Colt HBAR Sporter info needed

[PogoJack]

Hey Gents,



I know some of you are real walking encyclopedias on all things Colt.



I have a buddy who is trading me a lever action for what looks to be a pre-Ban HB Sporter (Serial# MH054xxx).



The receiver says HBAR Sporter Match, but the upper has a detachable carry handle.



I understand the HBAR Sporter Match had an integral carry handle, but there was something called the Competition Match that did have a handle.

Buddy says he paid $2200 for it back in the 90s.

Is this legit or did someone swap the upper on him before selling it to him?

I just want to shoot it as is. I?m in a free state so I don?t have any RAW issues.

Thank you for any leads.

PJ

[ARDude]

I'm pretty sure the Colt HB Sporter was sold with an A2 upper. I think the upper in your photo is not original.

If you are in Ca, the other issue is the Colt HB Sporter is a named assault weapon.

[superhondaz50]

Forge marks on the upper look like factory Colt..could have been swapped with an A3 match target competition upper, could have also been a transitional year were colt was using A3 uppers on remaining old stock lowers.

[PogoJack]

Colt HBAR Sporter info needed

Thanks for the leads fellas. I don?t know the entirety of the circumstances of how my buddy bought it, but sounds like he bought it from a LEO back in the early 90s. He says the upper doesn?t come completely off the lower and back when these were made, who would make an upper to match? Kinda bummed as the barrel doesn?t sound like it would be the famous HBAR barrel.

Thinking of using this one to replace my Remington 700 SPS for yotes.

[SVT-40]

It's a large front pin lower. It just takes a screwdriver to separate the upper and lower receivers, but it should have screw heads on both sides... It may have a standard "small pin" upper. In order for the two to mate properly there would be a insert with a offset hole in it that the screw passes through.

Based on that and how some of the forge marks that don't line up, I would guess someone swapped the upper.

Unscrew the screw and you can see if it has the offset insert.

That lower is a R6601 model look at the link below for more info.

https://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/variants/

Check out the below linked YouTube video of a R6601 with almost the same serial number as the gun you are asking about. It has the carry handle upper

https://youtu.be/4E8Ez1wcJrg?si=egMf4tq865TZg0eo

The below Gunbroker listing. It has the carry handle upper.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/878994722

[Southpaw45]

I bought one back in the 90s but its got the A2 style upper with the fixed carry handle. I can tell you, I dont think he paid 2200 bucks for it! I bought mine for like 800 bucks. There really a neutered rifle because there missing the bayonet lug, have a large pin for the upper and they also have a sear block so any aftermarket trigger group cant be installed. Also the BCG has a flat bottom to it so it clears the sear block. If I was to do it all over again, I would have never bought that rifle because of the things Colt did to it to bow down to the anti 2A movement. If I were you, Id would pass on it.

[Tere_Hanges]

would pass for sure. Those are probably the least collectable Colt lowers.

"I have a buddy who is trading me a lever action for what looks to be a pre-Ban HB Sporter"

Just to clarify, you are the one trading the lever action for this Colt, correct? Because you said in your sentence above that your buddy is trading you the lever action. Your sentence doesn't make sense as written. Your sentence should be, "my buddy wants to trade me his pre-ban HB sporter for my lever action".

Anyway, what kind of lever gun is it?

[Garbcollector]

I bought one back in the 90's and I know I didn't pay $2200 for it

[PogoJack]

Colt HBAR Sporter info needed

would pass for sure. Those are probably the least collectable Colt lowers.

"I have a buddy who is trading me a lever action for what looks to be a pre-Ban HB Sporter"

Just to clarify, you are the one trading the lever action for this Colt, correct? Because you said in your sentence above that your buddy is trading you the lever action. Your sentence doesn't make sense as written. Your sentence should be, "my buddy wants to trade me his pre-ban HB sporter for my lever action".

Anyway, what kind of lever gun is it?

Thanks for this info. I?m a bit of a fan boy of Colt. My friend lives in NY and they have RAW rules so when he goes, the state takes the weapon and probably a cop out some connected individual keep it for their own collection.

From what I gather here this gun is a white elephant of sorts. That?s a shame cause I was looking forward to a nice coyote shooter with a bit of cool history, and I always wanted an HBAR. Bummer.

He wanted to get it out of the state so that he doesn?t leave a legal liability for his family, who might not know how to turn it in it whatever.

Trading him a Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine in .44 Magnum. I don?t care a ton about an even trade, he was going to give it to me for free but he?s a buddy.

[superhondaz50]

Thanks for this info. I?m a bit of a fan boy of Colt. My friend lives in NY and they have RAW rules so when he goes, the state takes the weapon and probably a cop out some connected individual keep it for their own collection.

From what I gather here this gun is a white elephant of sorts. That?s a shame cause I was looking forward to a nice coyote shooter with a bit of cool history, and I always wanted an HBAR. Bummer.

He wanted to get it out of the state so that he doesn?t leave a legal liability for his family, who might not know how to turn it in it whatever.

Trading him a Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine in .44 Magnum. I don?t care a ton about an even trade, he was going to give it to me for free but he?s a buddy.

I would take that trade. It's still a Colt and will shoot a bit nicer than most guns on the market..also by me here in AZ these sell for about $1500-2k, alot more than your Henry is worth.

[Tere_Hanges]

Thanks for this info. I?m a bit of a fan boy of Colt. My friend lives in NY and they have RAW rules so when he goes, the state takes the weapon and probably a cop out some connected individual keep it for their own collection.

From what I gather here this gun is a white elephant of sorts. That?s a shame cause I was looking forward to a nice coyote shooter with a bit of cool history, and I always wanted an HBAR. Bummer.

He wanted to get it out of the state so that he doesn?t leave a legal liability for his family, who might not know how to turn it in it whatever.

Trading him a Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine in .44 Magnum. I don?t care a ton about an even trade, he was going to give it to me for free but he?s a buddy.

That additional context makes a difference. If you want it to shoot yotes, it should do that for sure and its already got a flat top receiver so you can mount an optic. Go for it. Who cares about collectability if you want to use it for a purpose.

[sigstroker]

I'm not sure how "cool" the history of it is, being made in the dark days of AR gun control. You can see the screw slot in the hinge pin, and the pin for the sear block in the right side pic. But, as others have said, it's probably a fine shooter as-is. When you look for a scope mount, you'll probably want a little bit of a riser. IIRC my Competition H-BAR had a small one and they're probably set up for the same upper.

Where you might be limited is if you want to get a different upper. Finding a bcg that works with the sear block could be difficult, but worse case, just use the carrier that's in there and swap bolts.

[PogoJack]

Colt HBAR Sporter info needed

I knew you guys would have a ton of experience. SS what do you think that upper is? Seems to be a not-Colt but it is locked into place and has a raised ?C?. Cerro Forge? Did people swap uppers back on the 90s?

[SVT-40]

I think it's a Colt from a different model. Does it have a bayonet lug and flash hider?

[PogoJack]

I think it's a Colt from a different model. Does it have a bayonet lug and flash hider?

I?ll get a shot of it soon and post it here.

Thank you. If the upper is a Colt it looks like the HBAR Competition model.