Tag: reviews

Among the various carbines offered by Spike's Tactical, I spotted an 18" SPR upper on their website. Because of my previous experience with the Spike's CHF upper, and the reasonable price of the upper considering the features offered, my interest was piqued. However, I had plenty of spare parts with which to almost complete such an upper. After contacting Tom at Spike's about a barrel, I wound up with an 18" LW50 barrel that had been IonBonded black and a Spike's M4 upper receiver. The Spike's barrels are manufactured by… Read More

Not too long ago, I wrote about the Spike's Tactical CHF (cold hammer forged) upper that was sent to me for T&E. It's fast become the standard by which I judge similar (M4 type) uppers. Well, Spike's has a new upper out, and it's definitely worth taking a look at, for several reasons. First, it's of the highest quality. The only difference between this upper and the CHF upper is the method by which the barrel was manufactured - hammer forging versus the more traditional button rifling. The hammer forged… Read More

I love Surefire flashlights. Don't get me wrong. However, recently, I've found myself needing - perhaps wanting is a better term - stuff that Surefire doesn't offer. I've been using some of the following products for a few months now, and I'm pretty impressed with what they have to offer. Before I get started, I should explain a few things. Your average Surefire 6P flashlight uses two 3 volt lithium batteries, type CR123. It has a xenon, or incandescent, bulb designed to be powered with 6 volts. There are batteries… Read More

Some people need the most rugged and reliable product they can find. Other people want the most rugged and reliable product they can afford. Still more people just want a product that looks cool and functions fairly well. I can't tell you what your needs are, or where you fall on this scale, but I can tell you what this product does, and what it might be good for. As always, in the interests of full disclosure, I was given this "Micro Dot" by Primary Arms for the specific purpose… Read More

I'm going to be honest. If I had never been given a PWS muzzle device, I probably would never have bought one. "Nearly $100," I said. "What does it do that's worth $100? I thought the Smith Vortex was too expensive at $50." Well, I would soon find out. At the 2008 SAR West show, PWS was handing out their FSC 556 muzzle device like Halloween candy, so I gladly took one. Since then, I've fallen in love with it. I've moved it around between a half dozen rifles before… Read More

If you've been using magazine fed weapons for a while, you've probably loaded quite a few magazines. Steel and aluminum AR-15 magazines are not very well known for being easy to load, and while mag loaders are available, I've never felt the need for one - I've just sucked it up and loaded mags the hard way. This product isn't new, but it does address this issue in a unique way. The Cammenga EasyMag, which is produced in Michigan, features a "sliding body" design that allows the user to slide… Read More

I'll admit it, I'm addicted to flashlights. I have way too many of the things. I learned the utility of small flashlights that were easy to carry yet very bright when I was in Iraq. There are times when night vision is useful, and times when a flashlight is more handy. Today, I always have a flashlight on me. I use it probably a dozen times a day, for everything from working inside a computer, to trying to figure out what else has broken inside my Jeep, to identifying things… Read More

After a comparison test I did between the American Defense and LaRue Tactical Aimpoint mounts, I was offered a free Bobro T&E mount by Primary Arms, a Bobro dealer. When I pulled the mount out of the box, I first noticed that the mount seemed exceptionally well machined, although the design initially appeared to be overly complex. There are a lot more screws and springs on this mount than either the ADM or LaRue, and in my experience, while such designs may initially appear to work well in the lab,… Read More

Recently I was sent an upper receiver by Spike's Tactical for test and evaluation. In the interests of fairness, this upper was provided to me for free. I still approached it from a critical angle and tried to find problems with the upper - of which there were none to find, making my job a little harder. If you're familiar with Rob Sloyer's infamous "Chart" detailing what makes a good fighting carbine, well, this upper checks every box but one. The bolt is not HPT'd, also known as "proof tested."… Read More