A1 style upper identification

[greynews]

Here’s my retro inspired build. I made this in 2020 before PSA and everyone else made retro M16 variants. Bushnells may have had there retro series but if I recall correctly their uppers had a more gray parkerized looking finish. I got this upper out of a parts bin.

It’s a fraken gun. I put a spare midlength barrel on it and an early 3 prong flash hider. Unfortunately it doesn’t look right without pencil barrel. Sports a car15 style stock. When i made it I didnt realize the F on front sight meant flat top. Going to mount a little optic atop the the carry handle. I wonder if this is a legit colt c7 upper. Or perhaps bushmaster, dpms, or Olympic arms?

The finish is a very deep glossy black looks much nicer than poverty pony host.

Again this was 2020 from a parts bin of old junk. Random mags, holsters, and grips.

Only mark I can find is something resembling an A

 

[CTS Tactical]

That is Anchor Harvey forge mark, which could be Colt C7. If I recall, most of the Canadian guns had the Anchor Harvey forge markings but I am not 100% on that.

 

[cmshoot]

CTS is on the money.

It's impossible to tell with 100% certainty under whose name the upper was manufactured, when all that is present is a forge mark.

 

[greynews]

I’ve wondered why uppers don’t get some identifier.

Is there any way to rule out what it is not based on forge mark?

 

[cmshoot]

I’ve wondered why uppers don’t get some identifier.

Is there any way to rule out what it is not based on forge mark?

Because uppers aren't required to have any information of that sort. Adding information to a part adds to the cost of producing that part.

Some companies do put their logo on the upper in some way, but it is not a common practice. I see it more nowadays than I did in past, and I've never seen it on an A1 upper.

What you're trying to do would require a **** ton of research, and you're never going to find a definitive answer. Companies like Colt that sourced a large number of uppers, would use uppers from numerous forges. Same with numerous other companies.

 

[Spas-12 Owner]

As it's been said, it is a Anchor Harvey forge. They did produce a lot for Colt, however most Colt's would have had a C stamped in front of the other forge mark.

In the A1 time frame, Colt was using a more gray finish then black. They didn't really start using the black finish until the 80's to early 90's. By then, Colt was running A2 and flatops.

So, unfortunately there's no way to really know who finished the upper.

It is highly unlikely it is a Colt upper though.



Note the C infront of the M on these slab sides:

Note the L in front of the M on this tear drop upper and the gray finish on the Colt SP1 lower.

 

[CTS Tactical]

The C7 was built for Canada and came out in 1984. It is similar but not an A1 upper. A1s did not have a brass deflector.

 

[Spas-12 Owner]

The C7 was built for Canada and came out in 1984. It is similar but not an A1 upper. A1s did not have a brass deflector.

I would disagree.

The C7 is a VERSION of the A1 upper. Even though Colt sold it is as a "A2 field sight" upper.

A1 uppers are carry handle gang, with only windage sight adjustment.

The A2 are still carry handle but with windage and elevation adjustments.

 

[Cal B]

Here is a list of markings and manufacturers

 

[CTS Tactical]

I would disagree.

The C7 is a VERSION of the A1 upper. Even though Colt sold it is as a "A2 field sight" upper.

A1 uppers are carry handle gang, with only windage sight adjustment.

The A2 are still carry handle but with windage and elevation adjustments.

The C7 came out in 1984 a few years after the release of the A2 and were for the Canadian military, also adopted by Denmark and the Netherlands. They were made by Diemaco/Colt Canada. They were not versions of the A1 or A2. They were a model all their own with features from the A1 and A2.