Source: ATF P 5300.11 · Curios or Relics List · Jan 1972 – Apr 20253,573 entries · 4 sections
The C&R RegisterA finding aid to the ATF Curios or Relics List, for Type 03 collectors
C&R · II · 171

Colt Model U experimental prototype

Section II: curio or relic, still subject to the Gun Control Act

Official wording

ATF P 5300.11 · APRIL 2025 EDITION · SECTION II · VERBATIM · PDF P. 7 ↗

Colt, Model U, experimental prototype pistol, cal. .22, semiautomatic, S/N U870001.

Representative line. ATF lists each serial number on its own line. 2 entries share this wording (S/Ns U870001 and U870004).

What this entry requires

  • ATF REQUIRESYour serial number is one ATF listsATF: “S/N U870001”
  • INFOATF states no date; production was about 1980–2008.

Editorial facts · Our research

Country
China²
Manufacturer
Norinco (China North Industries) for Colt's Manufacturing Co.¹
Type
Pistol
Action
Semi-auto⁴
Caliber
.22
Made
Listed serials only · c. 1980–2008production; ATF states no date³
Service
Commercial
Search listings ↗Check a specific gunReport an error ↗

Source

Official wording
ATF P 5300.11, April 2025 edition · Section II · PDF p. 7 ↗ · ATF original ↗
Entries
2 lines
Verbatim check
Checked against the PDF text before every release
Editorial facts
Confidence: Medium · Last revised 18 October 2026 (Evidence pass) · How we rate confidence
References
  1. web.archive.org ↗, maker: RIA lot 264, Sept 2012 (Wayback copy): Colt Experimental Prototype Model U target pistol, "manufactured for Colt by Norinco, China"; barrel marked "MODEL U CAL .22/COLT HARTFORD CT CHINA NORINCO"
  2. web.archive.org ↗, country: RIA lot 264: made by Norinco, China; barrel marked "CHINA NORINCO"
  3. Wikipedia, “Norinco” ↗, years (estimate: derived from related facts): Norinco was "Established in 1980" (lower limit) and the RIA lot's Colt factory letter says the pistol shipped October 16, 2008 (upper limit); no production year is stated
  4. web.archive.org ↗, action: factory letter: "a prototype of a new design semi-automatic pistol"
Fact tags
  • ATF the ATF wording states it.
  • REF ¹ an outside reference supports it; the number points to the list of references.
  • ESTIMATE an approximate or indirect reading, for example the production range of the base model.
  • NO CITATION we haven’t attached a reference for this fact; it’s our editorial reading, not ATF’s.
Source checked
20 October 2026: ATF’s page still lists the April 2025 edition
Corrections
5 changes · see below

Correction history

  1. Evidence passEditorial confidence: Low → Medium. Re-rated after supporting references were added or re-checked.
  2. Evidence passYears: 1950–1990 → 1980–2008. Bounded by Norinco's establishment (1980, Wikipedia) and the Colt factory letter's shipping date of October 16, 2008 (RIA lot); the prototype's own year is not stated
  3. Evidence passMaker: Colt's Firearms → Norinco (China North Industries) for Colt's Manufacturing Co.. RIA lot 56/264 (Wayback): "This prototype pistol was manufactured for Colt by Norinco, China", barrel marked "MODEL U CAL .22/COLT HARTFORD CT CHINA NORINCO"
  4. Evidence passCountry flag updated
  5. Evidence passCountry: United States → China. Same RIA lot: made for Colt by Norinco, China

All corrections · How corrections work

Historical context

NO VERIFIED IMAGE AVAILABLEWe show only freely licensed images verified to depict this model. None has been found yet.