I'M HOOKED!

[mdashoot]

So I got my first AR done, Spikes Tactical 16" Midlength LE. I bought the complete lower separate from the upper, here are some cell pics.

https://www.m4carbine.net/picture.php?albumid=241&pictureid=1127
https://www.m4carbine.net/picture.php?albumid=241&pictureid=1129

I put 120rnds through it this weekend and it was flawless, more accurate than I thought it would be with iron sights (Troy). Now im ready for the second one. I'm wanting an 18" tac driver, the 16 will be my KISS rifle, I do have a magpul MOE and magpul MIAD on order for it. I am torn between a Mega Billet combo or spikes, I would really like the larue but dont want to buy a complete upper to get the lower. I knew I would want another one once I got the first one and im thinking the Mega for the availability and price compared to the Spikes billet combo. What would you do? Mega or Spikes, or even something else?

[TriumphRat675]

I hear Spikes is really, really great. Seriously, I hear that a lot. Glad they hooked ya.

This thread closes in 3...2...1...

[mdashoot]

Not really hooked on spikes, just the AR15 in general. The spikes billet does have some good features, but worth an extra $100.00?

[Just_Plain_T.]

AR15s as a whole become addicting.

If you're not careful, you'll want to build more of them with various configurations. The basic 16" carbine, the midlength setup, the marksman rifle, the carbine with all the possible widgets bolted on, the pistol, the SBR....

This can become unhealthy to your wallet, but lots of fun, quickly.

I only have two ARs.... so far.

[whiterabbit05]

Where the hell are the pictures?!

[mdashoot]

two pics in my first post show up fine for me

[ForTehNguyen]

EBR outbreak

initiate containment protocol...

[mdashoot]

EBR outbreak

initiate containment protocol...

The wife is surprisingly ok with the plan for the
Second one, a third might take a while

[RetreatHell]

...... What would you do? Mega or Spikes, or even something else?

Something else.

Why do you want to buy another AR when you've only fired 120 rounds through the one you JUST bought? Slow way down and take your time, man. No need to rush to buy another AR15.

Get to know the Spikes carbine you just bought. Instead of spending a lot of money on another AR, I'd personally spend that money on the one you have and make it more effective and versatile. I'd get an Aimpoint micro T-1 red dot sight in a Larue Tactical Tall mount, a high quality Surefire light (be it one of the more affordable G2s in a VTAC mount, or the excellent X300 or M300 mini-scout weapon light) in a high quality light mount, and a good quality sling, either a single-point or two-point, whichever you prefer.

The Aimpoint T-1 is just my preference I used as an example. Any of the Aimpoint models will serve you and your needs very well. And although I personally prefer aimpoints over eotechs for numerous reasons (not about to go into that here), if you like eotechs better then by all means, get one of those instead.

The main thing I'm trying to convey to you here is that you have hardly even dirtied your brand new carbine up, and haven't even broken her in yet. So hold off on buying any other ARs right now and run that bitch you have right now... and run her hard! Have fun with it. I would HIGHLY recommend taking a quality carbine course offered by a quality instructor. You will not only learn a shit-ton about your gun and how to use it properly, the way it was intended to be used and ran, etc.. but in addition to all of the great skills you'll acquire in a carbine class, you'll have a blast doing it! Trust me on this.;)

Once you take your first class, you'll realize that training to fight with the gun (or learning how to "defend yourself with the gun," if you prefer to look at it that way) is more addicting than the gun itself. And the next thing you know, your buddy will ask if you want to go to the big gun show this weekend, and you'll answer, "No. I'd rather go to the range and **** some shit up.":D

In all seriousness, I'm just as addicted to AR15s as anyone else here is. But I wish someone would've told me roughly a year and a half ago (when I got back into shooting again since I was wounded in Iraq about 5 years prior) to slow down after I purchased my first AR. Well, actually I wish I would've found this site and bought a BCM carbine instead of the POS Bushmaster I bought, but that's a different story (and VERY common around here). But I wish someone would've told me to learn everything about the one I already had before I just kept buying more of them. I've bought and sold 5 different ARs (3 were just the uppers) in that time, because I thought I knew what I "needed" and wanted for what I was wanting/intending to do with the guns, but I really didn't know shit.

I now have 5 complete ARs that I'm very content with, and each of them plays a specific role. Because of this, they all get used frequently as well, unlike before when I'd have a carbine just sitting in the safe not being used, simply because I thought I had to have it and it would be "perfect" for some application I came up with (in order to convince myself I needed it and would use it a lot), when in reality it wound up not fulfilling that role at all sometimes.

Anyhoo, just some food for though, man. Simply passing on some advice that I wish I'd been given a long time ago.

Also, here is a pic of my new BCM 14.5" mid-length carbine. I'm REALLY loving this carbine, and I'm probably going to run it in my next class.

http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv219/RetreatHell/BCM%20SBR/BCM%20Middy%20SBR/IMG_3087.jpg

This carbine setup is what I consider to be "KISS" for me and my needs. If I had to choose one of my ARs to take into battle and leave the rest behind, I'd choose this one in this exact setup (with the addition of my PEQ-15 and my Surefire suppressor:D).

But for your basic needs as of this moment, ignore the pressure switch and the vertical foregrip, as they technically aren't needed, I just personally prefer them simply because they aid me in running the gun more efficiently and effectively. But I didn't even know how to use the vert grip in the most effective manner for me until I attended my first carbine class, so I really didn't need one until I learned how to properly employ it. The muzzle brake is also nice for my application, but you may not need it or want it on your carbine. They have their positives and negatives. Shoot yours a lot and then try shooting someone else's 16" middy upper with a muzzle brake on it and see what you think about it. The free-floating railed handguard is a must for me. I just prefer them over any other style of handguards out there, but that's just me. You may or may not want to buy a railed handguard. It doesn't have to be free floating either. There's plenty of two-piece mid-length railed handguards out there for sale, so all that's up to you.

However, a nice high quality red dot sight, weapon light and sling are perfect, and they pretty much cover every single possible defensive (and in some cases I suppose, offensive) situations for civilian shooters.

Holy shit I cannot believe I wrote this much! Must have been that redbull I drank.. followed by the Starbucks frappacinno:p

Well, I hope this helps you out... or helps somebody since I spent an hour writing it all. Take care!

[1371USMCFL]

I agree with my Marine brother above me, learn to run what you have first. Spend the money you were planning on spending on the rifle on rounds to send down range. Learn what works best for you before investing in something more because maybe what you thought you wanted really isn't it. For me, I found that I'm not a fan of RDS's, so for me to buy a EoTech/Aimpoint would be a waste of cash. For my basic rifle it's just a 14.5" middy with A2 style iron sights, G2 surefire, drop-in rail, and VFG. Since I'm all that is man, I don't use rail covers.

This site is torture though for someone with the bug to build. After my upcoming deployment, it's game on though. One of the sponsors from this site is going to be getting a lot of their tax dollars back.

[PA1911]

Congrats on your first AR. I checked out some Spikes stuff at a local gunshow and I was impressed!

Have Fun