Mag Tactical or Spikes???

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Mag Tactical or Spikes???

Posted: 7/9/2014 2:12:20 PM EDT

I'm new to this whole ar world and am going to build my own and I was just wonder what everybody thought was a better lower.... Mag Tactical Systems or Spikes?

Thanks for the help

Posted: 7/9/2014 2:43:21 PM EDT

[#1]

For my money It's Spikes hands down...All of there products I have purchased are top notch.

MTS has a totally unproven record of quality/workmanship/customer service etc., as a matter of fact
the ultra light mag lowers have received some rather poor reviews from what I have seen so far.

Good luck.

Posted: 7/9/2014 3:25:43 PM EDT

[#2]

I was wanting to lean towards MTS because they are a local company only about 20 miles from my house but after reading several reviews and stuff on here about them i might just have to go with a spikes lower.

Posted: 7/9/2014 6:13:53 PM EDT

[#3]

Reading the reviews of Mag Tactical on Brownell's kept me from buying their products when I was working on an ultra-light rifle for my small kids to hunt with. I personally have seven Spke's guns/receivers and love them all.

Posted: 7/9/2014 6:29:16 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
I was wanting to lean towards MTS because they are a local company only about 20 miles from my house but after reading several reviews and stuff on here about them i might just have to go with a spikes lower.

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I had a couple out of spec lowers. They replaced them and it was all good from there.

I later bought 5 or 6 more for super cheap (like $50/each) and thought most were out of spec. There was actually a piece of metal on the buffer tube threads that was keeping the lower from being flush with the upper. I just ended up pushing the upper/lower together a bit harder and they were all good to go. Whenever I actually use the lowers, I'm sure the tiny piece of metal will wear down a bit and not cause any problems; for now, the upper and lowers fit tight.

I won't say they are the best machined lowers I've ever seen. There are numerous differentiating markings on most of them. However, the ones I've used have been good to go and their customer service was good. If you aren't building a lightweight gun, maybe consider spikes or PSA. If you're building lightweight or want a FDE cerekoted lower, then go with mag.

Posted: 7/10/2014 5:14:31 AM EDT

[#5]

Spikes makes great lowers, but at the end of the day an in spec forged lower is just another lower. There's been posts here showing out of spec Noveske, MAG Tactical, Spikes, PSA, etc...

OP, if you want to buy something from a local company I completely understand. I don't know where you are in KY, but Anderson Manufacturing is based out of Hebron, KY. I just used one of their lowers for my dissipator build and had zero issues assembling the lower and it mated up well with my PSA upper. The great thing to is you can find them cheap. Like $39 cheap.

Posted: 7/10/2014 4:40:54 PM EDT

[#6]

ok now what would be a good upper to go with for the cost? im new to the ar world and do not know alot of the difference between the good companies and the bad

Posted: 7/10/2014 6:27:11 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
ok now what would be a good upper to go with for the cost? im new to the ar world and do not know alot of the difference between the good companies and the bad

View Quote

Try Del-Ton or BCM uppers...

Posted: 7/10/2014 7:32:10 PM EDT

[#8]

Are you looking for a complete upper assembly or just a upper receiver?

Posted: 7/11/2014 3:09:36 PM EDT

[#9]

I was think a stripped upper and I can just build it myself

Posted: 7/13/2014 3:08:10 PM EDT

[#10]

Any in-spec stripped upper receiver will do. Anderson makes upper receivers as well.

Posted: 7/13/2014 7:56:24 PM EDT

[#11]

I built my first gun pretty much all from spikes, and i think they have really high quality stuff. building a second one for my dad from spikes parts as well, here is my build list if it helps:

My first Build post

Posted: 7/13/2014 8:46:04 PM EDT

[#12]

Out of the 2 that you listed, I would say the Spikes hands down. They have a proven track record of quality parts and great customer service. MTS has what to offer you in means of a record? Just my .02

Posted: 7/15/2014 5:41:03 PM EDT

[#13]

Spikes fan. After four lowers and a couple complete uppers they are winners in my book.

Posted: 7/15/2014 7:40:13 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

I was think a stripped upper and I can just build it myself

View Quote

Buy a quality stripped upper with a squared face. You want your barrel to set true. Aero, Spikes are good bang for buck. Anderson used questionable marketing tactics on Arfcom in the past. I have no idea on Anderson quality as I have never owned one.

Posted: 7/15/2014 8:36:37 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
Buy a quality stripped upper with a squared face. You want your barrel to set true. Aero, Spikes are good bang for buck. Anderson used questionable marketing tactics on Arfcom in the past. I have no idea on Anderson quality as I have never owned one.

View Quote View All Quotes

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I was think a stripped upper and I can just build it myself

Buy a quality stripped upper with a squared face. You want your barrel to set true. Aero, Spikes are good bang for buck. Anderson used questionable marketing tactics on Arfcom in the past. I have no idea on Anderson quality as I have never owned one.

What questionable marketing tactics are you referring to?

Also, Anderson uses Cerro Forge (keyhole) for their receivers. If Cerro isn't quality you need to share share your inside information with the rest of the site. I'm sure Daniel Defense will want to know too, since they have used Cerro Forge for their receivers.

The OP wants to buy local, good for him.

Posted: 7/15/2014 10:11:28 PM EDT

[#16]

I bought a MAG receiver because I wanted one from a "local" manufacturer and I'm happy with it. I guess it would depend on whether you prefer the anodizing over having a lower that's cerakoted. I think there were posts on here regarding the early model of MAG lowers when they used a duracoat finish. I always suspected some of the reviews regarding the finish were from the early models, which lead to the switch to cerakote. I may be wrong though.

Posted: 7/16/2014 11:46:15 AM EDT

[#17]

Spikes for sure between those two.

Posted: 7/16/2014 3:12:05 PM EDT

[#18]

spikes is just another forged lower, nothing worth paying a premium for. If you are going to go with forged get an anderson or PSA or some other sub $50 receiver and save some money.

Unless you are buying a lower with a specific difference i.e one with a built in ambi bolt catch/release or in this case a lighter, different alloy, I don't see why people buy expensive receivers

Posted: 7/17/2014 6:36:14 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
spikes is just another forged lower, nothing worth paying a premium for. If you are going to go with forged get an anderson or PSA or some other sub $50 receiver and save some money.

Unless you are buying a lower with a specific difference i.e one with a built in ambi bolt catch/release or in this case a lighter, different alloy, I don't see why people buy expensive receivers

View Quote

Dat rollmark doe

Posted: 7/17/2014 3:30:35 PM EDT

[#20]

My next question is and I've read a little about it on here but what is the difference between PSA and PTAC?

Posted: 7/17/2014 3:35:59 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

My next question is and I've read a little about it on here but what is the difference between PSA and PTAC?

View Quote

PTAC is generally considered to be lower end on the quality spectrum...

Posted: 7/19/2014 2:27:13 PM EDT

[#22]

Well I went to the gun store and i ended up walking out with a Mag Tactical Lower, Premium lower parts kit, hogue grip, mag tactical stock and mag upper.href=http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x377/jpatterson250/AR-15%20build/DSC05515.jpg" />

Posted: 7/19/2014 3:36:09 PM EDT

[#23]

It is actually a EXOS stock

Posted: 7/20/2014 8:00:35 AM EDT

[#24]

Another Spikes fan here, handful of there lowers and a couple uppers have always been up to snuff.

Posted: 7/20/2014 8:21:21 AM EDT

[#25]

spikes stuff seems to be gtg in the builds that i've used them for.

Posted: 7/20/2014 5:05:20 PM EDT

[#26]

Looks good! How much did you get your upper for? I ended up getting my lower for a lot less than what they retail for from Palmetto. I'm hoping I can do the same for one of their uppers.

Posted: 7/21/2014 8:18:00 AM EDT

[#27]

I got the complete upper for $134.99

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Mag Tactical or Spikes???

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