Looking for some advice on an AR

[Going Postal]

I have never asked for the value of a gun on the forum. I take the time to do some research and can usually figure out the value for myself. I have run into an area where I cannot really figure out what I need to know, so I am asking advice from you all.

Here is the deal and the advice I need:

I have a complete upper assembly for an AR-15. It is a Colt upper with 20 inch barrel and is in an A2 configuration without a bayonet lug. It is complete with bolt carrier group and charging handle, no ammo has ever been fired through this upper.

I am looking to build a complete rifle for the purpose of selling it. I have looked for Colt lower receivers and cannot find a new one. Evidently Colt will not sell a complete lower. I have found a couple of used ones on the gun auction sites, but the beginning bids usually start between $600 to $800 and I am not really willing to give that much money to build a rifle that might sell for $1600.

I have looked at getting a Bushmaster complete lower with full A2 style stock; I can get it from Bushmaster for $320 plus shipping and FFL transfer fee. If I put this lower on it, does it remain a $1600 gun or does the value drop because of the Bushmaster lower?

Is there any other lowers that I might look at to make the maximum amount from the sale of this unfired gun? Would there be anyone out there that wants to/will buy a hybrid AR-15 with a _insert brand name_ lower and a Colt upper?

 

[NWSharpshooter]

anything other than a colt lower will make it a "Parts" gun and make it worth much less. Even a colt lower, if not the right lower will do the same. Without the original lower, box, etc, there is no way a colt is going to sell for 1600 dollars. The only reason a Colt will sell for that much is if it is a preban gun and is sold into a ban state.

Any lower other than a colt and basically you will have a 6 or 7 hundred dollar gun. Even with a colt lower, maybe 900, 1k if you are lucky and patient.



You would probably be better off just selling the upper as an upper.

 

[Kain8719]

Complete colt lowers here
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=6720LWR

 

[Tackleberry]

It sounds like what you are dealing with is a post-ban upper with, more than likely, a heavy profile barrel. Tops, you might get $500 for the upper, as it is only going to appeal to a few. Even if you were to mate it to a Colt lower, at best, you may be looking at $1K. Only certain Colt rifles are going to pull the kind of money you are thinking about. Primarily, the SP1s in excellent condition are those rifles/carbines. Investing in a Colt lower is not going to help. I would recommend try to sell the upper as is. I would not price it any higher than $700 to start with. As I stated earlier, you may only get about $500 for it. Good luck with the sale. My apologies if I rained on your parade, but I am just trying to be honest.

 

[AR-Trvlr]

You would probably be better off just selling the upper as an upper.

Good advice. It's not a terribly desirable upper, and matching it with a colt lower won't help anything.

 

[Going Postal]

Thanks for the replies. That is the kind of information I was looking for. Sometimes the truth might hurt a little, but it is still the truth.

 

[ngcsugrad09]

I'd sell the upper and start over. Chances are it is also a large hole upper, meaning you need an adapter to use it on standard AR-15 lowers. It's not a big deal, but a lot of people get unnecessarily worked up over it.