Colt Match Target Competition HBAR AR-15 5.56 NATO/.223, 20" Heavy Barrel, Post-Ban, Detachable Carry Handle (1996)
This Colt Match Target Competition HBAR is a 1996 post-ban model built on the AR-15 platform with a 20" heavy barrel and a free-float ribbed tube handguard. It features a non-threaded target crown, a removable carry handle with A2-style rear sight, and an A-frame front sight. The barrel is marked "C MP" for Colt proof/MPI, and the rifle shows mixed caliber markings with a .223 Rem receiver and 5.56 NATO barrel.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: This firearm is in solid shape. It has various cosmetic imperfections, scratches, blemishes, and areas of finish loss. The bore remains clean and shiny.
What’s Included
- 1x 10-round short-body metal AR-15 magazine (GI-pattern)
The Competition HBAR configuration centers on a 20" steel heavy barrel with a 1:9 twist for stability with common 5.56/.223 bullet weights. The barrel is free-floated under a ribbed tube handguard and ends in a non-threaded target crown, consistent with its post-ban configuration.
Sighting is classic and practical: an A-frame front sight paired with an A2-style rear sight set in a removable carry handle. The detachable handle gives the rifle a versatile sight setup while retaining the familiar A2 adjustments.
Period-correct features include a two-screw front pivot, forward assist, case deflector, and an ejection-port cover. Markings are noteworthy: the receiver is marked .223 Rem while the barrel is marked 5.56 NATO, and the barrel carries the "C MP" proof/MPI stamp.
The rifle uses a direct impingement action with a manual safety. Furniture is the A2 pattern: a fixed buttstock with a trap-door buttplate and rear sling loop, paired with an A2 pistol grip. The aluminum receiver wears a hard-anodized finish, and the length of pull measures 13.5 inches.
Made in the USA in 1996, this Match Target series rifle ships with a 10-round magazine for a 10+1 capacity. It retains the post-ban, non-threaded muzzle configuration and the removable carry handle noted above.