Old Carbine, New Tricks

[einherjarvalk]

I realized last month that, now that I have my Hodge Defense upper receiver, my old Spike's Tactical 16" rifle is outclassed in literally every possible way by its younger 14.5" sibling.

Accuracy? Hodge.
Barrel life? Hodge.
Ease of use? Hodge.
Gas management and recoil impulse? Hodge.
General receiver build quality? Hodge by a mile.

About the only thing it does better is weight, which comes at the expense of having a cheaper, less durable rail and only wearing an Aimpoint H-1 instead of an LPVO. What are some possible things I can do with this gun to make it more a more useful thing to keep around? I recognize the value of having redundant guns, but the gun it would be redundant to is pretty bombproof. I'm extremely hesitant to sell the receiver set since it was my first semiauto rifle; would it make sense to perhaps SBR it or should a Form 1 be something I reserve for a receiver set of better quality?

I'm sure some of you have repurposed older, less-advanced rifles as newer, better built ones made their way into your possession, so I'm curious to hear what you have/haven't done with those to find a niche for them.

[BK14]

Personally I can’t think of a reason to SBR a spikes rifle....


You could use it as a test-piece if you wanted. I have a gun that’s lower quantity than the rest that I’m trying to see how flat shooting of a gun I can create. Grab a Slr Sentry adjustable gas block, new muzzle device and play around with buffers and springs.

In my opinion, you’re waisting money to get a new barrel, new handguard, new BCG, and higher quality intervals to bring the spikes up to snuff.

Other option is just leave the spikes alone, and get another AR like a BCM or SOLGW and use that as your second AR while the Spikes chills in the safe.

[einherjarvalk]

Other option is just leave the spikes alone, and get another AR like a BCM or SOLGW and use that as your second AR while the Spikes chills in the safe.

This is sort of what I was considering if I chose to SBR it - sell the complete upper, buy a complete SOLGW or BCM upper, SBR the lower, call it a day.

The prime thing keeping me from doing it is knowing that the quality of that lower is most definitely not nearly as good as the other two lowers I have in the safe (one of which is stripped). I got it as part of a group buy so it does have a custom engraving that lowers resale value too.

[BK14]

The prime thing keeping me from doing it is knowing that the quality of that lower is most definitely not nearly as good as the other two lowers I have in the safe.

Is there a reason you have to do anything with this gun right now? I get the sentimental value aspect, I’ve got my first AR sitting in a safe for a couple years. That guns not worth selling, or building into something better, so unless something significant happens it’ll just sit in the safe.

Sbr the quality lower, throw a new upper on it and let the spikes hangout until the next sellers market.

[HCM]

I would not SBR a lower without building it out first to ensure it is in spec, the pin holes are straight, properly sized etc. I would however make sure it is something you will be happy with long term since disposing on Form 1'ed NFA items is a PITA.

[Grouse870]

Turn it into a iron sight gun. Everyone should have a basic irons gun

[einherjarvalk]

Is there a reason you have to do anything with this gun right now? Sbr the quality lower, throw a new upper on it and let the spikes hangout until the next sellers market.

Oddly enough, the buyer's market is why I'm thinking that, if I do anything with it, I should do it now. I keep seeing good prices on used DD/BCM complete uppers and SOLGW should have some new Wedge Lock options in 7075 soon.

I would not SBR a lower without building it out first to ensure it is in spec, the pin holes are straight, properly sized etc. I would however make sure it is something you will be happy with long term since disposing on Form 1'ed NFA items is a PITA.

This particular carbine I've owned for almost a decade. While I don't shoot rifle much, it's somewhere in the 1,000-1,500 realm without any issues, and has seen a handful of FCG swaps and such. Little sloppy of a fit with the upper, but nothing too obnoxious. The overall finish isn't that great, though; Spike's apparently let the pivot pin detent "hump" get chipped and still thought it was good enough to just anodize right over it. If it weren't for the sentimental value of the laser engraving on the lower, I'd have probably sold it for a BCM by now.

Turn it into a iron sight gun. Everyone should have a basic irons gun

It was, once upon a time. Had a smith remove the A2 post to install the rail back when I thought this would be the only AR I'd ever own. Still has Troy flips but it's not the same.

[Darth_Uno]

.... back when I thought this would be the only AR I'd ever own.

For real though, you don’t shoot it often, and you have another one you like better. Signs point to sell.

OTOH you seem to want to keep it; I’m not overly sentimental, but it costs $0 to stick it in the safe and hang on to it for a while.

[HCM]

You could use the spikes to shoot steel cased ammo.

[Duke]

Turn it into a iron sight gun. Everyone should have a basic irons gun

It’s 2019.

Used aimpoints are like $300.

Even my seldom used Sim rifle has an aimpoint, oldsurefire and a dbal.