35222 and Below – Pre Ban AR 15 Rifles (Note:Some lowers are cast not forged. Out of business) Post-ban have a year prefix in the serial number. Rumored to have only sold lowers. Rocky Mountain Arms. Producer of AR-15 type pistols. Post-ban receivers have a. Date can be determined by serial number. The date needs to be pre Sept 1993. Ban) Call DPMS Lower receiver serial numbers begin with EA. PWA (360) 438-3983. Hello going to an auction this weekend and there is a PWA commando for sale. From what I'm told the lower's that are pre-ban have a serial number of 35,222 or lower. Just wondering how much they are actually worth just in case a pre-ban made its way into the auction as compared to a post ban.
PWA also produced complete AR15s in the late 70's and early eighties and lowers in the nineties. All pre-ban lowers have PWA with a circle around it stamped and under it is Milan, IL. 5.56 Commando and the 4-6 digit serial number. Pre-ban lowers are SN 35222 and below. All post ban lowers have the year appended to the serial number. Recently some serial numbers have left with one or two letters followed by FIVE numbers. The last numbers are either 5’s or 0’s. 99.9% of these are post-ban. “Older” does not always mean pre-ban as per Corey Sattler. “BL” serial number series lowers are transitional with some pre and some post ban.
Well, .223 or rather 556 (same thing, but different).
The ARs are nice modular guns. Go for it.
There are several ones in .22LR AFAIK and of course adapter kits for putting .22LR mags in the mag wells of the standard rifles, but that is of course of no interest to you, as you are looking at a 22.
According to the ATF, Pac West Arms (PWA) produced 2,964 rifles in 2000. Only 2 in 2001. The PWA company is now defunct. Only 2,966 rifles built.
PWA also produced complete AR15s in the late 70's and early eighties and lowers in the nineties.
All pre-ban lowers have PWA with a circle around it stamped and under it is Milan, IL. 5.56 Commando and the 4-6 digit serial number. Pre-ban lowers are SN 35222 and below. All post ban lowers have the year appended to the serial number. Pre-ban lowers go for $400-$900 depending on condition.
Serial number list
- AR15.Com
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Colt Sp1 Serial Number Dates
07-23-07, 14:04
Colt Ar15 Serial Lookup
Anybody here remember the PWA (PacWestArms) lowers? I believe they were the forerunner to Olympic. Anyway, at the shop where I work, a fellow came in with a box or AR parts, enough to build 2 rifles, a 20' HBAR and a 16' carbine. The only things missing from 2 complete guns was the 20' bbl gas tube and a buffer retainer and spring. Both lowers were PWA, uppers are un marked, one w/ A2 sights and 1 w/ A1, barrels pre-ban w/ bayo lugs and threaded. I know the PWAs are pre-ban. The carbine has the old style 3-position aluminum stock, and its barrel is heavy out to the FSB and thin from there to the muzzle (pre-M4). I put them both together, using tha A2 sighted upper for the 20' gun. The 20' gun needed a new extractor spring and buffer and then worked flawlessly, even not properly lubed. I started lurking around here shortly after that so now I know it wasn't properly lubed, thank you Pat Rogers. The 16' gun has been a PITA. the upper is obviously no to spec. It needed filing on the rear tab just to close all the way, and the barrel locating notch is off. One of the triggers was too wide, so I don't believe the FCG is spec either. I got the shorty together and it has been one thing after another, it is just about working. The shop owner wanted to sell both rifles, but after so much tinkering to get the short one to work, he's not selling that one. It is basically the AR I have wanted for awhile (I don't currently have any), with the barrel profile and A1 sights and such, so I think I can get it on the cheap. I figure then I can upgrade parts to maybe end up with something worth having. I'm sure there are opinions, so I'd like to hear them. I know I can either listen or ignore, so either way I'll read them. Thanks in advance.