Talk:List of Colt AR-15 and M16 rifle variants

A quick appeal
This list is mostly the product of a compilation of work I've done over the last 6 years. If you give me some time I can add in all the information I have, and then we can edit from there. I have lists for Colt's military models, Colt's civilian models, and other military models, plus Diemaco (now Colt Canada's) models and which are still produced after the take over. -- Thatguy96 14:24, 19 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Alright, I put in 90% of the information. There may be typos and errors, so feel free to correct and edit as appropriate. -- Thatguy96 22:09, 19 August 2007 (UTC)

I would just like to thank you very much for putting all this very useful and informative text together for this new page, it greatly broadens Wikipedia's AR-15 library. Thanks, Hayden120 08:23, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Thatguy96 you seem know what are you talking about, i want to ask you question : in movie black hawk up or down what was the colt model used by delta operators beside the 733 , was it 723 or 727 ?
 * Different actors likely used different variants (a number of which may not have any specific model number since they were possible "frankenguns" assembled from parts from various different models). I recall two scenes (Eric Bana in one, not sure who the actor was in the second) where they even had M4 carbines with detachable carry handles! Spartan198 (talk) 12:54, 5 March 2010 (UTC)

Article title
Also, can we change the article title to simply "AR-15 variants" because then I can put tables for various manufacturers in here, and it also gets around the fact that original gun was still basically an Armalite model. Would just allow for more flexibility I feel, and we can pull the tables out of other articles. -- Thatguy96 19:05, 19 August 2007 (UTC)

Done. Do you have any similar knowledge on other manufacturers such as Bushmaster, Stag Arms, RRA, ArmaLite, DPMS, etc.? Hayden120 08:23, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Yes and no, but I should be able to add them in. Their information is far more readily available from their websites. -- Thatguy96 15:18, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Colt LE6941
I’m almost certain the LE6941 is a LE1020 with the direct impingement system rather than the new gas piston system. I have updated the table to reflect this. Hayden120 09:44, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Here is a reference Hayden120 10:45, 20 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Heh, like I said, I just wanted to get all the information in there before we started hacking it apart. I lost a lot of updates in an HD crash 2 years ago, and have sort of let this project kinda wallow.  This has been a great opportunity to just put it up on the net and let other people come through and add. -- Thatguy96 14:53, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Black hawk down
Can any one tell me what was the colt model carried by charector SFC Norm Hoot played by Eric Bana in the movie ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Max Mayr (talk • contribs)

I'm not a 100% sure as I haven't seen the film in years, but it is likely to be a CAR-15 model. Hayden120 01:13, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

well, thanks but that dont help, i suspect its colt model 723 ..could you verify this by watching the movie please ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Max Mayr (talk • contribs) 08:35, August 25, 2007 (UTC)

I don't own the film; and even if I did it's hard to tell exactly what model it is because there are so many with only slight differences. If I can remember correctly (I am not entirely sure), I think the longer carbine you see is 727 and the shorter one (the barrel just finishes after the handguards) is 733. I don't know which one Eric Bana uses though. Also, could you please sign your posts by typing four tildes (~ x4). -- Hayden120 12:38, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

well he used the longer one but the barrel profile is straight just like the m16 not bottle neck barrel as in the m4, and i think the barrel of the 723 is straight while the 727 is bottle neck barrel. here is a link showing the weapon : http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/EricArchives/Films/BlackHawkDown/Behind-The-Scenes/BHD-BTS-035.jpg —Preceding unsigned comment added by Max Mayr (talk • contribs) 16:17, August 25, 2007 (UTC)

Hmmm, I thought the 727 had an A2 barrel profile. That could be a mistake in these tables; there are still a few errors that need to be ironed out, so I'm not sure if it's right or not. But then again, I could be wrong. In fact I think the 727 was the very first M4... Try leaving a message for Thatguy96, he might have a better idea than me. Also, you didn't sign your comment! Please remember. Hayden120 23:52, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Here is a links for the two models 723 and 727 :

http://www.special-warfare.net/data_base/204_military_rifles/car_colt_m725_01.html http://www.special-warfare.net/data_base/204_military_rifles/car_colt_m727_01.html

As you see the model 723 had A2 barrel that is not support the grenade launcher as the photo of Eric Bana, on the other hand the 727 had M4 barrel called step barrel for the grenade launcher. --Max Mayr 22:52, 26 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Please try and keep on topic, chaps. Chase me ladies, I&#39;m the Cavalry 05:46, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Hoot used a 727 (except for the "This is my safety" scene where he had a rubber prop cased from an M4). And the 723 came with both A1 and M4 profile barrels at different points in manufacture. Spartan198 (talk) 20:30, 24 October 2020 (UTC)

Movie Proof of life
In this movie the security contractors at the final battle in the film to free the hostages used the model 727 ,it had A2 sight, M4 barrel profile and fully automatic , even one of the contractors was mounting M203 grenade launcher --Max Mayr 08:04, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Table errors
Colt model 727 had 3 round burst not Full automatic which is the only difference than model 723 so I change it --Max Mayr 08:52, 29 August 2007 (UTC)
 * You're confusing the 727 with the Model 777, the original fixed carry handle M4. TheNomad416 (talk) 01:07, 13 June 2024 (UTC)

As I said, try contacting Thatguy96 as he created all these tables and will discuss with you if he believes what you are saying is correct. He spent years on these tables so I'm sure he would like to know where any mistakes are. Hayden120 10:38, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

ok, i dont know how i contact him ? --Max Mayr 12:09, 29 August 2007 (UTC)
 * Incorrect. Both had S-1-F groups.  The 723 had A1 style rear sights, while the 727 had A2 rear sights.  Also, the 727 has the stepped barrel profile which the 723 does not.  The S-1-F group seperates it from Army XM4 (720) and M4 carbines (920), and its fixed carry handle from M4A1 (921/HB) carbines. -- Thatguy96 14:24, 29 August 2007 (UTC)
 * The 723 came with both A1 and M4 profile barrels at different points. The latter was Delta Force's standard carbine until the M4 was adopted. It's not the only one with different configurations under one model number; the Model 733 comes with both A1 and A2 uppers. TheNomad416 (talk)

M203 Grenade Launcher ?
If M203 Grenade Launcher is mounted on M16A2 or M16A4 then its the same colt model or another ? I mean the M16 with M203 is the same M16 without it or not ? --Jonybond 18:58, 3 September 2007 (UTC)
 * Though Colt makes the M203, and assigns it a part number, rifles that are equipped with it don't have a separate model number, nor is there a separate military designation for those weapons. -- Thatguy96 22:29, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Ref request tag
I understand the reasoning behind whomever put the ref request tag for specific in-text references at the top of the page. However, I wonder just how plausible it would be. Should each section be specifically cited? Each individual entry? It would seem that a list of references at the bottom as sources of collected information in fact fit this page better, because its basically a glorified list. It would seem extreme to cite each individual entry. I would like to work to remove that tag, but I'm unclear as to how one would proceed to do that. Suggestions? -- Thatguy96 (talk) 04:05, 14 July 2008 (UTC)

Differences between variants
I think it would help if differences between different model numbers of the "same" variants (e.g., the Models 927, 977, and 979 of "M4 carbine") were fleshed out a bit. Spartan198 (talk) 00:28, 24 October 2010 (UTC)
 * Colt often assigned different model numbers to weapons that were otherwise identical to separate those intended for the US military from those sold commercially, and in some instances between commercial contracts. There are often no differences between them. -- Thatguy96 (talk) 01:16, 24 October 2010 (UTC)

Rename to "Colt AR-15 variants"
There are countless AR-15 variants from dozens or maybe hundreds of companies. However this article only covers model made by Colt. Therefore, it would make sense and be consistent with the gun project manual of style, to put the manufacturer's name into the title. Any other thoughts? Rezin (talk) 01:47, 7 December 2014 (UTC)
 * Since no one commented, I went ahead with moving "AR-15 variants" to "Colt AR-15 variants". Rezin (talk) 23:43, 15 December 2014 (UTC)
 * And, since it's just a list, I moved it again to List of Colt AR-15 variants. Rezin (talk) 23:53, 15 December 2014 (UTC)

Redirects for discussion notification
I have created an RFD for some redirects related to this article. It can be found at Redirects for discussion/Log/2018 February 24. Please note that I have no opinion on this issue. Thanks, Dekimasu よ! 21:31, 24 February 2018 (UTC)

Missing the Colt Model 723 and rename the list to "List of Colt ArmaLite AR-15 variants"
The “Model 723 M16A2 carbine” used the iron sights of the M16A1, but had a case deflector, the barrel had a 1-in-7 twist, but the thinner profile of the older M16A1 carbine's barrel In 1983, Diemaco developed a carbine similar to the Model 723, the “C8 carbine” for use by the Canadian Forces. The original C8s were built by Colt as the “Model 725”.

and

The current name is "List of Colt AR-15 and M16 rifle variants". The first M16 (Model 604) was a variant of the Colt ArmaLite AR-15 Model 601. So technically the whole list is a list of Colt ArmaLite AR-15 variants. Therefore "List of Colt ArmaLite AR-15 variants" would be a more correct title. Since the Colt AR-15s are the semi-auto civilian versions of the modern M16s, the title is kind of incorrect.

Esteban Outeiral Dias (talk) 10:59, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

By the way it's also missing the 922 and the 933 + 933CQB which are "Advanced Colt Carbine-Monolithic" and there is already a Wikipedia page for this gun Esteban Outeiral Dias (talk) 15:07, 6 August 2021 (UTC)