M601
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US |
 M601 |
 |
 Assault |
20+1 / 80 |
| Damage Base | Headshot × | Chest × | Stomach × | Leg × | Arm × | Bayonet | Rifle Grenades | Reload Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partial | Empty | ||||||||
| 37 | ×2.5 = 92.5 | ×1.2 = 44.4 | ×1.15 = 42.55 | ×0.8 = 29.6 | ×0.75 = 27.75 | YES | NO | 2.366 Seconds | 3.166 Seconds |
| Designation | Weapon Type | Fire Modes | Fire Rate | Bullet Spread ° | Range Modifier | Muzzle Velocity | Projectile weight | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colt Model 601 | Assault Rifle | Auto+Semi | 750 RPM | 7.17° & 1.15° ADS | 0.955 | 960 m/s | 12.3 g (189.818 gr) | 2.89 kg (6.37 lbs) |
| Full name | Caliber | Place of Origin | Date | Manufacturer | Barrel Length | Total Length | Weapon Script Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colt AR-15 Model 601 | 5.56mm | USA | 1959 | Colt | 20 in (508 mm) | 39 in (991 mm) | weapon_m601 |
The M601 (Colt Model 601) is an early AR-15–pattern 5.56×45mm/.223 rifle produced by Colt after it acquired the AR-15 design from ArmaLite. It is best known for its “slick-side” receiver (no forward assist), early-pattern features (including triangular handguards and distinctive early furniture), and its role as a direct predecessor to the later M16 family. In Military Conflict: Vietnam, the tables above list its in-game values pulled directly from the weapon script.
HISTORY
After ArmaLite sold the AR-15 rights to Colt in 1959, Colt’s first major production model was the **Model 601**, which entered serial production around late 1959 and continued into the early 1960s. Early 601/602 rifles closely followed the original ArmaLite pattern and were often marked “Colt ArmaLite AR-15” rather than “M16,” reflecting the transitional period before the M16 designation became standard. The Model 601 is generally distinguished by its early “slick-side” upper (no forward assist) and a variety of early-production external details that were refined on later M16-family rifles.
A commonly cited technical difference between early Colt AR-15 production runs is barrel twist rate: early rifles used a **1:14** twist, while later rifles shifted to **1:12** to better stabilize the standard 55-grain ball (M193) and tracer projectiles across a wider range of conditions. These incremental changes—along with later durability and maintenance-focused updates seen on Vietnam-era M16 variants—reflect how the platform evolved from early AR-15 production into the standardized U.S. service rifles of the Vietnam War period.
Sources
- https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-evolution-of-the-colt-model-601/ The Evolution Of The Colt Model 601 | American Rifleman
- https://pullig.dyndns.org/retroblackrifle/ModGde/RflGde/601.html RetroBlackRifle: Model 601 Guide | RetroBlackRifle
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArmaLite_AR-15 ArmaLite AR-15 (Colt Model 601/602 history) | Wikipedia
- https://www.firearmsnews.com/editorial/colt-ar15-model-601-automatic-rifle/451457 Colt’s AR-15 Model 601 Automatic Rifle | Firearms News
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President John F. Kennedy and Military Aide Gen. Chester V. Clifton examine a Colt Model 601 rifle and crossbow in the White House’s Oval Office (April 1963). -
Cutaway Colt/ArmaLite AR-15 Model 601 (right side), showing early internal details. -
Colt/ArmaLite Model 601 with early-pattern furniture (example shown repainted/changed). -
Indonesian female volunteer paratroopers armed with Colt/ArmaLite AR-15 Model 601 rifles (June 1965). -
U.S. Navy SEAL with a Colt/ArmaLite Model 601 during training (Feb. 21, 1963). -
