Why you should avoid NiB AR BCG’s

[greg vess]

Other than the gassing issues have you seen anything else. One thing that I have been mulling over in my head the lack of chrome lining for the bolt. I thought maybe that could bring about premature failure since the gas rings are sealing against the carrier and not a chromed surface. What do you think will happen long term there especially under heavy use?

 

[cmshoot]

Not all the companies that machine AR15 BCG’s have them finished/coated. They sell them in-the-white to companies that apply the finish of their choice.

A milspec BCG has the carrier and gas key bores hard chrome plated. Many companies that machine them assume the next company will chrome plate those surfaces.

Hard chrome starts at the surface and goes up/out, adding thickness and changing dimensions.

Nitride starts at the surface and penetrates down/in, changing external dimensions very little.

So, if the company machined the carrier and gas key for chrome plating, and they get nitrided instead, you can very likely have an inefficient gas seal at the carrier bore AND the gas key. Add those together, and your AR can exhibit systems of being undergassed.

I do not know if the same can be said of AR10 BCG’s, since none are milspec……as in, it’s not part of an issued weapon system and there are no excepted specs. Most AR10 BCG’s are nitrided, NiB’ed, or some other wonder finish.

Long term, I don’t see an issue with gas rings wearing out exponentially quicker against the nitrided surface vs a hard chromed one. Both are very hard, and I’d say that the smoothness of the surface would be a larger factor.

I’m not familiar with every single BCG, but the only nitrided AR15 that I am familiar with that I would recommend is the Hodge. Glenn Hodge has the bolts and carriers made to his specs, and they are solid. However, I don’t see that they offer anything a fully milspec BCG doesn’t offer.

 

[AC-130 Above]

oh sweet, I got one of these NiB coming in the mail tomorrow lol