For a couple years now I've heard about this magical unicorn of an AR made by Hodge. I've done forum searches, read threads, listened to podcasts and even visited the (wholly useless, though cleverly-marketed website; that I can't seem to find now).
I don't see anything that stands out to me as being over-the-top awesome. Let me further clarify that I don't see anything bad either, but compared to Colt, BCM, DD, and now Centurion, what is the actual factual "stuff" that makes Hodge as awesome as the disciples clam and twice the price of these aforementioned brands? The only thing I've heard that is any kind of real special sauce is:
1. Jim Hodge builds every rifle himself.
2. He's very picky about his castings and has a high reject rate.
I realize the comments in the quote I posted above are comparing the Hodge to a Spikes (for whom I have no love), but Spike's was (maybe still is, don't know, don't pay attention to them) using FN "double-thick chrome-lined machine gun steel" CHF barrels. What about the Hodge barrel gives it better life or accuracy? Gas management and recoil impulse? Anyone can drill a correctly-sized gas port. BCM and Colt do a fine job here.
So really what's the deal or is this just the next hype?