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Thread: New to AR's in NJ. Need some advice

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    New to AR's in NJ. Need some advice

    Hi all,

    New to AR's. I live in NJ, and have been afraid of what our new governor is going to do with an AWB. So I picked up locally a Spikes lower before I found this site. All other sites are pro spikes but this site doesnt seem to be because of business practices, etc. I appreciate this site the most because it really seems like you guys know what you are talking about, which is why I wanted to get some advice.

    So, I am looking for an AR for the range. I am trying to stay below $1000 total. Do I...

    1. Get BCM upper for my Spikes lower (I would like matching upper and lower for OCD purposes but doesnt have to be)

    2. Get BCM lower and upper and sell Spikes

    3. Get Spikes upper for Spikes Lower

    4. Buy Colt LE6920 (Local shop recently had one for sale used for $850)

    5. Buy M&P 15 Sport. Have them local for $630.

    I am sure the M&P would be fine for the range, but I also subscribe to the notion of "buy once cry once"

    Some tidbits about being in NJ. FFL transfers are expensive, hence why I went with what I can get local for lower receiver (I can get Anderson, CMMG, and PSA lowers local also) FFL transfers are around $50 + a $15 NJ NICS Fee. So $65 or so. BS, I know.

    Also, our barrel length must be 16" (or 14.5" with comp, which is what I am leaning towards) You must have a comp in NJ as well. No flash hiders. Also need a fixed stock and no bayonet lug.

    Any advice would be much appreciated since I am still new to ARs.
    Last edited by jec1521; 03-20-18 at 11:52.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by jec1521 View Post
    Hi all,

    New to AR's. I live in NJ, and have been afraid of what our new governor is going to do with an AWB. So I picked up locally a Spikes lower before I found this site. All other sites are pro spikes but this site doesnt seem to be because of business practices, etc. I appreciate this site the most because it really seems like you guys know what you are talking about, which is why I wanted to get some advice.

    So, I am looking for an AR for the range. I am trying to stay below $1000 total. Do I...

    1. Get BCM upper for my Spikes lower (I would like matching upper and lower for OCD purposes but doesnt have to be)

    2. Get BCM lower and upper and sell Spikes

    3. Get Spikes upper for Spikes Lower

    3. Buy Colt LE6920 (Local shop recently had one for sale used for $850)

    4. Buy M&P 15 Sport. Have them local for $630.

    I am sure the M&P would be fine for the range, but I also subscribe to the notion of "buy once cry once"

    Some tidbits about being in NJ. FFL transfers are expensive, hence why I went with what I can get local for lower receiver (I can get Anderson, CMMG, and PSA lowers local also) FFL transfers are around $50 + a $15 NJ NICS Fee. So $65 or so. BS, I know.

    Also, our barrel length must be 16" (or 14.5" with comp, which is what I am leaning towards) You must have a comp in NJ as well. No flash hiders. Also need a fixed stock and no bayonet lug.

    Any advice would be much appreciated since I am still new to ARs.
    Welcome to the board fellow prisoner.

    You should look around for other FFLs. The one I use charges $25+$15 for NICS.

    The spikes lower is fine, build onto it with a good lower parts kit like a BCM or Sionics.

    I would get a BCM upper for your lower. You can get a 14.5" upper from BCM with a KeyMod/MLok/Quad rail and they will pin/weld a BCM Comp onto it prior to shipping. The comp is good to go in NJ and the overall length will be 16+". Add a BCG and their new CH and you are all set. You can also choose the Surefire brake of Battlecomp 1.5, both are acceptable in NJ as well.

    If you choose a 14.5 upper with a front sight post it will have a bayonet lug. You can have an FFL cut it off. Mine charged me $20. Or, you can cut it off yourself (gray area since you have a lower in the house)

    An LE6920 would be my second choice.
    I am part of that power which eternally wills evil, and eternally works good.

  3. #3
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    Option #1. Probably the most straightforward.

    Or Option #3b. Buy a colt 6920. Nothing wrong with that.

    Or do both.


    Maybe Option #2, if your OCD can't handle the mismatch, or if you think there's something specifically wrong with your Spikes lower. Sure, BCM's lowers are probably more likely to be in spec, and have better QC, and have a nicer rollmark. But if your spikes is in fact in spec, trading it out is likely a waste of ffl fees, etc.

    Options 3a and 5 don't sound like very good options to me.

    Also, 1,2,3,4,5. That's how it goes in counting.
    Last edited by MisterHelix; 03-20-18 at 11:53.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MisterHelix View Post
    Option #1. Probably the most straightforward.

    Or Option #3b. Buy a colt 6920. Nothing wrong with that.

    Or do both.


    Maybe Option #2, if your OCD can't handle the mismatch, or if you think there's something specifically wrong with your Spikes lower.

    Options 3a and 5 don't sound like very good options to me.

    Also, 1,2,3,4,5. That's how it goes in counting.
    Oops, sorry. Fixed the number issue.

    Nothing wrong with the spikes lower that I can see. They are high quality lowers as far as my research has gone. Just would like to do it the right way the first time.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex V View Post
    Welcome to the board fellow prisoner.

    I would get a BCM upper for your lower. You can get a 14.5" upper from BCM with a KeyMod/MLok/Quad rail and they will pin/weld a BCM Comp onto it prior to shipping. The comp is good to go in NJ and the overall length will be 16+". Add a BCG and their new CH and you are all set. You can also choose the Surefire brake of Battlecomp 1.5, both are acceptable in NJ as well.

    If you choose a 14.5 upper with a front sight post it will have a bayonet lug. You can have an FFL cut it off. Mine charged me $20. Or, you can cut it off yourself (gray area since you have a lower in the house)

    An LE6920 would be my second choice.
    The LE6920 would be my first choice. Colt is great quality, and their prices are really low right now. You will never go wrong with a 6920, and you can improve where you want over time. BCM is also a great choice, but aside from their BCG, it is just not Colt quality. Also, there is a great resale market for Colt, if you want to swap out "stuff." For example, a better trigger, like LaRue or Geissele is often a good first improvement, or a quad rail or M-LOK from Knights Armament or Geissele. Well, you can sell your Colt trigger (fire control assembly) and your Colt handguards, and get reasonable dinner money. Nobody wants your BCM trigger, for example.

    Good luck, and welcome.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex V View Post
    Welcome to the board fellow prisoner.

    You should look around for other FFLs. The one I use charges $25+$15 for NICS.

    The spikes lower is fine, build onto it with a good lower parts kit like a BCM or Sionics.

    I would get a BCM upper for your lower. You can get a 14.5" upper from BCM with a KeyMod/MLok/Quad rail and they will pin/weld a BCM Comp onto it prior to shipping. The comp is good to go in NJ and the overall length will be 16+". Add a BCG and their new CH and you are all set. You can also choose the Surefire brake of Battlecomp 1.5, both are acceptable in NJ as well.

    If you choose a 14.5 upper with a front sight post it will have a bayonet lug. You can have an FFL cut it off. Mine charged me $20. Or, you can cut it off yourself (gray area since you have a lower in the house)

    An LE6920 would be my second choice.
    Sucks doesn't it? Not sure where in NJ you are, but I have called everywhere in Bergen County, and $50 + $15 NICS is pretty much everywhere. I called OceanArmory and they have a good FFL fee ($30 with NICS IIRC), but are almost 2 hours away, so it wouldnt be worth the gas for the savings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jec1521 View Post
    Sucks doesn't it? Not sure where in NJ you are, but I have called everywhere in Bergen County, and $50 + $15 NICS is pretty much everywhere. I called OceanArmory and they have a good FFL fee ($30 with NICS IIRC), but are almost 2 hours away, so it wouldnt be worth the gas for the savings.
    I'm in Middlesex Co. I use Monmouth Arms. There are guys that charge $100 + $15 NICS too lol
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    I would say you should either get the BCM upper or go with the Colt LE6920...

    The BCM uppers are fantastic and you can easily get them with a 14.5-inch barrel with a comp attached. And the 6920 has become sort of a classic because it's the closest thing you can get to an actual M 4. Both are well built, strong, and reliable in my experience.

    Good Luck!
    Last edited by michaelc; 03-20-18 at 16:45.
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    Build the lower out. Use good parts, it'll be just fine. You have already have it and your ffls are criminals for the fees they charge.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by misfit47 View Post
    Build the lower out. Use good parts, it'll be just fine.
    This. Spikes isn't like DPMS or PSA in their quality. They have just had some bad moves in the past. And the dueling dicks don't help. But other than that the quality should be fine.
    Since you are in NJ, I would say slap either an A1 stock on their, or the Magpul Fixed Carbine stock is a really nice option, and feels good too, and is pretty cheap. And, unless things get stupid, if you leave NJ you can then go to a collapsible stock with ease.

    On the upper front BCM is always a good option in my opinion.
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