Category: Firearm Components

As many who read my blog know, I like Spike's Tactical. Granted, they've given me a lot of stuff - but it's all looked at with a critical eye, and I don't often find things to complain about. With the SAR rails, however, I did. Spike's sent me two SAR rails, a 12" and a 9". They're very light - the 9" weighs under 10 ounces - and I like the titanium barrel nut that makes installation very easy. They have 4 QD sockets for sling swivels, and the width… Read More

Vltor Weapon Systems is probably best known for its excellent AR stock series: the original Modstock, the EMod (Enhanced Modstock), and the IMod (Improved Modstock). It's also known for the MUR and VIS AR-15 upper receivers and the CASV handguard. What many people don't know is that they make an astonishing variety of other products - to include PKM machine guns for foreign militaries, handguards, components, and stock adapters for other weapons, and so on. I considered myself familiar with their product line before a recent visit, but was, frankly,… Read More

After 4 months with the Vltor A5, I have found that it just works - with everything. Every possible 5.56mm upper, and many other calibers, have been tested with the A5, and the results are always more than satisfactory. It builds on the reliability of the rifle buffer system while expanding the length of pull range of the traditional collapsible stock system. In addition, it offers increased durability when longer stocks such as the Vltor EMod or Magpul ACS are used.

I used to think that all lowers were alike, and that the only real difference in lower parts kits was that some came with fancy triggers. I now know this to be false. After having to perform final - perhaps corrective is a better term - machine work on several "budget" lowers, I started to set my sights higher. It's easy to cut what would seem to be fat out of an AR-15 build budget by using a cheap lower and a cheap LPK. For many (low-volume) shooters, this is… Read More

In the never-ending battle to remove weight from weapon components, several companies have turned to a pretty simple AR-15 handguard design: a tube with a rail along the top and several small removable sections of rail. The thinking is that the average shooter doesn't really need all that rail space. It's pretty sound thinking, in my opinion. It's not really a new idea, but it has seemingly enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the last year or so. One of the designs that follows that line of thought is the… Read More

Some people are in the market for a new AR or AR upper. Some people don't think they're in the market until something special catches their eye. This could be a part that has special features, or a good product at a good price. Or, for that matter, something that has special features and is at a good price. The Spike's Tactical LE uppers are certainly in this last category. They're under $500, shipped, with a $50 coupon code - M4LEUP for the M4 type upper ($475 with the code),… Read More

Over the past few weeks, I've been putting a fair amount of match ammunition through the BCM Mk12. Most of that has been Prvi 75gr Match, but I've also shot Hornady 75gr, Black Hills Blue Box 68 and 75gr, and my own handloads. Recently, a number of 10 shot groups were fired at 100 and 200 yards using two of the above: Prvi 75gr at 100 yards, and Black Hills 68gr at 200 yards. These groups were shot from the prone, using a Harris bipod for support, a Rock River… Read More

Just a brief note... I don't have a large number of groups shot through it yet, but from the bench using handloads, I was able to fire a number of 1.5-2MOA groups with the BCM 14.5" Midlength. Those groups were 10 shots at 100 yards. The smallest was 1.46" (that was actually 12 shots because I apparently can't count) and the largest was 1.88". The load consisted of 73gr Berger HPBTs over Hodgdon Varget. I used a 10x Bushnell scope for those groups. For a more practical accuracy test, I… Read More

Last month, I wrote about the excellent, and affordable, Spike's Tactical M4 LE upper receiver assembly. I was so impressed with it that I decided to pick up a stripped Spike's Tactical ST-15 lower receiver. Now, I have two requirements for lower receivers: the magwell must be sized properly to drop free Magpul PMags, and all of the holes must be drilled in the right place. Anything else, such as a pretty finish, is nice, but unnecessary. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the $105 ST-15 receiver met not… Read More