I am not an AR guy. My experience is with wood sport rifles.

I have a perfect Colt AR HBAR MT6601 post band, no bird nest with the handle built into the upper receiver. I took it to an AR shop and they advised me to change the receiver to a flat top and mount the scope. Could you guy's comment on this modification? Please feel free to comment on all aspects of the build, effecting value of original AR. The type of scope mounts and scope size? Is there any modification to the front sight with a scope?

I would like to keep as close to all Colt as possible. The only reason I'm looking at a scope is my eyes are 62 years old.
All advise welcome.
MM879

Try something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Tactical-AR-15-Handle-Weaver-Picatinny/dp/B01C4PDKL4

Being a post ban, I can't see it hurting the value at all. You can buy Colt uppers to keep it all Colt but expect to pay $150 extra for the little C mark before the forge mark.

Leave the front sight post as is, get a flip up rear sight, good one piece extended mount and any scope you'd put on a wood sport rifle for it's intended purpose.

Skip the carry handle scope mount unless you like to shoot with a chin weld instead of a cheek weld. They place the scope way too high.

Thank you for the good response. I was shopping around and found stripped uppers without the barrel. Would this stripped upper work with the heavy barrel currently on the gun now? Is there any thing else that needs to be done with a stripped upper? Do you have a favorite one piece mount. I have used Lepould on my sport guns.
MM879

Make sure the take down pin holes in the new upper match up with the pins in the Colt lower. Colt used some odd size pins; I'm not sure when they stopped. I have a pre-ban with the bigger pins.

I've been using American Defense Manufacturing and LaRue Tactical for the quick disconnect and return to zero features but there are several good ones out there now for half the money.

I'm thinking post ban Colts were standard pin size as long as it has push pins. Seems like the large pivot pin was a screw setup but it's been awhile so it'd be worth checking before ordering. Just make sure the front pivot pin hole is the same size as the rear takedown hole.

It will have large trigger pins unless it's a later production gun.

I've been looking at photos of AR15's with scopes. I can't bear to change the looks of the gun by removing the handle. I'm just going to practice with gun in the standard form. Thanks to everybody that commented.
MM879