Colt mid-length question

[jh9]

Didn't Brownells wind up selling those uppers at a discount to move them ?

Discounted price (for mine, anyway) in 2018 was $599. Current price is $724. I think I've seen them as high as $799.

[M2CattleCo]

The URGi program specified commercial off the shelf parts. It uses a standard Daniel Defense 14.5” mid-length barrel. Which are excellent, one of the very best barrels you can buy.

There’s mid-lengths, and there’s mid-lengths. I’ve seen 16” mids ported from .071”-.082”. Once the port is past about .073-074” whatever benefit you thought a mid-length had is long gone.

I would prefer a proper 5.56 chamber and .0625” gas port on a carbine over how most mids are built these days.

[awp_101]

The 6960 middy pre-dates CZ by at least a year or two. It was a typical Colt "too little, too late" response to market forces.

I meant that the circa-2017 6960 became unobtainable as a complete rifle for a couple of years (only uppers available through Brownells), and then in April 2021 they show up again, as a CR series rifle.

That explains why it was something of surprise when I saw that upper listed. I wasn’t going through an AR phase at that time so I wasn’t paying attention when they came out.

[DDTSGM]

I only know that because I bought a few LPKs not too long ago. Have been my preferred choice due to the unique bolt catch shown in the photo here:

https://www.armalite.com/SACItem.aspx?Item=15LRPK

What's the secret of the bolt catch? Is it just the fact that the bottom pad used to lock the bolt to the rear is absent?

Thanks!

[OlongJohnson]

What's the secret of the bolt catch? Is it just the fact that the bottom pad used to lock the bolt to the rear is absent?

Thanks!

The bottom pad is actually more prominent. The outward facing surface is all flush with the upper serrated paddle, and the whole thing is serrated. So there's a little more beef in the part for strength and it's easier to use to manually lock the bolt back than a standard catch. But it's not a big, snaggy paddle like the Geissele Maritime bolt catch. I like it as a mild but unobtrusive upgrade.

[DDTSGM]

Didn't Brownells wind up selling those uppers at a discount to move them ?

Discounted price (for mine, anyway) in 2018 was $599. Current price is $724. I think I've seen them as high as $799.

I paid $499.00 for a CCU upper on 5/13/19. On 12/27/17, I bought a complete M4 lower from them for $199.99 after a $20.00 discount. Thus making my only complete Colt - if you excuse the ToolCraft BCG, and the B5 Bravo stock. All told less than $850.00 in the base rifle.