Spikes Tactical vs Daniel Defense? please help me decide

[Jriss138]

Hello I am not new to the AR platform but I never really thought of actually owning one until now (they remind me of work haha) For some reason now I have the bug to own one. I have the option of buying either a Spikes Tactical ST-15 16" M4 LE Carbine http://www.spikestactical.com/new/z/...ine-p-387.html
Or a DANIEL DEFENSE M4 CARBINE, V2
https://danieldefense.com/rifles/dan...arbine-v2.html
I can get the Spikes for around $830 with about a one month wait and I do have a Knights Armament quad rail that I would put on it. Or I could buy the Daniel Defense right now for around $1200 that is in stock at my local gun shop. Both are in my budget. I know the DD is quite a bit more but I don't mind paying more for quality. I don't however want to pay more for a name. I know the DD has a cold hammer forged barrel and includes the quad rail. What are your thoughts? I'd appreciate the input very much.

[DeaconKC]

My best friend win a DD at the NRA convention and is absolutely crazy about it.

[AJBert]

Between the two, I'd go DD even with the price difference. Both are quality firearms but I'd put my money on the DD. JMHO.

[Planedude]

I would buy a DD if I had it available and wanted it today.

I am trying to pick-up a Spikes stripped lower right now (the Zombie one) as a Christmas gift for my Son-In-Law. He plays alot of zombie shoot-um-up games with his nerdy freinds and gets a giggle from the ideal of a zombie gun...
He like building things I belive he will enjoy that build too.
I have found a guy in Austin that has Spikes stripped lowers and has one with an SBR sn#. I want to build a handy suppressored "pig gun" some day and that would fit my minds blueprint. That said The other part of the BP is a Daniel Defence SBR BBL...
Both companies make great products with DD have a small edge. It's all in what you want to spend $$$

[MLESa7990]

Id look into the Stag Model 3 if I were you.

Comes in around the same price as the Spike's you show, but already has the Diamondhead versa-rail handguard.

[melissa5]

I love my two DD's (5.56 & 300 blackout) and wouldn't buy anything else.

[les strat]

IMO, of the two, I'd go DD.

<$1,200, don't forget Colt. Best resale, totally milspec, and every barrel and bolt MP tested, not batch tested. But I am partial

Just sayin.

[Jriss138]

OK, so it seems like DD is the way to go. What about the Daniel Defense M4 Carbine, XVEZ? http://westernsportonline.com/index....roducts_id=921
It is spec'd more closely to the Spikes except it has a drop in 2 piece rail system included. It does not have the free floating quadrail that the DD has in my original post. But I can get this one for a lower price new. The local gun shop has one of these too and they are discontinued so once its gone its gone. I don't think I need free float rails anyway.

[les strat]

OK, so it seems like DD is the way to go. What about the Daniel Defense M4 Carbine, XVEZ? http://westernsportonline.com/index....roducts_id=921
It is spec'd more closely to the Spikes except it has a drop in 2 piece rail system included. It does not have the free floating quadrail that the DD has in my original post. But I can get this one for a lower price new. The local gun shop has one of these too and they are discontinued so once its gone its gone. I don't think I need free float rails anyway.

That is a great rifle and I think it will serve you well. As far as the rail goes, do you really need it? You'll probably swap around stuff off and on it over the years anyway.

[el_chupo_]

everyone has an opinion, right?

Be honest. ignoring cost, does the name matter to you? If it does, get the DD. If not, get the Spikes. There is nothing wrong with a name mattering - some like a known brand (resale, name recognition, brand loyalty or trust, etc), and others want a known quality, relatively unknown brand. Spikes is growing very quickly (along with BCM, and for good reason), but DD is a well known brand.

Both are full MP/HP tested (not batch). Both are full "mil-spec". Both are from very solid companies, with great reputations.

A DD quad rail is a solid $250 retail, so the price difference on the guns themselves are not that great.

I dont think any of us are real world "operators", but there are real world operators running Colt, DD, Spikes, Bravo Company, LMT, and more. They all make solid guns. They all will run within ~$200 of each other. They all hold their resale value very well.

Its not like we are talking a Del-Ton, JSE, or Model 1 sales kit vs a complete DD. Not that these are bad products, but they are built to a market.

FWIW - My current complete is a Spikes lower, LMT 14.5 upper, with Magpul furniture.

[itsthelaw]

I just went through the decision process comparing many of the guns mentioned. I found a DD M4V1 for <$1000 used with several add ons. I researched and spoke with 2 guys who train AR shooting. They were overwhelmingly fans of DD and Stag. I went DD, since that was best deal. I will own more DDs.

[melissa5]

OK, so it seems like DD is the way to go. What about the Daniel Defense M4 Carbine, XVEZ? http://westernsportonline.com/index....roducts_id=921
It is spec'd more closely to the Spikes except it has a drop in 2 piece rail system included. It does not have the free floating quadrail that the DD has in my original post. But I can get this one for a lower price new. The local gun shop has one of these too and they are discontinued so once its gone its gone. I don't think I need free float rails anyway.

I've got the DDXV EZ and it is a great rifle.

[Jriss138]

Just but money down on a DDMV7! Picking it up Tuesday! This journey for an AR took some twists and turns but I think it ended up with a better ending than the one I had planned haha. Thanks for all the input.

[les strat]

It's Tuesday........Pics?!?!?!?!?