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LOT 3357
Attractive “Grenadier” Pattern
Colt M16A1 Automatic Rifle with M203 Underbarrel Grenade
Launcher, Class III/NFA
-A) Colt M16A1, Class III/NFA Fully Transferable Machine Gun - Serial no. 9379132, 5.56 mm cal., 20 inch round bbl.,
black phosphate finish, synthetic stock. Developed in the late 1960s and deployed in the 1970s, the combination of a Colt
M16/M4 family automatic rifle and the M203 grenade launcher is one of the signature weapons of the United States Army from Vietnam
into the modern era. While the M79 was by all reasonable standards a potent and reliable support weapon, grenadiers were effectively
sidelined against targets that were too close or otherwise not a suitable target; pistols were considered inadequate, a separate rifle or carbine
would be too bulky, and experimental drop-in sleeves to turn the M79 into a single shot
shotgun took too long to insert or remove in the heat of the moment. With the launcher
mounted on a rifle, the grenadier could lay in support fire while still being able to
defend themselves or engage lone targets when needed. This particular example uses a
commercial/export 9 million serial number range M16A1 as the host weapon. Post front
and two-leaf peep rear sights, with an A1 flash hider on the “C MP CHROME BORE” marked
barrel, the flip-up grenade sight on top of the ventilated handguard, low profile casing
deflector and oval shaped forward assist. The lower receiver has the standard markings,
with a right handed “SAFE”/”SEMI”/”AUTO” selector. Fitted with a checkered pistol grip,
fixed buttstock and a nylon sling with a proper clamp-on swivel mounted beneath the
front sight. Includes cleaning rod in butt compartment.
CONDITION: Excellent, with 98% plus original matte black phosphate finish, showing
some light scratches and handling marks overall. The furniture is in equal condition.
Mechanically excellent. NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully
transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.
B) Colt M203 40mm Grenade Launcher, Class III/NFA Destructive Device - Serial
no. 95805, 40 mm , 12 inch round bbl., black finish. Originally developed as part of the
Special Purpose Individual Weapon program, the M203 has been a mainstay of American
infantry for decades. Designed for compatibility with the 40mm rounds used by the M79,
the M203 is primarily aluminum in construction, with a ribbed plastic grip cover on the
sliding barrel, a safety switch inside the triggerguard, and a spring steel triggerguard that
hooks on the magazine well of the host rifle. The mechanism is single action, cocking
automatically as the barrel is closed, with a spring hook extractor for the spent casing and
a flip-up ladder sight on the handguard.
CONDITION: Excellent, with 97% plus original black phosphate finish, showing some light scratches and handling marks. Mechanically excellent. NOTE: This Destructive Device is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class
3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.
Provenance: The Al Walker Collection.
Estimate: 40,000 - 60,000 233