Spike’s Tactical AKM and AR-15 Short-Barreled Rifles (SBRs) and Components

By David Crane
defrev at gmail dot com

September 28, 2008

A company out of Apopka, Florida called Spike’s Tactical is making and marketing some interesting products, including Class III AKM SBRs built on the Arsenal SLR 107UR Krink shorty AKM (updated Kalashnikov AK-47 with stamped receiver). Spike’s is building these guns in 7.62x39mm Russian (7.62mm Russian) and 5.56x45mm NATO (5.56mm NATO)/.223 Rem. calibers and offering them for approx. $1,700 USD.

As is that’s not interesting enough, Spike’s Tactical also offers…

their own AR-15 lower receiver (complete or stripped lower). It’s DefenseReview’s understanding that they offer both Class I semi-auto-only and Class III select-fire/full-auto AR lowers. Gunwriter Abner Mirander recently built a 5.56mm SBR with ultra-short 7.3-inch (7.3") barrel on a Spike’s Tactical lower for CQB/CQC and vehicle applications (i.e. deploying from inside a vehicle). Mirander chose the Spike’s Tactical AR lower due to it’s low cost ($115 USD) and it’s resemblance to the HK416 lower, due to its HK-style red color-filled bullet markings for the safety/selector lever. The lower also sports Spike Tactical’s rather distinctive spider logo.

The 7.3" barrel is made by CMMG, Inc., is chrome-lined with a 1:7 twist, and incorporates a CMMG gas block and Yankee Hill Machine (YHM) 5C2 Phantom-style flash hider/suppressor. The upper receiver is a Del-Ton M4 A3 upper with integrated feed ramps. Mirander’s Spike’s Tactical AR SBR 5.56mm build includes a YHM free-float Mil-Std-1913 "Picatinny" rail system/forend rail tube/handguard (a.k.a. "quad rail"), DPMS Panther Arms ambidextrous selector/safety lever, and a classic 4-position telescoping buttstock. The package was rounded out with a L-3 EOTech 552.A65/1 Holographic Weapon Sight (HWS) (NSN 1240-01-492-5264) and Streamlight TLR-1 (C4 LED) tactical white light/illuminator.

Spike’s Tactical also manufactures underbarrel-mounted and stand-alone 37mm grenade launchers called the STZ-Havoc Flare Launcher and STZ-Havoc Flare Launcher Stand Alone Version Gen 2, respectively.

Defense Review got a chance to examine the Spike’s Tactical 37mm grenade launchers at the DPMS Panther Arms booth at SHOT Show 2008, it it looked to be well-made. We did not get to test-fire it, however.

Company Contact Info:

Spike’s Tactical
2593 Clark st. Unit-3
Apopka, Florida
407-928-2666 Office
866-283-2215 Fax
sales@spikestactical.com Sales Email
http://www.spikestactical.com Website

Acronyms and Abbreviations:

SBR – Short Barreled Rifle
CQB – Close Quarters Battle
CQC – Close Quarters Combat