| Please click here to visit the "Military Rifle Components Guide" for additional info and photos of the various components used on this model. |
HISTORY / BACKGROUND:-
The Model 601 was the first "AR15 Model" produced by Colt . Manufacturing started in December of 1959,
with the first 300 rifles being produced, and continued until the summer of 1963. Changes made by Colt in
the production process would include; painting the furniture green (after approx 100 were made), different
roll markings, and changing the aluminum alloy from 7075 to 6061. Less then 14,500 were produced, with
serial numbers in the 101-14,484 range. The bulk of the rifles went to the US Military with 8,500 going to the
Air Force, 1,000 going to the Army for evaluation in project AGILE, and a handful going to the Navy SEALs.
The rest went in very small numbers to police departments, and to foreign militaries such as Australia,
Burma, India, Malaya, and Singapore. Many of the components found on the 601 were "Prototypes", and
were unique to that only that model.
__________________________________________________________________________________
The Model 601 was the first "AR15 Model" produced by Colt . Manufacturing started in December of 1959,
with the first 300 rifles being produced, and continued until the summer of 1963. Changes made by Colt in
the production process would include; painting the furniture green (after approx 100 were made), different
roll markings, and changing the aluminum alloy from 7075 to 6061. Less then 14,500 were produced, with
serial numbers in the 101-14,484 range. The bulk of the rifles went to the US Military with 8,500 going to the
Air Force, 1,000 going to the Army for evaluation in project AGILE, and a handful going to the Navy SEALs.
The rest went in very small numbers to police departments, and to foreign militaries such as Australia,
Burma, India, Malaya, and Singapore. Many of the components found on the 601 were "Prototypes", and
were unique to that only that model.
__________________________________________________________________________________
BUTTSTOCK:
STYLE:
Original Solid Body
Type A & B
BUTTPLATE:
Solid Rubber
SWIVEL:
Pinned, Bare Metal
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BUFFER GROUP:
BUFFER:
"Original" Edgewater Design
SPRING:
Standard Rifle Spring
TUBE:
Original Tube,
No wrench flats,
Hole in tube at receiver
end to tighten tube
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
LOWER RECEIVER:
STYLE:
"Slabside"
MARKINGS:
Colt Logo
ARMALITE AR15
PATENTS PENDING
CAL. .223
MODEL 01
Serial 000XXX
TAKEDOWN / PIVOT PINS:
"Original" with "Divot" in Center
SELECTOR:
"Original" with Hole in Center
MAGAZINE RELEASE BUTTON:
Original with Horizontal Line Pattern
BOLT CATCH/RELEASE:
"Original" with Flat End
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
UPPER RECEIVER:
PROOF MARKS / FORGE CODE:
Colt Proof Marks - Triangle & Square with "C"
Located in front of ejection port
No Forge Code
REAR SIGHT:
Screw has "Divot" in center
Directional arrow on sight dial, no numbers
No Directional Markings on receiver
EJECTION PORT COVER:
"Original" with "Large Square Plate"
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BOLT GROUP:
CARRIER:
Chrome Slickside
BOLT:
Chrome
FIRING PIN:
"Original" Heavy Flat Head
Retained with "Original" Machined Pin
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARGING HANDLE:
Original Triangular Shaped
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDGUARD SLIP RING:
Flat
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BARREL:
NOTE:
The first barrels were
manufactured for
Colt by Winchester
DIAMETER:
0.625" at the Front Sight Base
LENGTH:
20"
TWIST RATE:
1/14
MARKINGS:
See Examples
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDGUARDS:
"Original" Triangular without Drain Holes
Brown Fiberglass painted Green
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FRONT SIGHT BASE:
STYLE:
Cast
MARKINGS:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FLASHHIDER:
Original 3 Prong "Duckbill"
STYLE:
Original Solid Body
Type A & B
BUTTPLATE:
Solid Rubber
SWIVEL:
Pinned, Bare Metal
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BUFFER GROUP:
BUFFER:
"Original" Edgewater Design
SPRING:
Standard Rifle Spring
TUBE:
Original Tube,
No wrench flats,
Hole in tube at receiver
end to tighten tube
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
LOWER RECEIVER:
STYLE:
"Slabside"
MARKINGS:
Colt Logo
ARMALITE AR15
PATENTS PENDING
CAL. .223
MODEL 01
Serial 000XXX
TAKEDOWN / PIVOT PINS:
"Original" with "Divot" in Center
SELECTOR:
"Original" with Hole in Center
MAGAZINE RELEASE BUTTON:
Original with Horizontal Line Pattern
BOLT CATCH/RELEASE:
"Original" with Flat End
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
UPPER RECEIVER:
PROOF MARKS / FORGE CODE:
Colt Proof Marks - Triangle & Square with "C"
Located in front of ejection port
No Forge Code
REAR SIGHT:
Screw has "Divot" in center
Directional arrow on sight dial, no numbers
No Directional Markings on receiver
EJECTION PORT COVER:
"Original" with "Large Square Plate"
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BOLT GROUP:
CARRIER:
Chrome Slickside
BOLT:
Chrome
FIRING PIN:
"Original" Heavy Flat Head
Retained with "Original" Machined Pin
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARGING HANDLE:
Original Triangular Shaped
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDGUARD SLIP RING:
Flat
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
BARREL:
NOTE:
The first barrels were
manufactured for
Colt by Winchester
DIAMETER:
0.625" at the Front Sight Base
LENGTH:
20"
TWIST RATE:
1/14
MARKINGS:
See Examples
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
HANDGUARDS:
"Original" Triangular without Drain Holes
Brown Fiberglass painted Green
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FRONT SIGHT BASE:
STYLE:
Cast
MARKINGS:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
FLASHHIDER:
Original 3 Prong "Duckbill"
| _________________________________________________________________________________ ADDITIONAL COLT MODEL 601 INFORMATION |
| Unknown Date - Vietnam Possibly being evaluated under Project AGILE |
| Unknown Date - Vietnam US Navy SEAL |
RETRO BLACK RIFLE - RIFLE GUIDE - MODEL 601
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| ATF National Reference Collection |
| Colt Model 601 Parts Layout / Breakdown |
| Oct 1991 - Osan Air Base, KOR Airman Emswider, 18th Security Police Squadron, in the ground base defense exercise Foal Eagle '91. Note this Model 601 still has the original Triangular Charging Handle, Port Cover, and Selector with Divot. However it appears that the original Green Furniture has been replaced. |
| Pin with Divots & Ball Detent |
| Colt Model 601 Front Takedown Pin |
| Detent in the Rebate |
| Rebate on Front Lug |
| .223 Cal / 5.56mm MILITARY RIFLE GUIDE |
