Spike's Colt mag lower

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Spike's Colt mag lower

Posted: 10/18/2017 10:44:26 PM EDT

I've been thinking about building a PCC using Colt style (metalform) mags, and saw that Spike's produces a dedicated lower. Anyone have any experience with this? I own other Spike's products and have been pleased with their fit and function.

Thanks

Posted: 10/21/2017 5:43:27 PM EDT

[#1]

I haven't completed/fired mine yet, but it appears to be a very well built lower. Mags insert and eject easily, mil-spec parts go together properly, it pairs well with the uppers I tried, and it feels very stout.

Posted: 10/23/2017 10:08:54 PM EDT

[#2]

I have used the Spikes lower on two different builds. I would rate it as excellent.

Posted: 10/28/2017 11:59:10 PM EDT

[#3]

Do these lowers keep the bolt locked back on an empty mag?

Posted: 10/29/2017 1:39:16 AM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Do these lowers keep the bolt locked back on an empty mag?

View Quote

Yes.

Posted: 10/31/2017 2:14:53 PM EDT

[#5]

I assembled one using a 8.5" pistol upper setup, haven't fired mine yet, got it a few months ago from Joe Bob Outfitters ran me $149.00, bought it as a "Blem" couldn't see what classified it as being blemished, had to be something very minor. It came pretty much fully assembled only thing I had to add was the trigger and hammer assemblies. Its very well built has a lot more meat than a standard AR15 lower, thing seems like it should last forever. I've test fitted different magazines in it, Colt style mags slide in and out very smoothly, ASC mags seem to have a slightly tighter fit, but they should work out fine. If you have a chance to get one you should jump on it, I think you'll be pretty satisfied with it.

Posted: 10/31/2017 4:34:44 PM EDT

[#6]

If the Spikes is as good as the ones PSA used to sell it will make a good PCC. I built mine with a dedicated PSA lower back when they were available. The Colt pattern dedicated lower is the way to go. The Colt pattern has a feed ramp which helps a bunch with reliable functioning.

Posted: 11/17/2017 12:50:17 AM EDT

[#7]

Finally got mine together - runs like a top.

Spikes 9mm lower, Kaw Valley 7.5oz buffer and tube, Aero Precision upper, Ballistic Advantage 16" barrel, ALG V1 13" handguard, with a Vortex SPARC AR on top.

Brownells AR9mm mags fed flawlessly.

I'll try to get picks up later.

Posted: 11/17/2017 1:22:45 PM EDT

[#8]

mags and bolts appear to be KEY with this lower.
i had a New Frontier bolt that was supposed to be both Glock and Colt dedicated lower compatible. it worked fine in with a Glock lower, it was a NO GO with the Spikes. Interference with the lower's feed ramp was the issue - the upper wouldn't even close on the lower.

i have 4 C Prod Design 32rd and 2 of their 20rd. All sit too high up in the Spikes Colt lower mag well. They cause the bolt to drag (Spinta bolt) and are a bear to get locked into the mag well on a closed bolt.
I got some Metalform / Brownells 32rd ones yesterday - perfect fit.

Now I need to find a reasonable way to 'raise' the upper edge of the mag catch opening on the C Prod mags so they sit a bit lower and are usable in my build... :(

Posted: 11/17/2017 1:29:25 PM EDT

[#9]

I have both a very expensive QC10 colt mag lower & just recently snagged a Spikes. It was under $140 shipped from Four Winds (their ship times SUCK though).

It is VERY well built. Came with takedown pins installed, everything is threaded/capped, came w/ mag release button installed. The only issue I had with is was that the ejector is pinned/stiff in place. On the QC10 it floats. This was a non-issue w/ my CMMG bolt, but did not play nice w/ my KAW valley bolt. You could either heat/adjust it, try another BCG or do what I did.... swap 'em.

For the price, it's the best deal going in a colt-style lower IMO.

Posted: 11/17/2017 1:36:07 PM EDT

[#10]

Mine is a PSA, but I love it.

Posted: 11/17/2017 1:58:35 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
mags and bolts appear to be KEY with this lower.
i had a New Frontier bolt that was supposed to be both Glock and Colt dedicated lower compatible. it worked fine in with a Glock lower, it was a NO GO with the Spikes. Interference with the lower's feed ramp was the issue - the upper wouldn't even close on the lower.

View Quote

That's interesting, I had the same problem but with a PSA bolt. Am I remembering right that PSA's bolts are made by NFA?

Posted: 11/17/2017 3:19:31 PM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
That's interesting, I had the same problem but with a PSA bolt. Am I remembering right that PSA's bolts are made by NFA?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
mags and bolts appear to be KEY with this lower.
i had a New Frontier bolt that was supposed to be both Glock and Colt dedicated lower compatible. it worked fine in with a Glock lower, it was a NO GO with the Spikes. Interference with the lower's feed ramp was the issue - the upper wouldn't even close on the lower.

That's interesting, I had the same problem but with a PSA bolt. Am I remembering right that PSA's bolts are made by NFA?

NFA sells their bolts to other brands I believe, just like their Glock pattern AR lowers.
The Spinta bolt I changed to is styled like the CMMG, the reliefs on the bottom of the bolt are more generous for the vertical stick mag feed lips.

Posted: 11/17/2017 4:15:23 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:

NFA sells their bolts to other brands I believe, just like their Glock pattern AR lowers.
The Spinta bolt I changed to is styled like the CMMG, the reliefs on the bottom of the bolt are more generous for the vertical stick mag feed lips.

View Quote

I did the same and switched to a Spinta bolt. It's not the mag relief cuts that are the issue, though, it's the depth of the bolt up near the face.

What I'm curious about is whether it's the Spike's feed ramp or the NFA/PSA bolt that is to blame for being out of spec. Obviously, Spinta bolts clear the Spike's feed ramp. Do we know if NFA/PSA bolts successfully clear the feed ramp from other manufacturers (i.e., not their own lowers)? This could help get to the bottom of the mystery.

Posted: 11/18/2017 5:10:54 PM EDT

[#14]

I just got a psa clearance 9mm upper and ran into the same issue with the psa bolt hitting the feedramps on the psa colt lower I have. I ordered a blem spinta bolt carrier a couple days ago to hopefully fix the issue.

My older psa 9mm upper with the same hybrid bcg has more removed from the front of the bolt and will close on the colt psa lower but not the new one.

I think they may have switched manufacturers since then.

Posted: 11/18/2017 5:23:49 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:
I just got a psa clearance 9mm upper and ran into the same issue with the psa bolt hitting the feedramps on the psa colt lower I have. I ordered a blem spinta bolt carrier a couple days ago to hopefully fix the issue.

My older psa 9mm upper with the same hybrid bcg has more removed from the front of the bolt and will close on the colt psa lower but not the new one.

I think they may have switched manufacturers since then.

View Quote

Interesting x2! That all but confirms the bolt is the problem, if its new iteration doesn't even work on their own lowers. What the heck was it designed to fit?! Obviously Glock lowers, but was it tested on anything with a Colt feed ramp before claiming Colt compatibility (by whoever makes it)? Very strange.

I assume the new bolt had that extra material added on the front/bottom to work with some sort of LRBHO. Probably a Glock system, which further supports my theory that it's never been tested on a Colt lower and has nothing remotely "hybrid" to it besides the name.

PSA fully refunded my complete upper purchase with no hassle, so I have nothing to be sour about other than some time on hold with support, but that really makes me think twice about believing any of their claims in the future.

Posted: 11/26/2017 11:56:50 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
mags and bolts appear to be KEY with this lower.
i had a New Frontier bolt that was supposed to be both Glock and Colt dedicated lower compatible. it worked fine in with a Glock lower, it was a NO GO with the Spikes. Interference with the lower's feed ramp was the issue - the upper wouldn't even close on the lower.

i have 4 C Prod Design 32rd and 2 of their 20rd. All sit too high up in the Spikes Colt lower mag well. They cause the bolt to drag (Spinta bolt) and are a bear to get locked into the mag well on a closed bolt.
I got some Metalform / Brownells 32rd ones yesterday - perfect fit.

Now I need to find a reasonable way to 'raise' the upper edge of the mag catch opening on the C Prod mags so they sit a bit lower and are usable in my build... :(

View Quote

I had an issue with interference between the feed ramp and my Kaw Valley hybrid bcg. I milled off a few thousandths from the top outside edges of the ramp and it ran without any problems.

Posted: 11/27/2017 10:03:00 PM EDT

[#17]

For grins I ordered one of the $250 PSA uppers and pinned it to a standard lower, using a Promag (yes I said Promag) colt mag block and it has functioned flawlessly.

I'm considering a dedicated lower in the future, however for the time being this is a good compromise. I can drop a tuned trigger into the lower and shot 9mm, 5.45 and 5.56 from the same lower.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Spike's Colt mag lower

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