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Colt CAR-15 XM177 E2
Back in April, as I was casually checking the main local website for gun sales, I saw an add for a Colt Commando. I immediately wrote to the seller, he called me and by luck was passing close to my house on his way to the mountain for the Easter weekend. He agreed to take the rifle along and stop by to show it to me.
He said the barrel was replaced as the original was shot. The bolt was also replaced. Rifle is fully functional. Lots of external wear as can be expected with an old warhorse. Otherwise I really don’t know that much about this rifle.
Wikipedia : In April 1967, the Army purchased 510 Colt 629 Commandos for use by troops assigned to the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), and designated them XM177E2. Delivery was completed by the end of September 1967. The Air Force adopted a similar model without the forward assist feature as the GAU-5A/A.
Does that mean there were only 510 built in total and it dates the rifle between April and September of 1967. Or were more built later, after the initial order?
The asking price was $ 3000, we agreed on $ 2700. For info I live in Switzerland. So the wait for the special license begins, should be 2-3 weeks.
Pics (not the greatest as I did them in a rush) :
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1867a282ac.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a6e36be9e9.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...aebe73a71f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...3e961dc54b.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...46f75e5268.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7dc00e780d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e1a69d47a6.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b525dc1519.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6c6b0fda29.jpg
With its sibling (1972 M16A1)
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...31435243cc.jpg
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Colt CAR-15 XM177 E2
Within two weeks only I received the license and picked up the gun and the original barrel with the front sight. No markings at all. The barrel was pretty corroded inside and pitted with weak grooves. I started cleaning it, hoping it would improve, but it just made the pitting shinier and more obvious.
I still intended to install it in order to bring the gun back to its original condition. In any case it’s not meant as a precision rifle, and I will fire it very occasionally in full auto mode at short to medium distances.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...069b834e34.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b7aed55aad.jpg
Seems to be a 10 inch barrel, not 11.5
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...5dfff35380.jpg
With the flat ring instead of the Delta / tapered ring.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fd07c9dbfd.jpg
So I came to the conclusion that it is an XM 177 E2 lower with an XM 177 E1 upper. If these thing could talk.
Some details :
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e5c3a8e37f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e72f9ad35c.jpg
The large aperture sight seems to have been ground off, maybe for a faster target acquisition at short range.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...816c866cb7.jpg
As a consequence, the small aperture sight falls backwards
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7c6251fabb.jpg
And the front sight was bottomed out in order to compensate
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dfd5e11739.jpg
... with pliers ...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1b22c54d49.jpg
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Again, great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Not exactly what you're looking for, but pretty close...
[url]https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/barrel-parts/rifle-barrels/ar-15-12-7-a1-carbine-barrel-assembly-prod97901.aspx
Also, based on the photo of your rear sight...https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/sight-parts/apertures/ar-15-a1-sight-aperature-prod105834.aspx?avs%7cMake_3=AR-15
part of their retro AR line of rifles and parts for them.
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Like your other thread, very very cool. You wonder where it's been and how it got where it is today.
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"Does that mean there were only 510 built in total and it dates the rifle between April and September of 1967. Or were more built later, after the initial order?"
That was the initial order, many more were acquired later when they gave them out to helicopter pilots and of course staff officier's had to have them.
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Outstanding !!!
One idea regarding a temporary fix for the front sight is a bolt-on job called a “Power Wedge” offered by Fulton Armory;
https://www.fulton-armory.com
You may have to e-mail them for the size to fit your barrel.
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