It has a letter (space here) then a 5 digit number. Is the letter included? To use the following as an example, the serial # is: 'A 02002'. Sp1 serial numbers i am trying to find information on the serial numbers for yearly production runs for the colt ar15 sp1 from 1964 to present. Any information will be of great help. View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries Join Date Sep 2007 Location Gray Court, SC Posts 2,934. Colt AR-15 Serial Number.
- Windham Ar 15 Serial Number Location
- Ar Serial Number Location
- Ar 15 Serial Number Location Upper
- Ar 15 Serial Number Location
UPDATED AS OF 3-28-2018
Q: What does my serial number mean?
A: Nothing is more frustrating than to know little or nothing about the firearm you own or are about to buy. Use the information in this page to help determine when your Olympic Arms firearm was produced. Please read THE ENTIRE PAGE before writing or calling for more information. Most of your questions can be answered with the following information.
FIRE: The Reason for our Limited Information Database:
As many of you already know, on the 7th of June, 2000, Olympic Arms experienced a devastating fire that destroyed our assembly area, inventory space, and sales offices. In those offices were housed our current as well as archival records with regards to manufacture, acquisition and distribution of firearms. The books that we, as well as all federally licensed firearms dealers are required to keep are commonly known as 'Bound Books', or 'A&D' (acquisition & distribution) books.
As many of you already know, on the 7th of June, 2000, Olympic Arms experienced a devastating fire that destroyed our assembly area, inventory space, and sales offices. In those offices were housed our current as well as archival records with regards to manufacture, acquisition and distribution of firearms. The books that we, as well as all federally licensed firearms dealers are required to keep are commonly known as 'Bound Books', or 'A&D' (acquisition & distribution) books.
These books, over 25 years of Olympic Arms history and data (to that date), were completely and 100% destroyed in that fire. All A& D book records prior to the 7th of June, 2000 are GONE. Period. Agents of the BATFE were on site as the ashes cooled to verify that these records were inb afct destroyed. This is an unfortunate situation that severely limits our ability to provide product information for any and all firearms produced by Olympic Arms including AR-15 lower receivers and/or complete AR products, as well as bolt-cation rifles and receivers, as well as Safari Arms 1911 handguns and frames manufactured and sold prior to that date.
What we CAN Provide:
As a result all that we can provide is what you see below, a date 'range' in which your serial number was manufactured.
What we CANNOT Provide:What we CAN Provide:
As a result all that we can provide is what you see below, a date 'range' in which your serial number was manufactured.
- We CANNOT provide you with the EXACT date the serial number manufactured.
- We CANNOT provide the exactr date the serial number was shipped.
- We CANNOT provide you with information determining whether a particular serial number was a factory assembled firearm or sold as a stripped receiver.
- We CANNOT tell you into what configuration/model that your serial number was assembled into.
- We CANNOT determine whether or not your particular serial number is a legal grandfathered pre-ban firearm as it pertains to many current (unconstitutional) State laws.
What Does This List Show Me?
Below you will see a list of serial numbers. At Olympic Arms, we group our serial numbered lowers into 'ranges'. These serial number ranges are based on the first and last serial numbers as recorded in our hard copy A&D (Bound Book) ledgers. Eachg ledger has a start date and a start serial number that are recorded on the cover opf each ledger. This is how these ranges are then categorized.
Below you will see a list of serial numbers. At Olympic Arms, we group our serial numbered lowers into 'ranges'. These serial number ranges are based on the first and last serial numbers as recorded in our hard copy A&D (Bound Book) ledgers. Eachg ledger has a start date and a start serial number that are recorded on the cover opf each ledger. This is how these ranges are then categorized.
Prior to our fire, the process had begun to record all the information from our paper historical bound book ledgers into an electronic database. All that had been recorded to that date were simply the cover information (start date/start serial number, end date, last serial number) recorded in each ledger. This is the information you see listed below.
If you'll notice, all the serial number ranges have a letter prefix but one. The initial receivers made by Olympic Arms simply contain a 4 digit serial number, no letter prefix. Each subsequent serial number range (either beginning with 0001, or 1001) will show a 1 or 2 letter prefix. Coincidentally, you may note that these receivers were made from billet aluminum, making Olympic Arms the first manufacturer of billet lower receivers for the AR15.
Additionally, you will see several lines for serial numbers that begin with the same letter(s) prefix. These prefix series are divided by a date range to their right. These date ranges are the beginning and ending dates of the physical paper ledgers in which those numbers were recorded. In other words, the ledger books were not large enough to contain all of the numbers (0001-9999) from any particular serial number series in one book. For that reason, there is a beginning date and end date for each ledger. That is what you see below.
SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT NOTE: If your receiver's serail number or model number incorporates a 'date stamp', in either the serial number area or model number area, it is a POST-BAN RECEIVER REGARDLESS OF THE DATES LISTED ON THE LIST BELOW.
This date-stamp when used in conjunction with the serial number will be seen in the form of '95.Hxxxx', '94.Vxxx', '95.BLXXXX', or similar. These date stamps may also be seperated from the balance of the serial number by a 'dot' or dash. These numbers will look like: '95.xxxx', or '94-Vxxxx' or similar.
Date stamps may also be incorporated into the MODEL NUMBER of the unit. They would be seen in the formula of: 'MFR 94' or 'OA93-95' or similar.
This is important, as several serial number series were in production when the 1994 Clinton Era Crime Bill went into effect September 13, 2004. For this reason SOME of those serial numbers were grandfathered in as 'Pre-ban' serial numbers, and some were not. Those that were not grandfathered, then received a DATE STAMP that was incorporated into the model number or serial number as exlained.
If you have any questions regarding the interpretation of the markings on your lower, please feel free to send a picture of the left sidfe of the recoiver or any and all of the markings on your lower to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We'll be happy to take a look at the pics and give you some assistance.
Match your receiver up with the letter prefixes on the chart below. Each line is separated into 5 columns.
Column 1: The serial number itself (including prefix).
Column 2: The beginning serial number in that book.
Column 3: The beginning date for that book. If there is only one date listed after the serial numbers in column 2 and/or 2, all of those numbers were manufactured on that same day.
Column 4: End date for that book.
Column 5: Comments regarding that range of serial numbers. The comments as listed would apply to all of the serial numbers with the prefix listed to the left.
SN Range | 1st Date | End Date | Special Notes | |
0001 | 0004 | 03/14/79 | Prototypes | |
1000 | 8845 | 03/14/79 | 06/04/82 | Cut from aluminum bar stock. Most were made for other manufacturers such as Palmetto Armory. |
X1001 | X2987 | 07/02/1982 | 06/01/1983 | |
X2988 | X3484 | 06/02/1983 | 09/01/1983 | |
X2988 | X3484 | 06/02/1983 | 09/01/1983 | |
P0001A | P0588A | 12/17/1982 | 07/18/1988 | PAWS: Police Automatic Weapons Service, OR |
Z0001 | Z2002 | 09/08/1983 | 08/24/1984 | |
Z2003 | Z3955 | 05/29/1984 | 02/08/1985 | |
Z3956 | Z6007 | 02/14/1985 | 12/12/1985 | |
Z6008 | Z8018 | 12/17/1985 | 09/10/1986 | |
Z8019 | Z9985 | 09/15/1986 | 03/09/1988 | |
Z9986 | Z9999 | 03/09/1988 | ||
W1001 | W2957 | 03/09/1988 | 05/08/1989 | |
V0001 | V0716 | 12/02/1986 | 10/01/1987 | These receivers were manufactured are for BM, there were more. |
NAMV1 | NAMV100 | 03/20/1985 | 08/28/1986 | These were limited edition Vietnam War Commemoratives. |
USMC1 | USMC320 | 01/21/1986 | 04/05/1993 | Limited Edition US Marine Corp Commemoratives sold as stripped lowers to one manufacturer who assembled them into complete units by special order. |
U1001 | U1597 | 08/18/1987 | 11/28/1989 | |
F1006 | F3000 | 04/27/1989 | 08/25/1989 | |
F3001 | F5052 | 08/25/1989 | 12/14/1989 | |
F5053 | F9109 | 12/14/1989 | 08/10/1990 | |
F9110 | F9999 | 08/10/1990 | 10/03/1990 | |
T1001 | T2119 | 10/03/1990 | 01/08/1991 | |
T2120 | T3758 | 01/08/1991 | 04/05/1991 | |
T3759 | T7480 | 04/05/1991 | 01/31/1992 | |
T7481 | T9532 | 01/31/1992 | 08/12/1992 | |
T9533 | T9999 | 08/13/1992 | 09/24/1992 | |
AA001 | 09/24/1992 | PROTOTYPE | ||
AA1001 | AA2297 | 09/24/1992 | 12/23/1992 | |
AA2298 | AA2425 | 12/23/1992 | 01/04/1992 | |
GG1000 | GG1009 | 02/01/1993 | 07/05/1993 | |
OA1001D | OA1039D | 10/07/1991 | 10/31/1991 | |
OAD1040 | OAD1067 | 03/16/1992 | 10/09/1992 | |
OAS1042 | OAS1138 | 03/18/1992 | 10/13/1992 | |
AC10000 | AC10058 | 02/08/1993 | ||
C0001 | C5000+ | 06/01/1989 | 12/15/1990 | Manufactured to meet demand of pending California ban (C = California). |
LL0001 | LL0267 | 01/05/1993 | 01/22/1993 | |
BL1000 | BL2784 | 02/01/1993 | 05/26/1993 | |
BL2785 | BL4814 | 05/26/1993 | 12/03/1993 | |
BL4815 | BL6861 | 12/03/1993 | 02/24/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
BL6862 | BL8799 | 02/25/1994 | 06/18/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
BL8800 | BL9533 | 06/20/1994 | 07/20/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
BS0001 | BS0699 | 08/27/1994 | 08/27/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
BS0700 | BS0825 | 08/27/1994 | 08/27/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
NF0001 | NF1999 | 01/03/1994 | 05/21/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
NF2000 | NF3999 | 05/21/1994 | 08/27/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
NF4000 | NF4055 | 08/27/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) | |
94NF1000 | 95NF2587 | 11/14/1994 | 01/24/1995 | Post Ban H series. |
UK0001 | UK0448 | 08/27/1994 | 08/27/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
E1001 | E2099 | 09/01/1991 | 04/24/1997 | |
E2100 | E2290 | 04/24/1997 | 03/08/1990 | |
CA0001 | CA0690 | 02/21/1994 | 08/09/1994 | Cast Aluminum receivers |
TBOR1791 | TBOR1991 | 1991 | 1991 | These receivers are made from Beryllium copper. |
CIA0001 | CIA3402 | 10/28/1996 | 07/14/1997 | These receivers were made under contract withCentury International Arms. These are NOT Olympic Arms firearms, are post ban and not supported by Olympic Arms warrant in any fashion whatsoever. |
H1300 | H3299 | 08/27/1994 | Any 'H' series number lower than 'H1300' was made prior to 08-27-1994. No further information is available about these lower 'H' series numbers. | |
H3300 | H3354 | 08/17/1994 | 09/13/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
95H1112 | 95H3340 | 06/06/1995 | 07/07/1995 | Post Ban H series |
V1000 | V1499 | 05/05/1994 | 05/11/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
V1500 | V2755 | 05/11/1994 | 08/05/1994 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
V2757 | V3195 | 09/26/1997 | 11/25/1997 | May be Date Stamped (see above note) |
SA961000 | SA961975 | 03/21/1996 | 09/18/1996 | |
SA1975 | SA3500 | 04/15/1997 | 01/02/1998 | |
SA3501 | SA5150 | 01/01/1998 | 06/18/1998 | |
SA5151 | SA6550 | 06/18/1998 | 09/28/1998 | |
SA6551 | SA8199 | 10/05/1998 | 05/10/1999 | |
SA8200 | SA9800 | 05/11/1999 | 10/07/1999 | |
SA9801 | SA9999 | 10/07/1999 | 10/18/1999 | |
AUS1000 | AUS1049 | 05/06/1998 | 02/01/1999 | |
JJ0001 | JJ1600 | 10/09/1999 | 02/18/2000 | |
JJ1601 | JJ2059 | 02/18/2000 | 03/22/2000 | |
JJ2060 | JJ4182 | 03/22/2000 | 10/03/2000 | |
JJ4183 | JJ5439 | 10/03/2000 | 02/07/2001 | |
JJ5440 | JJ6920 | 03/08/2001 | 12/04/2001 | |
JJ6921 | JJ8713 | 12/04/2001 | 08/06/2001 | |
JJ8714 | JJ9999 | 08/07/2001 | 01/29/2003 | |
KX0001 | KX1601 | 11/04/1998 | 05/10/1999 | |
KX1700 | KX2935 | 05/10/1999 | 08/20/1999 | |
KX2936 | KX4735 | 08/23/1999 | 01/20/2000 | |
KX4736 | KX5760 | 01/20/2000 | 03/31/2000 | |
KX5761 | KX7668 | 04/01/2000 | 07/20/2001 | |
KX7669 | KX9590 | 07/20/2001 | 04/03/2002 | |
SGW0001 | SGW1045 | 02/15/2000 | 04/10/2001 | All SGW serial numbered lower receivers are CAST receivers, and sold stripped, or as 'Plinker' Rifles only. |
SGW1046 | SGW2043 | 04/10/2001 | 02/14/2002 | |
SGW2044 | SGW3878 | 03/25/2002 | 04/05/2003 | |
SGW0473 | SGW5889 | 7/19/2000 | 7/23/2004 | |
MX1001 | These receivers are match-grade quality Maxhard® treated Aluminum forged receivers. | |||
BT0001 | BT1853 | 05/24/2002 | 01/20/2003 | Series named after long time employee Bill Thrall. Thanks for your service Bill! |
BT1854 | BT3654 | 01/21/2003 | 07/11/2003 | |
BT3655 | BT5453 | 07/11/2003 | 12/01/2003 | |
BT5454 | BT7300 | 12/02/2003 | 05/02/2004 | |
BT7301 | BT7301 | BT9999 | 11/05/2004 | |
M0001 | M0198 | 02/20/200203 | 04/01/2002 | Series Stopped because of CNC change. |
LP0001 | LP0577 | 05/02/2001 | 02/19/2004 | OA-98 Pistols only |
SM0001 | SM8096 | 02/3/2003 | 6/22/2005 | Series names after Oly CNC programmer Steve Melby. Thanks for your service Steve! |
SM8097 | SM9999 | 7/29/2005 | 10/31/2005 | |
TB0001 | TB4990 | 12/06/2005 | 8/11/2006 | Series named after long time employee Tim Butterfield. Thanks for your service Tim! |
TB4991 | TB9999 | 8/15/2006 | 6/17/2007 | |
KJ0001 | KJ5010 | 4/20/2007 | 12/27/2007 | Series named after Karl Jergens. Thanks Karl for your years of service! |
KJ5011 | KJ9999 | 12/27/2007 | 6/30/2007 | |
JF0001 | JF5000 | 6/10/2008 | 1/29/2009 | Series named after long time employee John Fischer. Thanks for your service John! |
JF5001 | JF9999 | 1-28-2009 | 11/04/2009 | |
WZ0001 | W5010 | 04/07009 | 5/21/2010 | Series named after long time employee Walt Dziadyk. Thanks for your service Walt! |
WZ5011 | WZ9999 | 5/21/2010 | 10/09/2012 | |
CH0001 | CH5010 | 9/30/2009 | 6/20/2011 | Series named after long time employee Chris Holeman. Thanks for your service Chris! |
CH5011 | CH9999 | 6/21/2011 | 5/04/2012 | |
SB0001 | SB5010 | 10/08/2012 | 3/08/2013 | Series named after long time employee Shane Barker. Thanks Shane for your years of service! |
SB5011 | SB9999 | 4/08/2013 | 07/06/2013 | |
AW0001 | AW3810 | 7/16/2013 | 10/08/2013 | Series named after Andrew Wilson. Thanks for your years of sesrvice Andy! |
AW3811 | AW5010 | 11/14/2013 | 03/02/2014 | |
AW5011 | AW9999 | 3/03/2014 | 5/06/2015 | |
TS0001 | TS2730 | 12/09/2015 | 02/15/2017 | Series names after Tom Spithaler. Thanks for your service Tom! You were the best employee we ever had. |
Windham Ar 15 Serial Number Location
31 March, 2014 · by · in Features, History, Industry Profiles, V6N1, Volume 6
ABOVE: The right and left side of serial number 1004 as it was submitted to Springfield Armory.
The AR-15/M16/M4 series rifle is undoubtedly the most popular rifle in the United State for all military, law enforcement and commercial markets. It is the most versatile platform of a rifle on the face of the planet. Another rifle has crept up into that popularity; one that was on the scrap heap of the U.S. Army for nearly 40 years. That would be the one that started it all, the AR-10. “Tomorrow’s Rifle Today” in the late 1950s has turned out to be today’s rifle today. The rifle that Ordnance Corp would dismiss in the late 1950s would have its day in the late 1990s and in the new millennium would serve as the primary sniper rifle for the U.S. Special Operations Command as well as the U.S. Army, replacing M24 bolt action rifles. But where did all this begin?
In 1953, George Sullivan gained interest from Richard Boutelle of Fairchild Engine and Aircraft for his idea of developing a small arms design firm. Boutelle, a gun enthusiast himself, invested capital to start up this new company on 1 October 1954. The money came from the research and development budget of Fairchild. This company would have an impact on the history and direction of the modern battle rifle in the U.S. beyond Sullivan’s and Boutelle’s expectations. ArmaLite Corporation was born. The Fairchild winged Pegasus would have a circle and cross hairs superimposed as the symbol of the new corporation. ArmaLite was envisioned to be a “think tank,” not a small arms manufacturer. The new designs were to be made but manufactured by a dedicated manufacturing facility.
Much success in life is timing, being in the right place at the right time. Even more so, having an individual that knows how to spot talent and grab it. While working on a prototype rifle, George Sullivan was test firing his design at the Topanga Canyon Shooting Range outside of Los Angeles where he saw and met a young man who was doing the exact same thing. That young man was Eugene Morrison Stoner.
Shown is a Portuguese soldier with is A.I. AR-10. The Portuguese Army was well satisfied with the performance of the AR-10 and would have procured more if A.I. would not have cut off production.
Stoner was born in Gasport, Indiana on November 11, 1922. His family would later move to California. In 1939, Stoner worked for Vega Aircraft and with the U.S. entering World War II Stoner would serve in the Marine Corps as an Ordnance Specialist. At the time of his chance meeting with Sullivan, Stoner was making dental plates and in his spare time he would design advanced rifles. Sullivan was very impressed with the rifle Stoner was testing, later known as the M5 (it evolved into the AR-3), and hired him as the Chief Design Engineer at ArmaLite. The AR-3 was granted U.S. Patent Number 2,951,424.
Stoner was a genius; well ahead of his time particularly in the firearms industry at that time. In fact, radical would be the proper word. In a world of tradition that required steel and wood, young Stoner would take his experience in the state-of-the-art aircraft industry and apply that technology to firearms development. Using aircraft grade aluminum and synthetic materials in place of the traditional wood and steel, Stoner would create the lightest battle rifle in the world. But was the world, particularly the U.S. Ordnance Corps, ready for it?
Stoner’s new concept, the AR-10 would deviate from tradition. First, the AR-10 would be completely inline in construction. Meaning the barrel, bolt, bolt carrier and recoil spring and buffer were directly in line with the shooters shoulder. This reduces traditional muzzle rise and felt recoil compared to the traditional M1/M14 rifles. This also makes the rifle firing in fully automatic that much more controllable. Due to no drop in the stock, the sights had to be raised so the shooter could see through them; hence the carrying handle (third prototype) was born which would become an icon for Stoner designed weapons.
The first prototype rifle had the needed raised front and rear sight and was chambered for the 7.62x63mm (30-06 Springfield) cartridge. The cartridges were fed from a standard BAR magazine. The stock was a tubular stock with a butt plate added to the rear. This rifle used the same direct gas system used in Stoners AR-3 rifle which we will discuss in more detail.
Shown is the bolt carrier group of serial number 1004 after firing 409 rounds. This picture is to depict the carbon fouling on the bolt carrier group.
The second prototype added a telescope sight, which was raised up to allow the shooter’s eye to align. Stoner added a more conventional stock to the rifle. The pistol grip was made from the same material as the stock and hand guards. There were no iron sights on this model. This model also differed in that it was chambered for the 7.62x51mm cartridge that was soon to be adopted as the standard cartridge for the U.S. military.
The third prototype was far more close to the finalized AR-10. Many new features were added and also the gas system was altered. The first thing you notice is the carrying handle on the upper receiver containing the rear sight as well as the raised front sight that is attached to a muzzle compensator. The bolt was designed after the Mel Johnson designed multi lug bolt. There are seven lugs as well as the extractor.
This rifle used a unique new gas system. Although previously used on the Swedish AG42B and the French MAS44 and MAS49/56, the new part of the system was to be a gas cut off once enough gas was used to operate the action. This reduced recoil as well as increased the service life of the moving parts of the rifle.
When the rifle would fire, the bullet travelled down the barrel until it passed the gas port. Gas was tapped from the barrel into the gas port and pressurized a long gas tube on the left side of the barrel. The gas tube entered the side of the bolt carrier group. There a piston chamber was created between the back of an internal chamber in the bolt carrier and bolt. The gas created an internal pressure, pushing the bolt carrier to the rear. The cam pin is rotated by the cam path in the receiver unlocking the bolt as it moves rearward. This also acted as the cut off for the gas once the bolt begins its rearward travel venting off the unused gas. As the bolt carrier moves rearward the fired cartridge case is extracted and ejected from the rifle once the mouth of the case clears the ejection port. Now the spring loaded buffer returns the bolt carrier group forward with the bottom two lugs stripping off the top cartridge from the magazine, feeding and chambering the round. Then final movement locks the bolt into the barrel extension.
Ar Serial Number Location
Perhaps the most disastrous moment in the history of the AR-10 and if any moment defined the failure in the U.S. trial was the catastrophic barrel failure of serial number 1002. This was caused by Sullivan’s decision to use his aluminum barrels with a SS rifle sleeve. Stoner was adamantly opposed to this course of action and he was right.
This gas system eliminated several heavy parts of the traditional piston mechanism including a heavy operating rod. Recoil was drastically eliminated due to not having the mass of an operating rod and piston slamming into the shooters shoulder. This decrease in weight of the carrier group increased accuracy as well. To further lessen recoil in this inline construction rifle, a muzzle compensator was added. This made recoil with the larger 7.62x51mm caliber round smooth and easy.
The 4th prototype took on more of what we see today in the design of the AR-10/AR-15. The rifle has two receivers, an upper and lower held on by a front pivot pin and a rear takedown pin. The receivers were manufactured from state-of-the-art 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forgings. The stock and pistol grip were manufactured from foam-filled phenolic resin, which was lightweight, very strong and impervious to the elements, unlike traditional wood. The rifle was fed from an aluminum 20-round magazine. For strength, reinforcing ridges were pressed into the sides of the magazine giving it the “waffle” appearance. These magazines were intended on being disposable in combat. Due to the light weight of the magazine, soldiers would be able to carry more ammunition in preloaded magazines compared to previous rifles.
Ar 15 Serial Number Location Upper
Another outstanding feature of the design and one that would certainly decrease weight was the design of a barrel extension for the multi-lug bolt to lock into. Unlike previous designs, a large chunk of metal surrounds the chamber to contain the pressures of the chamber and afford a location for the bolt to lock into. The AR-10 barrel extension screwed onto the rear of the chamber and focused the pressure into a small area. U.S. Patent Number 3,027,672 was granted for the barrel extension on April 3, 1962.
The rifle was very user friendly. With the shooting hand, the thumb actuated the selector lever and trigger finger actuated the trigger and magazine release button. The left hand actuated the bolt catch and cocking handle located inside the carrying handle on top of the rifle. The left hand also loaded and unloaded the magazine.
Close up view of the muzzle compensator found on the early Hollywood rifles. The end is held on by a snap ring that could be removed with the tip of a bayonet.
The rifle appeared futuristic and broke with traditions of what a military rifle was supposed to look and feel like. Too new for some and those were often the influential people making the decisions on procurement. Many new designs were tried to make use of new materials such as the use of aluminum barrels. That came to no avail but shows the type of research and development going on at ArmaLite.
Ar 15 Serial Number Location
In late 1955, the U.S. Army got their first look at the new AR-10. It was demonstrated to high ranking officials at the Infantry School at Fort Benning and Headquarters, Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe. It was ArmaLite’s hope to delay the selection of the new rifle to replace the M1. The T44 (M14) and the T48 (FAL) had been tested for quite some time and the decision was close. Using the 4th prototype as the base, 50 rifles were handmade. The barrels were a controversial issue within the walls of the ArmaLite shop. Stoner had highly recommended and fought to have standard military grade steel barrels used. Sullivan however over-ruled his recommendations and they used aluminum barrels swaged around 416 SS rifled liners.