About a month ago my wife had asked why I wasn't shooting my AR-15s. I told her it was too expensive, so I had been shooting the .22s. I didn't think anything of the quick conversation. About a week ago she hands me a package. I looked at the return address, Spikes Tactical ![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
. I asked her how she knew about them. She works with an AR-15 fan and had the conversation about the cost of ammo. He recommened the conversion kit. Damn, I love that woman.
I took some picture this time out with it. This is my mini review.
The kit comes packaged with the conversion bolt, extra spring, gas tube plug, and magazine (10rnd for us in MA).
This is a picture of the conversion bolt and magazine after 500 rnds or so.
It installs very simply. Just remove the bolt carrier group and slide this in it's place.
The magazine loads easily. The first few times I had loaded it with 10 rounds, the follower got jammed. It wouldn't put any pressure upward. This cleared up after about 4-5 magazine loads. You can see in this picture that there is a very steep feed ramp, but the round is almost pointed directly at the chamber.
I had a few failure to ejects. Believe it or not, all my issues with ammo were with CCI Minimags. Everything else cycled fine. Federal bulk packs, Winchester XpertHV, American Eagle, Federal Automatch. The most accurate of this bunch was the American Eagle. <2" @25 Yards.
Because of the barrel twists these kits aren't meant to be tack drivers. Prior to this day out, I had the kit installed in another AR with open sights and it seemed to have tighter groups. The majority of the first 1000 rounds was just to test it's functionality. With many quick mag dumps. This is a picture of those.
There is one issue I have with this kit. Blowback. I was getting hit in the cheek with it. At first I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I had a good failure to eject with a MiniMag that I had to crack open the rifle. I noticed fouling right under the charging handle. Where the upper meets the lower. This picture shows a wear mark, but that is where the blowback was coming out. It was coming from the gas tube, traveling down the top of the conversion bolt. The gas tube plug that comes with the kit requires removal of the gas tube. So, I'll need to decided which upper I want to modify. The installation of the plug is not something I am going to want to swap out often.
My overall thought of the kit is that it's well built. Works well with most ammo and well worth the price. For those of you that have cut back on shooting your AR15's, pick up the conversion kit and have fun.
ETA: I went out today with a different rifle and different ammo. This is a Wilson 1/9 barrel shooting CCI Standard Velocity. I had one FTE out of 300rnds.
. I asked her how she knew about them. She works with an AR-15 fan and had the conversation about the cost of ammo. He recommened the conversion kit. Damn, I love that woman.I took some picture this time out with it. This is my mini review.
The kit comes packaged with the conversion bolt, extra spring, gas tube plug, and magazine (10rnd for us in MA).
This is a picture of the conversion bolt and magazine after 500 rnds or so.
It installs very simply. Just remove the bolt carrier group and slide this in it's place.
The magazine loads easily. The first few times I had loaded it with 10 rounds, the follower got jammed. It wouldn't put any pressure upward. This cleared up after about 4-5 magazine loads. You can see in this picture that there is a very steep feed ramp, but the round is almost pointed directly at the chamber.
I had a few failure to ejects. Believe it or not, all my issues with ammo were with CCI Minimags. Everything else cycled fine. Federal bulk packs, Winchester XpertHV, American Eagle, Federal Automatch. The most accurate of this bunch was the American Eagle. <2" @25 Yards.
Because of the barrel twists these kits aren't meant to be tack drivers. Prior to this day out, I had the kit installed in another AR with open sights and it seemed to have tighter groups. The majority of the first 1000 rounds was just to test it's functionality. With many quick mag dumps. This is a picture of those.
There is one issue I have with this kit. Blowback. I was getting hit in the cheek with it. At first I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I had a good failure to eject with a MiniMag that I had to crack open the rifle. I noticed fouling right under the charging handle. Where the upper meets the lower. This picture shows a wear mark, but that is where the blowback was coming out. It was coming from the gas tube, traveling down the top of the conversion bolt. The gas tube plug that comes with the kit requires removal of the gas tube. So, I'll need to decided which upper I want to modify. The installation of the plug is not something I am going to want to swap out often.
My overall thought of the kit is that it's well built. Works well with most ammo and well worth the price. For those of you that have cut back on shooting your AR15's, pick up the conversion kit and have fun.
ETA: I went out today with a different rifle and different ammo. This is a Wilson 1/9 barrel shooting CCI Standard Velocity. I had one FTE out of 300rnds.
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