Looks interesting. I’m surprised this made it to market without any any buzz whatsoever.
It looks like they’ve updated the handguard and charging handle. Colt’s website only shows a sku for the 308, but they are clearly making them in 6.5 CM as well.
Specs here:
https://www.rsrgroup.com/product/CTCM65-18S
Unboxing video:
I think that these are very underrated rifles. My 901 is handy, relatively light and accurate (~ 1 MOA) with handloaded 155 and 168 gr AMAXs.
I’d like to shoot one and see how it stacks up against the MWS, KAC, etc.
I like the buttstock.
It’s nice to see Colt back in the AR-10 type market. The 901 and other colt monolithic upper receiver guns were nice but violated LMT’s patents.
Colt has weird marketing issues. It seems they promote products that are unavailable or ridiculous and when they do something right it’s like pulling teeth to get info.
These are in stock at Arms Unlimited if anyone is looking for one
https://www.armsunlimited.com/Colt-Modular-Carbine-6-5-Creedmoor-Semi-Auto-Rifle-p/cm65-18s.htm
Very interesting, looks like 2019 has another goal. I usually project my hobby purchases for the next year and it ends up resembling the game when 10 people repeat a phrase–
Actually looks like something I would like to pick up.
I think this rifle rebuilt on the DPMS small frame format would be killa!
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Colt came out with the 901 before DPMS did the GII, and Colt inherited the updated small frame AR10A from ArmaLite with the sale of the Stoner patents in 1959. It’s just taken over 40 years for the industry to realize what the ArmaLite marketing and engineering side did back in the 1950s after showcasing the original tool room AR10s around the world. I personally would lean heavily in favor of Colt’s insight to meeting a TDP after all these decades, since they’ve had to go back and forth with the Arctic testing at Greeley across all their military models, and have cross-pollinated those little nuances into the build quality of their AR pattern rifles.
The 901 still has a large diameter BCG up front, but it is much shorter, allowing for the receiver set to be close to an AR15. The guide rails of the carrier on the 901 are really short, so that it can penetrate into the RET without impacting the RET boss. Both the GII and the 901 have about the same length receiver sets and BCGs. I’ve broken them down and compared the 2 side-by-side.
The GII uses a slightly longer AR15 diameter carrier so they could duplicate an M4’s receiver height, while employing an intermediate diameter bolt head with an 1891-era Fosbery shotgun style bolt lug arrangement. The GII also has a forged tower with a tube insert to replace the carrier key.
The Colt 901 BCG:
The DPMS GII BCG:
If Colt adapts to the current market trends and direction, they should be seeing more sales with the 901 series, but a lot of people just don’t know about them in the sea of cheap imitation, customer beta-test FAKAR-10s and parts that are all over the map in terms of following any kind of universal datum, even for magazine compatibility within what are supposed to be SR25 pattern mags.
I’ve never had the chance to compare a Colt and a DPMS side-by-side but I’ve shot and handled both. What really impressed me about the DPMS is that it really doesn’t feel much at all like an AR10. Where most AR10’s feel like an AR15 that’s been generally “swelled up” about 10% in all dimensions the DPMS really feels like an AR15 with a big magazine well. Same rail height, etc.
I got to see one in 6.5 at a gun show this weekend. The rail is a full length rail but the barrel almost looked like 16in instead of a 18. It was a stainless steel barrel. I have my colt marc901 with the screw in rail sections. It’s an extremely accurate gun with Hornady 168 Amax, 3/4 moa to 1/2 moa. I added a surefire socom brake and a geissele ssa-e and on top is a Trijicon accupower 3-9 mil square. If colt had a marketing department that actually shot and brought in a research and development team they could actually fix the company.
If they offered an OEM series on the 901 working with other industry partners for handguard option compatibility, they could sell these things like crack.
We should be seeing a lot more about this rifle on the marketing side, with good distribution support for FFLs, but we don’t.
I hope this is decent, I have one in 308 coming in soon.
Why?
I wonder what other rails will fit on this.
I’m interested to see how they are accuracy wise compared to the monolithic ones. Mine with 168 gr hornady black Amax is typically under an inch with my Trijicon 3-9 accupower. The monolithic ones are also a hair lighter since they are not full length rails.
Here we are the middle of shot show and the 6.5 is still not on Colt’s website. There have been no 901 postings on Colt’s instagram page either. I think the rifle looks great. Typical Colt: great product, horrible support and marketing. It’s like they don’t even want to sell guns.
Surprised Colt didn’t go with an Armalite / SR25 profile on the receivers.
I’m really tired of the trope of receiver type matching. No one buys a precision AR10 to play Lego with it.
This rifle in particular is never going to be SR25 compatible because it is supposed to be able to interface with standard AR15 upper receivers…!
Just picked up my Colt Modular 7.62 from the LGS. Bought it on Gunbroker for $2k.
Initial once over is positive. Came with a “goody” bag consiting of a 20 round PMAG, a Brownells chamber brush, 30 cal bronze brush, a muzzle cap and instruction manual for the 901 Modular Carbine. Rifle has a set of Magpul MBUS Pro sights.
Comparing this to the memory of the SCAR 17 I used to have, this thing feels like a summer sausage whereas the SCAR 17 was like a baguette. It’s beefy. :lol: I think shooting the Colt will be better due to the weight and length but I am not a professional. I’m more like a nephew of Manny Mansfield. Anyway…
As a lefty one thing I didn’t like was the left side mag release; on the Mod the button for the mag release is down between the trigger guard and magwell. I’ll either get used to the new location or use my thumb to active the right side mag release. I like the Vltor stock, it seems to fit my face better than the B5 SOPMOD stock (seems slimmer). The rail is fatter than my VTAC Alpha rail but I’m assuming that’s because of the 308 barrel diameter.
So… Am I happy with with the rifle @ $2k? For now I am. Shooting it will tell.
EDIT: I forgot to add, the “goody bag” also has sectional cleaning rods that screw together.
EDIT II: Oh yeah, the trigger. Single stage, pretty light. I’m no connoisseur and I haven’t had a HUGE range of experience, but the trigger is pretty damn nice.
