Spike's .22lr Conversion Kit?

[Bimmer]

I've now seen a half dozen positive reviews of CMMG's .22lr conversion kit on the errornet (just like Ciener's without the bugs, and without the jerk), and I'm about to tell Santa Claus that I want one.

Then I saw Spike's Tactical's conversion kit, which is also due for release this month. It costs the same ($199), and at least according to Spike's website, it sounds like a significantly better design and execution than the Ciener or CMMG kits:

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/inde...roducts_id=176

I have no idea. I've never even seen one of these kits in the flesh. Can any of you who know anything about .22 kits shed some light on this? Should I wait for the Spike's kit, or are their "improvements" just Kool-Aid? Spike's seems to the be-all/end-all of .22lr ARs, but a lot of their stuff looks pretty airsoft-esque to me.

Please advise,

Bimmer

[Logic]

Based on the quote below from Spikes, these are some of the differences as compared to the CMMG kit. Also, the Spikes kit has an option for the auot- trip which the CMMG doesn't seem to have currently.

"O rings on the chamber adapter to keep the bolt centered in the .223 or 5.56 chamber and to increase the back pressure by sealing the adapter and not allowing so much carbon and gases to blow back, it also comes with a solid plug to take the place of your gas tube for those of you who shoot a lot or want to dedicate your 2.23 or 5.56 upper to .22lr. Of course, these will come with the electroless nickel finish that is on our current dedicated .22lr bolt. "

[lindertw]

I'm curious how that o-ring will hold up... there should be some pics here when they get the parts back from plating.

Get it and let us know how it runs

[Bimmer]

Hi,

Yes, Logic, I saw the paragraph on Spike's website describing their upgrades. I have no need for an auto-trip, and I don't want to plug my gas tube.

Again, I don't know anything about these conversion kits or their weak points. These seem like they might good upgrades to me, but like lindertw, I'm wondering how the (rubber?) O-rings will hold up.

I'm also wondering whether O-rings and chrome plating are just kool-aid. It occurs to me that most of the filth that winds up in the receiver comes out of the breech, not around the chamber adaptor, and it seems to me that a properly dimensioned chamber adaptor should center itself pretty well (and these conversions are never going to be very accurate, anyway), so I'm not sure how the O-rings will really make a difference.

Teach me,

Bimmer

[Bimmer]

Did Spikes ever begin shipping these? Or is this just vaporware?

The website still says they WILL start shipping in November, but I haven't heard of anybody who's actually seen one.

[exitinyourhead]

*second hand info*

buddy of mine has one on order with spikes. He spoke with them on the phone and the spikes rep told him they have shipped the first batch and will ship second batch within the next 7 business days.

I'll encourage him to post when i speak to him later. He's a member here as well.

[austinN4]

It occurs to me that most of the filth that winds up in the receiver comes out of the breech, not around the chamber adaptor, and it seems to me that a properly dimensioned chamber adaptor should center itself pretty well (and these conversions are never going to be very accurate, anyway), so I'm not sure how the O-rings will really make a difference.

I can't tell you about the O-ring or the Spike's, but I can tell you that my CMMG got about 700 rounds of Federal #750 thru it on Sunday. I just cleaned it and my upper before writing this and I was surprised how clean both still were. Didn't seem much different to me than if I had been shooting 5.56.

Edited to add: And, oh yeah, not one failure to feed, chamber, fire or extract with the CMMG on Sunday.

[Bimmer]

Thanks!

Spike's says on TOS that they're shipping these, but that they've received over 1,000 orders and are backlogged...

I'm yet to see a review of one of Spike's kits, though.

[GIFFMANN]

I ordered a dealer sample out of the 2nd batch of Spike's conversions. I also ordered up the f/a upgrade as I've got some guys with M-16s who are interested. Once it comes in, we'll be scheduling a range session and I'll report back.

We'll be running it on a dedicated .22 upper, a 1x9 KAC barrelled upper, a 1x7 Denny's uppper and one other upper, at least. We'll also be using it with an M4-1000, and M4-2000 and a Pilot, IIRC.

Really hoping for good things on this.

[Spikes-Rep]

We should have a bunch of conversions shipping this week.

-Tom