Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles spikes bolt assembly

I picked up a Colt SP6920 today
I wanted it for a plinkin gun
the gun has some after market stuff on it but one thing I dont get is the bolt was changed out and replaced with a Spikes
I dont know much about them would anyone have a guess why it may have been done?
Are they any better do they cycle faster. As you can tell I dont have a clue
Hank

Maybe bubba sold it to a buddy who wanted a Colt bolt and he took the Spikes in exchange. kwg

Find a Colt and put it back in.

Possibility. The gun didn't shoot well with the Colt BCG and the Spikes BCG solved the problem.

If it's just a plinking gun which most are, I would leave it alone.

How come?

Spikes is GTG. I'd keep it.

Thats what I am curious about
my others are all stock I have to say these are not part of my experties but I am learning
Hank

Colt makes the best bolts and carriers out there, in house.
A complete Colt gun brings a premium if say a ban comes back around and they start going for $2500, trying to find a Colt bolt and carrier will be impossible.

Nothing wrong with Spikes, keep it for a spare or keep the Colt put back just in case but have the ability to have a complete gun. I swapped plenty of parts out on a few Colt guns but always kept the original parts. Wound up selling the Colts for a premium as original and had the extras to sell or use as I wished.

Parts are getting tight if you haven't noticed...

Yep that makes sense
I bought it as it is so I got what I got but I agree 100% aint takin parts off my other ones

Thanks Hank

I understand the value associated with the name "Colt" but, resale aside, what will a Colt BCG do better/longer than a Nickel-Boron coated Spikes BCG?

I do not know what testing Spikes has done to each bolt, nor do we know how long a Spikes bolt will last. Coatings have come and gone, some worked as claimed, some didn't age very well.

Colt has used a standard that has proven reliable for almost 50 years, upgrading with the harshest testing done by our military. Colt has the machinery to do it right, the TDP to know how to do it right and the govt inspectors to make sure it's done right.

In time all these new coatings and gadgets may prove to be the new standard but this industry has been known to be a little premature in judgement. As long as its new, it'll sell if its advertised well enough.

you could call Spikes and ask them about testing. I am sure they are going to be willing to share info on that.
We don't 'know' how any brand will last. We may have knowledge of how an individual bolt holds up, but as they are all shot differently, shoot varying amounts of different types of ammunition, and are abused, not abused, cleaned, not cleaned, as individuals, it can be misleading to make general statements.

I think the Spike's BCG is fully the equal of Colt, in material and quality assurance.

They advertise their materials and the fact that they are shot peened & MP inspected.

As I said, nothing wrong with Spikes but they have not been around long enough to stand up with Colt at least in my mind.

If my memory serves correct, bolts are scheduled for a service life of 5000 rounds. This is with FA carbine gas systems. KAC bolts are serviceable for 10,000 rounds and the testing has been done.

That said I ran one particular Colt bolt over 3000 rounds and it was already pulled at 5000 before I got it. I just trust what I know and am leery of new whiz bang gadgets and coatings that haven't stood the test of time. Too many retailers use the forums to push their end game.

I know Colt is tried and true but it sure doesn't sound like you're giving the Spike's (or any others) a fair shake IMO. Even Colt was new to the game once upon a time.....

As far as coatings go, Chrome and/or Nickel-boron seem to be an improvement to me and to date I haven't heard of any issues with either one. Have you??

Wow, I've run, run of the mill bolts, IE whatever John Holliger provides for at least 2-3 barrels minimum. Thats a minimum of 4000 rounds per barrel. Some more than that.

Never dawned on me they might have issues at a shorter life.

Have run a number of RRA bolts too, same results. At 3rd barrel change I dump them just because it seems like I should by then as I could have 15,000 plus rounds on them or even closer to 30,000 rounds.

Coatings wise, I don't think anything lasts forever.

YMMV

A fair shake? Maybe not but I've tried more than a few "enhanced" bolts and found they offer nothing more to me and years ago when JP E had their new wonder bolt I saw it cause problems in one gun. Seen LMT deviate and problems arise. Call me crazy.

Coatings that I've tried have failed miserably over a little time. I'm not saying this one will but I won't be the one to find out. A parkerized bolt wears into the barrel extension, don't matter what coating is on it, I've yet to see any benefit over a wet bolt. Have you?

Chrome was first used on bolts years ago and due to embrittlement issues, bolt life suffered. A few companies still offer it but I choose to pass on that too.

The bolt has to handle 62k psi time and time again or it's a bomb. Bolts do break but the design has fail safes built in. Angled lugs, offsets and such ain't bad but what do they really offer?

Can't say I've ever seen use for an exotic bolt.

I've never had a wet bolt fail but I didn't buy them because I wanted/needed a more durable bolt. I wanted one that's easier to clean....

I agree