That's been my experience as well.
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Why you should avoid NiB AR BCG’s
- Thread starter cmshoot
- Start date
I have never ran into issues with head space problems due to NiB but I can see where it is possible. I don't like NiB anyway. It looks nice when new but it blackens with a little use and is pretty hard to restore to original shine. I have found that a buffing wheel on the bench grinder works but shouldn't have to go through all that. I have never bought into the "lubricity" argument either. My preference is nitrided/black oxided carriers. I have heard a few arguments against nitrided bolts but never seen any evidence of the problems with them.
The fact that someone’s gun works is not indicative of reliability of a part itself.
With AR’s themselves you can have a gun that is on the ragged edge of reliability. So, the owner has never had an issue, but that don’t mean that an issue ain’t present.
Add to this the fact that the average AR owner shoots an average of 150rds out of that AR per year. For folks that fit that group, the fact that they’ve never had an issue, or “I’ve had my AR for 5 years and I’ve never had an issue!” doesn’t mean anything. I’ve had students in some of my advanced classes shoot more in a single day than the average AR owner shoots in 5 years. In my “regular” classes most students will shoot more than the average AR owner shoots in 3-4 years.
When looking at how reliable a system is, there is a huuuuge difference between 600 rounds in a day and 600 rounds spaced out over 4 years and 12 trips to the range.
The info is out there. Do with it as you will.
With AR’s themselves you can have a gun that is on the ragged edge of reliability. So, the owner has never had an issue, but that don’t mean that an issue ain’t present.
Add to this the fact that the average AR owner shoots an average of 150rds out of that AR per year. For folks that fit that group, the fact that they’ve never had an issue, or “I’ve had my AR for 5 years and I’ve never had an issue!” doesn’t mean anything. I’ve had students in some of my advanced classes shoot more in a single day than the average AR owner shoots in 5 years. In my “regular” classes most students will shoot more than the average AR owner shoots in 3-4 years.
When looking at how reliable a system is, there is a huuuuge difference between 600 rounds in a day and 600 rounds spaced out over 4 years and 12 trips to the range.
The info is out there. Do with it as you will.
I barely understand most of the very technical aspects of this discussion. So I stick with stock Colt BCG or Sionincs NP3, hope I’m good to go.
If NiB is so great, why aren’t companies like LMT, KAC, Sionics, or HK using it? None of them currently are, although some of them messed with it in the past. Why aren’t they using it? Because of many of the issues listed above. Look at the KAC Sandcutter BCG, or the LMT Enhanced Bolt. What is that silver plating on both of those? Hard chrome, not NiB.
Hold up now, my psa nib bcg has been flawless with my ptac upper, just as good for less than big names all made by the same 
If it say BCM. You good.
I own this little sh1t: https://www.rainierarms.com/lwrci-six8-uciw-8-black-sbr/
Apparently it’s NiB. What do you recommend? Ive only fired about a 100 rounds thru it. I’m not a gunsmith and not very technical when it comes to parts.
Apparently it’s NiB. What do you recommend? Ive only fired about a 100 rounds thru it. I’m not a gunsmith and not very technical when it comes to parts.
If you have a set of Go-No Go gauges, check the head space. If the headspace is good, keep on running it.
If it isn’t good, check it again with a “known” bolt. If it still isn’t good, the problem is with the barrel.
If the headspace is a Go with the “known’ bolt, but not the NiB bolt, then the problem is with the NiB bolt. Replace it.
If this isn’t a serious-use gun, and it’s running so far, you can just keep on running it until it doesn’t anymore.
Whenever you’re cleaning it, inspect your bolt and carrier for chips and cracks. I do that with all my BCG’s, regardless of what they’re made of or coated with.
