I’m headed to a 3-day Colt AR/M16 school in a couple of weeks.
I’ve been shooting the M-16 platform for 20 years and have built and repaired them for about half of that. Anything I should know? Is it generally good info for the whole line, or a big Colt stroke-fest?
Thanks in advance.
I think I’d give a kidney to get into one of those courses, but is sounds like you’re not too excited about it. What did the syllabus say and why do you believe it applied to you and your current skill set? If I didn’t think I would learn much and/or anything, I would spend my hard earned dollars elsewhere… YMMV!
Why? I wouldn’t want to sit through 3 days of it.
I’ve not heard that it’s too much of a Colt stroke fest though.
I’m glad to be going, but I’ve been to enough schools like this to know to ask what to expect from those who have recently attended.
They don’t give a syllabus, other than it covers the Colt AR family and will be 3 days long.
It’s not my hard earned money, it’s paid for by allocated training funds.
I talked to someone who went a loonnng time ago, and they said that the instructor bashed BM and every other brand that wasn’t Colt. I wondered if the same thing was still going on. Much like the Glock armorer’s schools I’ve been to. They put Gaston on a pedestal for sure.
Long Mountain Outfitters in Nevada does a LMT sponsored course that is open to both mil/leo and civies. Im thinking of getting away from the family for a few days and going.
I’ve found the Colt courses to be much better than the Glock courses. Part of it is going to depend on which instructor is giving the class.
The course is geared to the lowest common denominator (and it has to be!).
If you are competent with the weapon system, you will be mostly bored.
Be prepared to take the gun apart- a bunch, which is good, but tedious.
The guns we worked on were worn out junk. If you shook them hard, they would fall apart.
Colt is exceptionally cheap these days. No more free parts, or anything. Maybe a hat for your $400.
I don’t consider it a very good value. If it was my money, I would expect more.
The best thing is that you end up with the certificate at the end.
The course value is somewhat dependent on the instructor…
It looks like you’re attending the Oct.16 - 18 Garden City, MI course.
I will PM you some info.
+1
I assume you are refering to the Colt M16 Armorers Course. I was certified last year by Ken Elmore. He was very knowledgeable, and it was a very good course. You will have a spring fly across the room and you will have to search the floor for a detent from the push pins, so you might take a small flashlight.
If your instructor is Ken, be sure to tell him you think BM should get the military contract because their weapon is just as good…
If already knowledgable I would go elsewhere… maybe somewhere where you cover barrel install & assorted FF rails, trigger options, etc. Does anyone do this?
I was bored to tears but already had some experience… and to much time spent on sillyness, who the hell has a2 sights anyhow?
That’s what I pictured the course being like. I don’t think I’d like it at all. But it’s cool if some people are into that kind of thing. 
Colt Armorer’s Course Instructor: “You SPECOPS guys insist on bolting on a bunch of un needed Aftermarket Accessories”
Ive taken the course twice since its the industry standard and required every 3 years. First time I took it there were barrel changes, anymore not, and way too much time spent on the A2 sights. Some folks in the last class did not even know how to break the gun open for Operator level maint. So that course didnt get too far along.
Also you can fail the final test if you dont know all the Colt model numbers.
Bottom line is that the course does not even scratch the surface of the type of work I do on a daily basis with M4’s. And heaven forbid you bring up the C word (Crane), their recommendations on maintenance or service life of bolts, barrels and ect.
Yeah, I forgot to add that they no longer instruct on barrel removal and replacement. (It must be too complex for the masses.)
They did demonstrate the process once, but he talked it up like it was a cross between splitting the atom, and black magic. Not something for the uninitiated to attempt without professional instruction.:rolleyes:
My .02:
When contemplating the value of the Colt course, remember the target audience: the lowest common denominator law enforcement maintainer of Colt product. Like other factory-sponsored training, it’s for folks that bought the brand and need to keep it running. When I attend Glock/Sig/Ruger/etc AC’s, curriculum is built the same way. There does not seem to be the same level of crticicism of their course content, however.
I agree that it could be modernized a bit, and some additional content would be useful. But at what additional expense, course time, etc? When those changes are made, is more basic content cut, and does the LCD maintainer suffer (the guy the course is built for)?
As a training manager, I want troop to take that gun apart and put it back together, look at pieces, again and again, so that I know the guns in the trunks are GTG. After that, we can take about the other stuff. After all, that’s why we buy the Colts, so the secondary worries are minimal.
Too many want the Colt AC to help them make up ground lost chasing good-as, or to make them better widget-installers. (That isn’t directed at anyone in particular.)
Perhaps expanding the advanced course, and making it more readily available, is the answer.
Great info guys, thanks! I’ll just keep my mind open and mouth shut and maybe I can sneak my iPod in.
Stay safe.
They would have to re-start the Advanced course, as it is no more.
I attended the Colt M 16 Armorers Course a couple of years back. I was completely underwhelmed. There was a USMC Armorer Instructor there and he and I were the only two people in the room I would have wanted to touch my duty weapon. In all honesty, and this isn’t saying much, either one of us could have taught the course while asleep and drunk.
It’s a nice certificate but not much else.
BTW, there was no real Colt Koolaid served—it was pretty universal and the instructor actually spoke well of several other brands. Still, I’d skip it.
It is my understanding that the Ken Elmore taught courses are way better.
Lots of folks. While on the decline in popularity, they’re commonly found, especially in the AC target audience.
I’m actually recerting in a few weeks also. The instructor I had 3 years ago - retired CT State Police, said he wasn’t a “gun guy”, he does bash other companies especially bushmaster and demo’s the barrel change, but will tell you if you want it done right, the only way is too send it too the factory. He also said “if you know anyone going too the sand box tell them not too oil the gun, keep it bone dry” So keep it all in mind
Changing the bbl on an AR is one of the easier things to do to a firearm. Guess he’s never taken a Ruger MkII apart. 
I have heard a lot of negatives about the Colt course (specifically that you have to take apart the A2 which is a waste of time).
I would recommend to people that want to take a good Armorer’s course to look at S&W. They teach a pretty generic one (so you don’t have to memorize S&W models numbers) and they let you install barrels!
C4