Why is Colt AR more desirable?

[fastboy]

Ok I admit I am very much a student on the AR realm, and my recent interest has turned to the so called higher end AR. On that, of course, Colt comes to mind. After reading quite a bit online, I still don't know exactly what makes the Colt AR such as the 6920 stand out amongst the crowd to justify the $1,300-$1,500 sticker.

So far I have most often seen one major argument for the price premium: that it's true mil spec made by the original AR producer.

Then I found this from the Armalite website:
http://www.armalite.com/library/techNotes/tnote01.htm

it basically says none of the civilian version of AR, including Colt, are made to the mil spec. It also claims that Armalite ARs are, as a matter of fact, actually closer to "government design" than the Colt are.

Well based on this statement from Armalite, it sounds like the market is reacting more on brand image than anything else when it comes to the Colt rifle, since the civilian Colt is even farther from the mil spec than their cheaper Armalite counterparts.

On looking at the real guns, I do have to admit other than the cheapier handguard and other polymer components, I really can't tell the Armalite AR apart from the Colt AR. Of course on the Colt 6920 it has the stamp on the lower receiver that says “restricted military/government law enforcement/export use only.” But if the Armalite statement is true, the “military” stamp on the Colt is nothing but, well, just a stamp on the lower since the true mil spec rifle can not be sold to the civilian hands. For all we know they could have just slapped a civilian upper on a restricted lower. But I am just inferring.

So what are your thoughts? What makes a Colt fetch so many more Ben Franklins than a Armalite does? Is it worth the extra dough?

[Nerves]

I am not sure that I would put colt into the "Hig-end" of AR's. I've own a Colt Ar before, and even though it said it was Mil-spec, I had a difficult time putting different uppers on it. futher more, I did have some "issues" on the reliability aspect of it, with some (very few) FTE's.

Accuracy was sub-par...and I ended up selling it years ago. the positive thing, was that I sold it for more than I paid....

[fastboy]

Originally Posted by Nerves

Accuracy was sub-par...and I ended up selling it years ago. the positive thing, was that I sold it for more than I paid....

See, that's the thing, obviously the buyer deems it so desirable that he/she is willing to pay a good price for your Colt. Why is that?

Of course, I am happy for you for getting such as good deal.

[Red02Deuce]

Colt, pffft. They are proud of their stuff. It does nothing for me.

My buddy' colt is more finiky that any of my DPMS's and will not cycle Wolf ammo, period. It is not any more accurate either.

There may be something to them that makes them special, but I am of the opinion that it a cult thing.

While I do not own any, I would proudly display a Armalite against any Colt. I would love to own one of their AR-10's.

[sharpstick]

The steel in the barrel of a colt gun is of a better grade then most others, not saying that it matters one bit. Colt also test each barrel that comes through there factories, bushmaster only test samples. I dont think colt is worth a penny more then STAG, and actually I would rather have the STAG.

With the current cost of good custom built stuff it pretty much makes colt a waste of money. If its not right you will still have to send it back, you will still have to wait and be gunless.

[Odin]

LMT is as pricey as Colt. I think it has to do with goverment contracts and they are not redily availiable to the general public.

[jdavionic]

Yeah, Colt tests their stuff more. But I think that's only for military contracts, and not commercial sales. IMO - the price is higher because of the perceived quality and people think they're more desirable.

[hellagerms]

My brother recently purchased a Colt. But as a safe queen, I think it was a sound decision. His should hold some value...who knows.

The range gun is a mutt-frankenstein wolf devouring protostomic beast. It is a disgusting creature hybridized with nearly Bushy and RRA parts. His optics are broken, but it is because he prefers it this way

[mudfoot]

Colt is not more desirable in my house.

[einheit 13]

Colt......you are paying for the name of an average gun that lives off its history.....just like Harley Davidson, Smith and Wesson, and Remington.....