Colt Match Target Light Weight. Pictures added.

[RicMic]

A friend sold a Colt Match Target Light Weight to me today.  The receiver is marked 223 but the barrel is marked 5.56 NATO 1/7.  Is that a correct combination?  He only shot the gun 20 rounds worth, so it's like new.  I got it for $750.  My gun pimp says it's worth $900+.  Anybody else out there got one?  Tell me more about it (where I can read about it).  It's light and a Colt that's about all I know.  Can't wait to shoot it!

RicMic

[jmayton]

This'll surely open up the whole "5.56 is/is not the same as .223" argument.  But, regardless of opinion, you have a rifle with a 5.56 NATO chamber which will shoot all military 5.56 ammo as well as all commercial .223.  It doesn't matter what the receiver is marked.  Should be a great shooter.  The commercial Colt's are good guns and you got a deal on this one it sounds like.  Can you post a picture because Colt's website doesn't list model names, just numbers (all their commercial rifles are "Match Targets")?

FYI, there are two divisions to Colt firearms; Colt Defense and Colt Manufacturing.  Colt Manufacturing markets for the civilian shooter while Colt Defense markets for the LE and Military.  Your rifle comes from Colt Manufacturing, but that's more about marketing than about quality. . . they're both about the same.

[eastbank]

my colt ar. lt. wt. target match is a very good shooter and eats any thing i feed it. eastbank.

[RicMic]

This'll surely open up the whole "5.56 is/is not the same as .223" argument.  But, regardless of opinion, you have a rifle with a 5.56 NATO chamber which will shoot all military 5.56 ammo as well as all commercial .223.  It doesn't matter what the receiver is marked.  Should be a great shooter.  The commercial Colt's are good guns and you got a deal on this one it sounds like.  Can you post a picture because Colt's website doesn't list model names, just numbers (all their commercial rifles are "Match Targets")?

FYI, there are two divisions to Colt firearms; Colt Defense and Colt Manufacturing.  Colt Manufacturing markets for the civilian shooter while Colt Defense markets for the LE and Military.  Your rifle comes from Colt Manufacturing, but that's more about marketing than about quality. . . they're both about the same.

Posted detailed pics for you.

RicMic

[jbmi]

From what I know you got a good deal on that Colt.
I also recently purchased an almost new Colt Match, Target, Competition HBAR. I paid $850. My receiver is also stampted 223 but barrel is 5.56.
(there is a difference for those don't care to investigate)
I think the difference between your's and mine is mine has the removable carry handle. Here's a pic. of mine when I bought it and how it looked about two weeks later. I'm still waiting on a free float forearm to make it complete.

[jmayton]

Unless some stuff has been changed out, it looks like you have a MT6731.  That's the 16.1" lightweight barrel with a standard A2 buttstock.  Yours must be an older one (not sure when they made the change) because it doesn't have the flattop with removable carry handle.  The difference between what you have and a civilian M4 (military M4's are selective fire and have a 14" barrel, civvies are semi only and have a 16" barrel) is the barrel contour, flash hider, flattop, and buttstock. That's about it.  Should be a great shooter.  I like the 16" barrel.  I can hit bowling pins at 300yds with mine and ding a man-sized target at 600 all day long.  And you can accessorize to your hearts content.  Like this:



And, btw, the 6920 you see above goes anywhere for $1000-$1900 on Gun Broker without all the mods. . . so you got a great deal.

[Savage]

jmayton, is that a Millet 1x4 DMS on that Colt?
Savage

[jmayton]

Savage, yes it is.

[RicMic]

jbmi - Did you replace the gas block or did you cut it off, and what replacement grip is that?

jmayton - From what I've read so far I think the model is MT6530.  I am far from done researching it and may very well be wrong.

Best regards to all
RicMic

[jbmi]

RicMic,
I cut off the front sight, very easy to do. The grip is a LH Ergo I bought from Stag Arms website.
I also bought and installed an ambi safety and a JP yellow spring trigger kit.

[jmayton]

RicMic, I agree, yours is the MT6530.  I was wrong, the 6731 has an HBAR profile barrel and is certainly not a lightweight.  Here's a great rundown of the various colt models:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR-15_variants#Numbered_Colt_civilian_models