Seeking value on a 1977 Colt SP1 AR15

[Suck My Glock]

A friend of mine is in a jam and might need to sell his old style Colt SP1. Serial number dates it to 1977. It's in great shape and all original EXCEPT for the bolt and carrier group. About 10 years ago he upgraded to a Young Mfg. chrome bolt and carrier, which is actually better and the gun runs smoother. But I'm guessing for SP1 fans that might detract from the perceived "collector" value. I think he traded the original bolt and carrier in the deal when he got the new one.

I see on Gunbroker people are asking STOOPID money for some of these. Last I checked (a few years ago) a genuine SP1 was still only slightly more in price than a current Colt production. But has that changed?

 

[Bullzaye]

Yeah, I think they've definitely increased in value.

I'm not *that* up to speed on current values, and conditions and such, but...I hate to break to you and your friend, but I *suspect* that he did reduce the value by changing the bolt and BCG. It may function better, but collector interest is more about original condition, than efficiency.

Just my opinion...I could be wrong. (It's happened once before).

 

[samnev]

Any time you change anything that wasn't originally on anything that literally becoming a collectable item it really effects the price. I had an original H&R M16A1 which was all original. I put an TAO1 ACOG on it. When I sold it the buyer didn't want the ACOG and had to reduce the sell price.

 

[Cmoor]

I will have to mirror the above replies when the value is based on collectable value original does make a difference. But if you find a buyer that has an old bolt laying around they might not care as much.

 

[h8pvmnt]

As you know its only worth what someone will pay. Get it for sale start high and see what interest it brings.

A quick search of recent sales in the last 2 months shows a range of 1600-2300 for an SP1 but that does not separate out year of Mfg, configuration etc. Colt Collectors are very knowledgeable and particular on the specifics of a given firearm.

Below is a link to one for sale right now but its not sold so might be overpriced. If this were mine i would be finding an original Bolt and carrier from that era and swapping it back. The Chrome bolt could be sold or kept for another project. As my wife tells me you can't sell it if its not for sale.....

have one Colt AR-15 and i paid more for it than i could buy a current new one for today. Your SP-1 is one of the more sought after models depending on configuration and condition ETC. I would think the missing BCG would lower value 200.00 or so but not positive.

Gunbroker Prices are all over the place. There are parts kits on GB right now that have no receiver asking 2300-2700 for them. But not selling for that.

https://oldarmsofidaho.com/product/pre-ban-colt-sp1-semi-automatic-223-rifle-the-original-ar-15/

 

[h8pvmnt]

BCG For Sale 179.00

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/923932137

 

[h8pvmnt]

Another 265.00

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/920551756

 

[AZDESERTRAT]

I regrettably sold my colt sp1 sporter about 10 years ago for $1300, so the 1600-2k+ estimates look reasonable In today’s market.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Thanks guys, that is exactly as I figured.

 

[That Guy]

A friend of mine is in a jam and might need to sell his old style Colt SP1. Serial number dates it to 1977. It's in great shape and all original EXCEPT for the bolt and carrier group. About 10 years ago he upgraded to a Young Mfg. chrome bolt and carrier, which is actually better and the gun runs smoother. But I'm guessing for SP1 fans that might detract from the perceived "collector" value. I think he traded the original bolt and carrier in the deal when he got the new one.

I see on Gunbroker people are asking STOOPID money for some of these. Last I checked (a few years ago) a genuine SP1 was still only slightly more in price than a current Colt production. But has that changed?

The value of ANY thing be it cabbage patch dolls, gold, oil, land, old comic books, AND 1977 SP1 AR-15’s is ultimately a matter of perception. What your buddy did was very stupid but I am not without empathy for his plight because I have done similar dumb-assed things. Fr’instance I bought a NIB Cold War CZ-75 in 1987 and like an idiot replaced and then lost the original grips, the original box, AND installed a Bomar rear sight. Yes, installing a rugged, high profile rear sight made it much more accurate but totally RUINED its value. You can’t compare the value of Colt retro tribute rifles like the semi-auto M-16A1 to vintage SP1’s because it an apples versus tacos equivalency. There are only so many original SP1’s whereas there are potentially an infinite number of these retro rifles (which have artificially inflated MSRP’s). I agree, some people are asking insane amounts for SP1’s but only because there are people who’ll pay that price for them. When I first starting shooting AR-15’s you could go down to the “Jewel Box” on Central and a brand new Colt AR-15 cost $300.00 (which was also how much how much a NIB Devine, TX Springfield Armory M1A cost as well). Here’s the deal. Yeah, a Young BCG is a great after-market set of parts-I’ve got one, but your buddy ruined the value of the rifle (whoever got that original BCG “in the deal” really scored). Here are his choices and none of them are 100% good:
*Find an original SP1 BCG and make his rifle complete again which ain’t gonna be cheap.
*Sell it as and take a HUGE hit on its value.
*Part it out on Gunbroker
From what I’ve seen on Gunbroker parting it out would generate the most money but I REALLY hate people who do that. If it were me I’d find an original BCG and correct my mistake.

 

[Matwell]

got my first SP1 at Smitty's in '82. Wish I still had it, also I'm getting old...

 

[h8pvmnt]

Smitty's that's a blast for m the past. Do your gun, ammo,fishing, food and clothes shopping all at once. 300.00 was a lot of money for a gun in the 70s. I never could afford an AR-15 when I was young. By the time i could prices were up to 750.00 which was double what a mini 14 cost so I bought the mini.

 

[Suck My Glock]

Yeah, Smitty's was where I always got my .22 ammo in the 80s. Always lusted after the L-frame S&W 686 in the display case. Put it on layaway 2 months before I turned 21.

 

[That Guy]

Ah Smitty’s! Yeah those were quite the stores back in the day. I worked at the “Number 2” Smitty’s at Granite Reef and McDowell as a carryout when I was in high school. Clyde Smith was an *sshole but he did have a helluva retail vision. It was all just down the road from “Don’s Sport Shop”. At that time, mid-70’s there were only there were only three gun shops in the Valley who had good selections of “assault weapons” (what we all called them then to differentiate those rifles from semi-auto deer hunting rifles): Jewel Box, Camelback Gun Shop and the famous/infamous Mandalls Shooting Supplies.
I couldn’t afford a new AR-15 but found a used one at Camelback Gun Shop for $240.00 which was a ton of money for me cuz’ I only made $1.60 an hour. My best friends mom signed the 4473 for it (my mom would let me have it but refused to do the paperwork). I couldn’t even tell you why I wanted an AR-15, I just did, and I was the only kid in my high school who had one. In fact nobody wanted or had them back then. When we’d go out to BLACK CANYON SHOOTING RANGE on a Saturday I’d always be the only guy out there with one.

Sometime I’ll tell you about when I worked for Marty Mandall, and remember-when you hear a story about Marty, no matter how incredible, bizarre, or ridiculous, it is TRUE.

 

[h8pvmnt]

Mandalls was my mecca in the early 80s. Shooting in those tunnels under the store. Next to somebody with an m60 strapped to eyes to keep muzzle in there. I spent many afternoons oogling those glass counters. I remember he had an Auotmag in there that I thought was so awesome. I think cost was more than 2 months pay for me. Glad I didn't buy. Lol.

 

[That Guy]

When I worked there Marty had tons of rare sh!t: a Gyrojet pistol NIB with the rockets, he was the SIG importer and sold StG-57’s and AMT’s, Standard Arms semi-auto/pump (look it up-they are REALLY rare) , the first Randall knife I ever saw was at Mandalls. He also had an incredible amount of gun parts in his backroom. I worked for him when he was still in the small shop which became his wife’s (“June”, she was a real b!tch) knitting shop when he moved on to Scottsdale Road. One of the problem’s with Marty is that he looked at people coming into his store more as “marks” than as customers. I literally saw customers handle a gun and then say, “OK, I’ll take it.” Begin to pull out their wallet and the Marty would look at the price tag and go, “Oh-wait, somebody put the wrong price on this” then whip out a pen and change it! When Marty would get a shipment of SIG-AMT rifles in he’d open the box and remove EVERY accessory from the styrofoam compartments such as exta mag, sling, users manual, sight tool, cleaning kit and sell them separately. If that wasn’t bad enough he’d REMOVE THE FLASH SUPPRESSOR AND SELL THAT SEPARATELY AS WELL! Yeah, I could tell Mandalls stories till hell needs snowblowers…..

 

[Suck My Glock]

It was all just down the road from “Don’s Sport Shop”. At that time, mid-70’s there were only there were only three gun shops in the Valley who had good selections of “assault weapons” (what we all called them then to differentiate those rifles from semi-auto deer hunting rifles): Jewel Box, Camelback Gun Shop and the famous/infamous Mandalls Shooting Supplies.

Ah yes,...The Jewel Box. I spent many a penny there. That dingy place had many treasures, and the slimiest clerks that ever graced a gun counter.

 

[That Guy]

The Jewel Box was awesome! Just a long drive for me on surface streets. They had a great selection and reasonable prices. I got my first SKS, a Russian Vietnam bring back in 1975 (at Gunsmoke on Indian School), and Jewel Box was the ONLY place in Arizona who had 7.62X39, $5.95 for 20 rounds of copper washed steel cased Russian (no idea how they got it back then). My all time favorite gun shop though was “Pioneer Guns” on Indian School Road in Scottsdale. I learned a lot there, bought a lot there, and in retrospect the place was more like a museum than a gunshop. I still recall drooling over two rifles hanging on their west wall: a nice M1895 Winchester lever action in 7.62X54R, and on pegs just above it a real USMC 03’ Springfield sniper rifle WITH 8X Unertl scope. Each was $275.00 and I was really tempted but then thought, “Yeah, but a new AR-15 is $300.00 which has a lot more firepower”. I was really into semi-autos then and like a fool passed them up. Dumb, dumb, dumb…….

 

[cool arrow]

Yeah, Smitty's was where I always got my .22 ammo in the 80s.

me too!

The one on Cave Creek, as I grew up in Sunnyslope in the late 70's/early 80's (back when there was a U'Totem on every other corner).