Brownell's "Retro" series of AR's

[Slater]

From general feedback it seems that Brownell's has done a decent job of resurrecting the old Colt 601/M16E1/M16A1 designs to include the old charcoal gray anodizing. Anyone have one of these? I'm kind of tempted.

[Circle_10]

I don't have one of the complete rifles but I've used several of their stripped uppers and lowers, and one of their barrel assemblies, in my own Retro builds.

The feedback I've been hearing about the complete bguns has been generally positive. And Brownells has been good about listening to customer feedback taking steps to "improve" their Retro guns. Their early guns were finished black, and still using things like modern selector switch is and A2 port doors but over tine Brownells has gone to a more correct grey color and has added Retro selectors and A1 port doors.

Their complete guns are apparently using 9310 bolts though, vs C158. I'm not a metallurgist, so I can't speak with authority on the matter, but I have heard that 9310 is arguably superior to C158 for bolt material as long as it's heat treated correctly, so with me not knowing the origin on Brownells bolts and what kind of manufacturing process they are subjected to, and C158 being a pretty known quantity I personally would prefer that.

[Slater]

Well, crap. I had pretty much decided to wait until later, but Brownell's is having a deal on these - On sale + 10% off + free shipping. So I took the plunge and ordered one of their M16A1 clones for $820 shipped.

[Mrgunsngear]

I don't have one of the complete rifles but I've used several of their stripped uppers and lowers, and one of their barrel assemblies, in my own Retro builds.

The feedback I've been hearing about the complete bguns has been generally positive. And Brownells has been good about listening to customer feedback taking steps to "improve" their Retro guns. Their early guns were finished black, and still using things like modern selector switch is and A2 port doors but over tine Brownells has gone to a more correct grey color and has added Retro selectors and A1 port doors.

Their complete guns are apparently using 9310 bolts though, vs C158. I'm not a metallurgist, so I can't speak with authority on the matter, but I have heard that 9310 is arguably superior to C158 for bolt material as long as it's heat treated correctly, so with me not knowing the origin on Brownells bolts and what kind of manufacturing process they are subjected to, and C158 being a pretty known quantity I personally would prefer that.

They're shot peened and MP tested FWIW.

A little PROTO porn here as well :cool:


https://youtu.be/4ApTpgWEPsI