Colt 601, 603 and M4

[Sir Henry]

Most everyone has seen my Henrys but only a few have seen some of my other firearms. Here are three of my black guns. I have not fired them in years.

This picture shows a newer M4 (top), 601 (center) and a 603 (bottom).

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I was artillery in the Army and a rifle was my secondary weapon with the Howitzer being the first. Since it was a secondary weapon we were issued older rifles that had been rebuilt and most were not put together as originally built. We received whatever they could salvage and gave the infantry any new rifles coming into country.

Most in my unit received 601's and 603's or a combination of them. I was lucky to get an all 601 and it may have come from the Air Force. Most of the others that received the 601 lower received the 603 bolt and other 603 parts such as the buttstock and flash suppressor. We were issued M14's when I first arrived in-country but were re-issued M16's shortly after. I never used my M14 in combat but did the M16. It never failed me but I was using newer ammo and not the old ammo with the older powder.

Who knows all the differences between the 601 and 603 and history of them?
Who knows the history of the problems the first Colts had?