made parts on mil contracts from the mid 80s until the 90s. They did not really enter the AR retail market heavily until after the AWB was lifted. Although there are probably a few examples out there. They made good stuff up until well you know... FG.

LMT was (and still is) one of the better makers back then but again they were mostly military. I am not sure if they sold any on the retail market but I'd be surprised if there are not a few out there.

I've been shooting AR's since the 80's and don't recall ever seeing a Colt AR that cheap. Regarding LMT's AR production, they bought out PWA (Pac West Arms) which was selling lowers back then. I built an AR with a PWA lower back in those days. Sourced a lot of other parts from Quality Parts which later became Bushmaster. As a side note, that PWA lower became the best firearm investment I made over the years after I sold that lower to a guy up in Connecticut for $800 a couple of years ago.

[stagpanther]

Yeah--I seriously doubt in the 90's a NIB colt be had for under $400--I think it was around 1981 0r 2 when my roomie bought one for $475ish.

[MTT TL]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Yeah--I seriously doubt in the 90's a NIB colt be had for under $400--I think it was around 1981 0r 2 when my roomie bought one for $475ish.

The one I bought when I returned home from AIT on leave did. That would have been January 1990. My buddy from High School had joined the Navy and had returned about the same time so we went gun shopping with our bonus pay.

[rickyrick]

Being that the army was my only home in the late 80s, all of the 90s and early 2000s I couldn’t conveniently own an AR at the time. My perception may be skewed, but I thought early on they were around 700$... but I’m probably misremembering the cost; at a price of 700$ or 400$ would have been out of my budget either way.

[btmj]

One of the drivers behind the success of the Ruger mini-14 in the 80's and 90's was that it was less than half the price of a Colt AR-15... I remember shopping for a mini-14 and comparing it to a Colt AR. I agree that a new Colt had to have been a lot more than 400. I am thinking more like 800.

[stagpanther]

One of the drivers behind the success of the Ruger mini-14 in the 80's and 90's was that it was less than half the price of a Colt AR-15... I remember shopping for a mini-14 and comparing it to a Colt AR.

I remember the same thing--though there was only one "dancing pony" and it had enormous cachet. As I had previously said. HK's were also quite common around the same time and I thought they were superb.