According to School of the American Rifle, a carrier can be milled to a spec that leaves room for chrome lining (which adds dimension) but gets a DLC coating or something that doesn’t add dimension, making the bolt/carrier less efficient with gas.
I’ve been running a house brand Brownells hard chrome M16 BCG in my version of a WWSD rifle (thanks AT2 for the insanely great billet upper/lightweight rail combo!). I have several thousand rounds through it and am extremely impressed.
Good vid! Agreed ..if you're a weekend plinker (like myself), don't sweat it. A regular BCG will do. If you have money to burn and more serious plans... step it up!
I use to buy those fancy coatings but later wised up and strictly buy either all chrome or phosphate with chrome bore. Microbest cant be beat for the money. They make bcg for many top manufacturers.
I have a couple of nitride BCGs that are performing well and look nice. I bought them because they were less expensive than phosphate/chrome. I wouldn’t pay more for nitride but like them fine in a couple of budget builds.
yes you can. Microbest is in fact better than toolcraft. youll pay for it, but they are worth the extra price. its good cost/quality increase@Hudsontransportllc
great fkn video! 🫡👍🏾 been building and tinkering for 11 yrs now, and still learning new things. when i first started i wasnt into the nerd factors, but i am now!
I’ve always been happy with milspec Colt BCGs or BCM. I don’t even get into all the other colors, coatings or anything else besides what just already works.
The thing with those 2 brands you mentioned are we don't really know who makes their BCGs 🤷 many companies use the same brand but put their logo on them, unless we're talking old colt parts, I believe BCM does not really make their own parts just more of quality control putting things together, at least that's the research I've found
@@sandymitchell8182 Colt has always outsourced parts. BCM and Colt have their BCG's made by Microbest. Parts made by the same manufacturer does not mean the quality will be the same. BCM and Colt require certain tolerances or they will be rejected. Manufacturers have different bins of quality and is why some parts cost more than others. Bin one will cost a lot more than bin 4 or 5.
@sandymitchell8182 if you see a chrome ring around the front of the carrier around the bolt, it's more than most likely microbest. That's like their trademark. Look at pics of microbest bcg and you'll see what I'm saying. They're really good milspec bcg. They make them for alot of good brands like bcm
I’ve never broken a bcg but I have now figured out that you’re supposed to clean out your gas tube on your over-gassed ar lol. Mine blew in half while coyote hunting and I had a straight pull bolt action ar till I got a new one in Montana
@ it was absolutely piled with residue, I don’t know if some moisture got in there and that caused unburnt powder to clog it or something. I started splitting about 1/8 of an inch after the chamber
@@T-thug_69 That is interesting as most modern appropriate powders for the 223/5.56 will not clog the gas tube. During the Vietnam war they lowered the amount of calcium carbonate (neutralizes acids) in their powder because it was thought to plug up the gas tube and leave a sticky residue in the carrier. Do you remember the type of powder being used? An over gassed rifle would lesson the amount of powder in the gas tube compared to an under gassed rifle because of the higher port pressure.
@@T-thug_69 Did you keep the clogged and broken gas tube? I have never come across a plugged gas tube before. I am interested in where the gas tube broke. I have seen them crack, corroded around the entrance of the gas block. The most common problem is wear around the raised ferrel end where the gas tube inserts into the gas key.
Arftac has great Microbest phosphate chrome lined bcgs at a good price. Great quality for the money. BCM blem bcgs are also a great option if you want to save a few bucks.
i been using my PAMAX Tactical Xslick the past 5 years and been hitting it hard with my spicey reloads etc.. brass steel.. they have been never failed me.. wonderful
Hands down. I've gotten coated bolts from probably 10 manufacturers. People don't often realize PVD and CVD coatings are not made equal. Cryptics are done better and a higher quality and an absolute lower friction than any other bolt I've ever seen.
Anyone who is watching this should watch the school of the american rifle. Chad had a great video on coatings and finishes. He runs a gun smiting school for the ar 15 and that's pretty much all he does. His video on finishes and coatings is from an armorer pov.
So there is a special coating that not to many people are aware of. Its embeds itself into the metal when applied correctly. Its Micro Slick coating from Cerakote. Its capable of handling heat up to 1200f. Its so good when applied to the BCG, inside of the Upper and charging handle the action feels like everything is on ball bearings. It doesn't chip ever , as its heated it becomes more slick , you can clean it with a rag or soap/water then dry off. This was a coating used over in Afghanistan because they needed something to stop failures in field involving use of oil. Yes you can run without oil. The gun will run! This technology has been used in Nascar engine programs because it works so well that it free up HP and adds reliability. So it is a process but worth it if it is done right....
I'm just a milspec dude, they're bulletproof. Spending $500 on a bcg seems wasteful to me unless you're a "professional". I've never had a bcg completely fail on me, I've replaced springs, but that's it. Don't waste your money.
Yea the upper reciever where the BCG slides back and forth and the barrel extension where the bolt slams into. I build a lot of custom AR15's part by part and I have specific brands that I buy to make the best, most durable, most accurate, and smoothest opetating AR15's money can buy. For BCG's I buy Cryptek Coatings. I like how they machine them inside to make up for the nickel coating they put on the inside of the parts, as well as machine the outside to make up for the thickness of their PVD and CVD coatings. Cryptek also does the bolt too instead of making the bolt black nitride like other companies who make coated BCG's. Black Nitride BCG's are not that easy to clean compared to PVD and CVD coated ones. If I was not able to get Cryptek Coatings BCG's and was to buy Black Nitride coated BCG's I would go with Rubber City Armory
Spot on. 👍 The group I shoot with own several POF rifles with Robar NP3+ coatings. Some just have the BCGs coated, others have BCG/Upper/Lower coated. The fully coated piston rifles all run bone dry. The personal fav is my P308 SPR Gen4 EDGE.
M-16 carriers have a profile designed to trip an autosear. Some material can be removed to prevent this (an AR-15 semiauto specific carrier), but the ATF has said that it's not necessarily more legal than a now-common M-16 profile. There's no rate-of-fire rating for bolt carriers. I don't know where you got that.
QPQ should definitely be in the discussion. Superior corrosion resistance, great lubricity, and super hard. Super easy to clean too. We used QPQ in Oil and Gas applications but I found out JP bcgs are QPQ coated. Needless to say once I found that out I bought a JP.
Just have a spare BCG oiled and ready to go for every rifle you own. Lord knows we all wasted more money than that on stuff we ended up removing from our rifles eventually.
Agreed. I carry 2 extra bolts, firing pins, and gas rings inside the stick or my 20 inch AR. I can rebuild the entire BCG in the field if necessary. The carrier rarely ever fails.
Micro Slick coating is Coefficient of friction is 0.167 very similar to DLC but it doesn't chip and can easily be recoated over existing coating if you think you need to do so. Also DLC heat rating is 480f and Micro Slick is up to 1200f
Nickel boron BCGs can sometimes be out of spec due to the coating. This was pointed out to me by a range officer when I was having cycling issues. I researched the issue and SOTAR confirmed the ROs suspicion. Changed the NB BCG to phosphate and the rifle cycled properly.
Instead of always installing the cam pin in the same direction, wouldn't we want to alternate the installation direction each time? Sort of like rotating your tires for equal wear.
I think it's funny that anyone would buy something more than a basic carpenter steel BCG. The military literally runs their firearms into the ground with these types of BCGs but civilians shooting 1/100 the amount of ammo want to LARP into something "more durable." If you want something for more style or just because it's "cool" then just admit that. Durable = just get mil spec.
I mean the military also figures an M4 bolt is only good for like 10k rounds so lol. Figuring most other platforms have essentially a lifetime bolt, mil spec bolt life is pretty abysmal.
I'm sorry you got the M4/M16 vs AR15 or more accurately full auto vs semi auto BCG wrong. The difference is the bottom of the BCG has a little more material, You got that right. But it has nothing to do with weight or strength. The extra metal on the bottom of the BCG (picutred at 10:14) is there to actuate the auto sear. The semi auto bolt will work just fine in an auto gun, but will never fire full auto, even if auto is selected. If I recall correctly the semi auto BCG was created to accommodate some legal requirements of the 1994 ban. There are ultra light BCGs that have bit of metal to actuate the auto sear, while being completely skeletonized . I'm thinking of the Brownells M16 lightweight and Faxon's absolutely fantastic 5.56 gunner lightweight BCG. The BCG also comes into play with some triggers, that can use the it to reset the trigger for faster fire. Although there are still some legal questions around these triggers.
I could care less what it's made of as long as damn thing runs reliably. Last thing I want is to be fucking with my rifle, whether in cover or on the range. Take care of your stuff, and it takes care of you.
I would be concerned about what materials are being mixed although probably not a thing with such strong materials but They are metals in environments that contain moisture as air contains a level of moisture-what I'm getting at is that different metals contain different Electrons and electrons want to balance its why in plumbing When you switch from an old black Dielectric coupling that is a piece of higher Conductive material Cause the currents to jump from material to material Away from the coupling Where it leak Is more more likely to Be formed from accelerated corrosion.
@@wnemethvargo284 Only to a point it seems. Is there really a drastic performance difference between, for example, phosphate vs nickel boron coatings? Video makes it seem like it's more of a user experience difference than a performance enhancer.
@Roxas13XIII phosphate holds on to oil really good, nickel boron is really slick and doesn't hold on to oil as well because it doesn't need that much. Nickel boron runs better dry and dirty than phosphate. it has better corrosion resistance than phosphate too. nickel boron is good with suppressor and ar pistols.
@wnemethvargo284 So as long as phosphate gets oil and cleaned, performance is about the same? I'd like to hear more about the "better for AR pistols" statement. Wdym?
@Roxas13XIII ar pistols get dirtier because of the shorter barrel length (less time for a complete powder burn), nickel boron is easier to clean compared to phosphate, has more reliability compared to phosphate when dry and dirty. chrome lined phosphate bcgs are a little more beginner friendly due to ease of oiling up, it spreads, and shows where you need to oil via shiny wear spots.
@ @Mike-li9nd No offense to AT3 but the gun industry(Like Many) has to come out with new "Shiny Objects" to keep getting your cash. This has made me realize choose hard chrome first on parts and nitrided second. It does have the advantage of not being a coating or plating but instead a surface treatment.
The rainbow ISNT DLC. Its a PVD type coating - physical vapor deposition, using a combination of metals and inert gas to embed the formulation. ie TiN is Titanium Nitride, so titanium and nitrogen. You also have TiCN, Titanium Carbo Nitride, usually copper color, TiAlN , Titanium, Alumnium Nitride, which is a greyish purple, TiN as you mentioned is gold, and other formulations to give you slightly different properties and will gove you different colors depending on the metals used for the coating base. DLC is a CVD coating - Chemical vapor deposition. They are different processes and do slightly dofferent things to the metal even though the end want is similar. DLC is ALWAYS a black to dark grey depending on the specific process used and the base metal and if it was polished, bead blasted, etc. One other thing you neglected to mention is why nitride is used over phosphate or what its benefit is - Nitride literally becomes part of the metal. Its not a coating that sits on top, like paint or Cerakote. It can resist harder wear better than Park because its a deeper penetration. PVDs are a few microns thick. Parkerizing/phosphate was one of the progenitor methods discovered for long term protection of firearm metals from corrosion and wear and heat. Right next to bluing and black oxide. Its done because its cheaper than the other processes, its a high temp dip where PVD and CVD types require specialized vacuum and high temp ovens with a sputtering device to pulverize the coating metals into a gas vapor.
Good video. Did your research and made this informative and digestible for those who’d rather learn in this way. Still I can’t take advice from anyone who thinks it’s okay to add anodized parts on their AR. When I see anodized red, blue, purple etc etc I immediately am kit listening to anything that guy has to say😂
I take it you don't build many AR15 rifles and do not shoot too often. Unless you just do not clean your weapons properly like 90% of average gun owners
I buy Daniel defense BCG and barrels for my build yea it’s expensive but it’s well worth the money ! They are mil spec and high quality they don’t do any crazy coating or anything unusual.
How could you not talk about chrome BCGs? Also, Nitride and Nickel Boron BCGs often are out of spec since BCGs are typically designed for a chrome lining, which adds material, and these finishes typically lack the chrome lining and the added material thickness. Having an out of spec BCG is unacceptable, in my opinion.
The milspec stuff has served me well for many years. There is better stuff at a higher cost, but why. I survived, what else needs to be said about milspec?
Man all of these experienced gun enthusiasts in the comments I'm just catching up and getting ready for the supreme Court to legalize guns for felons :D can't wait to hit the range again! Been so long and all I had was a hi-point back then cuz they were cheap haha
Unless the Titanium powder coating is polished, it's about as reliable as stock BCGs. I've ran thousands of rounds using Nickel-Boron and found they're the most reliable and easiest to clean.
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I polished my BCG years ago with a dremel and jewelry polishing compound. It has run flawlessly for over a decade.
Like the whole thing? I've pondered about doing this but not too sure. What coating did you have before? Does it stay cleaner or about the same?
@hustler539 all the external surfaces. Just a standard mil-spec bcg.
It feels lubed when it's bone dry.
Me too. Just the rails…
Takes no time, feels amazing.
@BLUELEADER78 ok I think I will give it a try, thanks 😃
According to School of the American Rifle, a carrier can be milled to a spec that leaves room for chrome lining (which adds dimension) but gets a DLC coating or something that doesn’t add dimension, making the bolt/carrier less efficient with gas.
Good, informative video. I am a chrome lined/phosphate coated BCG guy myself.
Right on
My balls hurt
@@At3tacticalwhat bcg is good for my do all gun
I’ve been running a house brand Brownells hard chrome M16 BCG in my version of a WWSD rifle (thanks AT2 for the insanely great billet upper/lightweight rail combo!). I have several thousand rounds through it and am extremely impressed.
Good vid! Agreed ..if you're a weekend plinker (like myself), don't sweat it.
A regular BCG will do.
If you have money to burn and more serious plans...
step it up!
That was a very informative video, thank you. I didn't realize that phosphate coatings get smoother over time. I'll have to look into that.
This video is going straight in my playlist of useful firearm reference and education videos. Much appreciated.
Thanks for a very informative video that declutters a lot of the hype around BCGs.
Thanks for watching!
I use to buy those fancy coatings but later wised up and strictly buy either all chrome or phosphate with chrome bore. Microbest cant be beat for the money. They make bcg for many top manufacturers.
I have a couple of nitride BCGs that are performing well and look nice. I bought them because they were less expensive than phosphate/chrome. I wouldn’t pay more for nitride but like them fine in a couple of budget builds.
Nitride has a tendency to make parts more brittle due to the extremely high temps it requires to treat the metal.
I run JP Enterprises for super accurate and fairly indestructible bolts. spend your money on the BCG, barrel, you can add accuracy to any set up
Awesome summary of all the key specs
Don't get caught up on brand names. Microbest or Toolcraft phosphate, chrome lined, c158. Affordable and durable. Can't go wrong.
Can't beat the quality of Toolcraft.
@@Hudsontransportllc Toolcraft is all I buy.
yes you can. Microbest is in fact better than toolcraft.
youll pay for it, but they are worth the extra price. its good cost/quality increase@Hudsontransportllc
great fkn video! 🫡👍🏾 been building and tinkering for 11 yrs now, and still learning new things. when i first started i wasnt into the nerd factors, but i am now!
I only buy Colt or BCM bolt carrier groups so that I never have any issues. So far that policy has worked out great
I’ve always been happy with milspec Colt BCGs or BCM. I don’t even get into all the other colors, coatings or anything else besides what just already works.
The thing with those 2 brands you mentioned are we don't really know who makes their BCGs 🤷 many companies use the same brand but put their logo on them, unless we're talking old colt parts, I believe BCM does not really make their own parts just more of quality control putting things together, at least that's the research I've found
@@sandymitchell8182 Colt has always outsourced parts. BCM and Colt have their BCG's made by Microbest. Parts made by the same manufacturer does not mean the quality will be the same. BCM and Colt require certain tolerances or they will be rejected. Manufacturers have different bins of quality and is why some parts cost more than others. Bin one will cost a lot more than bin 4 or 5.
BCM seems to be Microbest@@sandymitchell8182
@sandymitchell8182 if you see a chrome ring around the front of the carrier around the bolt, it's more than most likely microbest. That's like their trademark. Look at pics of microbest bcg and you'll see what I'm saying. They're really good milspec bcg. They make them for alot of good brands like bcm
I’ve never broken a bcg but I have now figured out that you’re supposed to clean out your gas tube on your over-gassed ar lol. Mine blew in half while coyote hunting and I had a straight pull bolt action ar till I got a new one in Montana
Where on the gas tube break? You should never have to clean the gas tube.
@ it was absolutely piled with residue, I don’t know if some moisture got in there and that caused unburnt powder to clog it or something. I started splitting about 1/8 of an inch after the chamber
@@T-thug_69 That is interesting as most modern appropriate powders for the 223/5.56 will not clog the gas tube. During the Vietnam war they lowered the amount of calcium carbonate (neutralizes acids) in their powder because it was thought to plug up the gas tube and leave a sticky residue in the carrier. Do you remember the type of powder being used? An over gassed rifle would lesson the amount of powder in the gas tube compared to an under gassed rifle because of the higher port pressure.
@ Hornady V-max boxed ammo for hunting so I think that’s their sst powder and AAC for range use and I don’t know what powder they use
@@T-thug_69 Did you keep the clogged and broken gas tube? I have never come across a plugged gas tube before.
I am interested in where the gas tube broke. I have seen them crack, corroded around the entrance of the gas block. The most common problem is wear around the raised ferrel end where the gas tube inserts into the gas key.
Arftac has great Microbest phosphate chrome lined bcgs at a good price. Great quality for the money. BCM blem bcgs are also a great option if you want to save a few bucks.
i been using my PAMAX Tactical Xslick the past 5 years and been hitting it hard with my spicey reloads etc.. brass steel.. they have been never failed me.. wonderful
Awesome information, love it!
So far, slickest I've touched was Cryptic Coatings. Nitride is my preferred, but I enjoy Nickel Boron if it's higher quality, like my LMT bcg.
Hands down. I've gotten coated bolts from probably 10 manufacturers. People don't often realize PVD and CVD coatings are not made equal.
Cryptics are done better and a higher quality and an absolute lower friction than any other bolt I've ever seen.
I love cryptic coatings BCG. Fantastic finishes and plenty of colors
I've got a stack of them and used them in customer builds and they are WICKED good. They seriously slide like it's on a ceramic bearing.
@ I put them in all my rifles. Recently put a gold one in my AR10. Looks sick af. Run the black in my 16in ar15 and the blue in my MK12
Subscribed after this excellent video
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for the awesome video! Would like to see one on entirely hard chromed BCGs like the retro H&R and Brownells that were used in early M16s
Anyone who is watching this should watch the school of the american rifle. Chad had a great video on coatings and finishes. He runs a gun smiting school for the ar 15 and that's pretty much all he does. His video on finishes and coatings is from an armorer pov.
So there is a special coating that not to many people are aware of. Its embeds itself into the metal when applied correctly. Its Micro Slick coating from Cerakote. Its capable of handling heat up to 1200f. Its so good when applied to the BCG, inside of the Upper and charging handle the action feels like everything is on ball bearings. It doesn't chip ever , as its heated it becomes more slick , you can clean it with a rag or soap/water then dry off. This was a coating used over in Afghanistan because they needed something to stop failures in field involving use of oil. Yes you can run without oil. The gun will run! This technology has been used in Nascar engine programs because it works so well that it free up HP and adds reliability. So it is a process but worth it if it is done right....
You are definitely a tactical gun hipster, the flannel shirt gave you away.
I'm just a milspec dude, they're bulletproof. Spending $500 on a bcg seems wasteful to me unless you're a "professional".
I've never had a bcg completely fail on me, I've replaced springs, but that's it.
Don't waste your money.
Great video, lots of info. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Yea the upper reciever where the BCG slides back and forth and the barrel extension where the bolt slams into. I build a lot of custom AR15's part by part and I have specific brands that I buy to make the best, most durable, most accurate, and smoothest opetating AR15's money can buy. For BCG's I buy Cryptek Coatings. I like how they machine them inside to make up for the nickel coating they put on the inside of the parts, as well as machine the outside to make up for the thickness of their PVD and CVD coatings. Cryptek also does the bolt too instead of making the bolt black nitride like other companies who make coated BCG's. Black Nitride BCG's are not that easy to clean compared to PVD and CVD coated ones. If I was not able to get Cryptek Coatings BCG's and was to buy Black Nitride coated BCG's I would go with Rubber City Armory
Thanks for the video man really do appreciate
No problem 👍
There is also NP3 coating for bcg parts and is actually one of the BEST
Spot on. 👍
The group I shoot with own several POF rifles with Robar NP3+ coatings. Some just have the BCGs coated, others have BCG/Upper/Lower coated. The fully coated piston rifles all run bone dry. The personal fav is my P308 SPR Gen4 EDGE.
Sionics MP3. Amazing bcg.
@@putpunt, I just did an 18" build with their new BCG, I love it!
@@jamescampbell4334, I miss ROBAR. They were good people.
There is also a Npc coating that really does nothing it just hangs out in the background.
Sad to see no Chrome BCG mentioned. For those looking for more information, the School of the American Rifle did a video on BCG coatings.
M-16 carriers have a profile designed to trip an autosear. Some material can be removed to prevent this (an AR-15 semiauto specific carrier), but the ATF has said that it's not necessarily more legal than a now-common M-16 profile.
There's no rate-of-fire rating for bolt carriers. I don't know where you got that.
I think it’s anecdotal but just the lighter weight of a non auto carrier would decrease cycle time increasing rate of fire?
QPQ should definitely be in the discussion. Superior corrosion resistance, great lubricity, and super hard. Super easy to clean too. We used QPQ in Oil and Gas applications but I found out JP bcgs are QPQ coated. Needless to say once I found that out I bought a JP.
I was under the impression that qpq is basically salt bath nitriding, (or as people shorten it to, nitride) with few extra steps in there.
@cheatinggravity173 essentially yes, but hardness, lubricity, and fatigue strength are greater.
I like my nano weapon coated 158+ bolt.
Just have a spare BCG oiled and ready to go for every rifle you own. Lord knows we all wasted more money than that on stuff we ended up removing from our rifles eventually.
Agreed. I carry 2 extra bolts, firing pins, and gas rings inside the stick or my 20 inch AR. I can rebuild the entire BCG in the field if necessary. The carrier rarely ever fails.
Nice job!!
Thanks!
Micro Slick coating is Coefficient of friction is 0.167 very similar to DLC but it doesn't chip and can easily be recoated over existing coating if you think you need to do so. Also DLC heat rating is 480f and Micro Slick is up to 1200f
Nickel boron BCGs can sometimes be out of spec due to the coating. This was pointed out to me by a range officer when I was having cycling issues. I researched the issue and SOTAR confirmed the ROs suspicion. Changed the NB BCG to phosphate and the rifle cycled properly.
Toolcraft machine their carriers to accept nickle coating so that they are not out of spec once coated.
The extra material on a M16 style BCG is to trip the auto or burst sear.
Thanks for the video.
You bet
Excellent video. Thanks for filling in the blanks.
Phostphate Toolcraft or Micrbest. Simple as that.
@@soggycracker5934 chrome Microbest FTW📈
🙏
Please speak on zeroing for dummies next.
Great work.
Great video
Thanks!
Instead of always installing the cam pin in the same direction, wouldn't we want to alternate the installation direction each time? Sort of like rotating your tires for equal wear.
Lantac EBCG ftw I’ve got thousands through mine and not a single jam
Surprised you didn't mention chromed bolts/BCG's.
Chrome is still king. NIB bcg have more issues than.any other coating. DLC is a great coating as well.
What about the OG hard chrome BCGs?
I’ll tell you my Cryptic Coatings BCG is bad-ass! Literally just wipes clean with a paper towel.
Why didn't you mention the OG chromed BCGs?
Because this isn't a super indepth video. It hits the basics, but it leaves out quite a bit.
This video completely skipped chrome carriers and bolts. In my opinion it’s not complete. SOTAR has video on chrome and why.
5:28 do yall have a video on this build?!?! looks sick and would love more videos/images about it!
I think it's funny that anyone would buy something more than a basic carpenter steel BCG. The military literally runs their firearms into the ground with these types of BCGs but civilians shooting 1/100 the amount of ammo want to LARP into something "more durable." If you want something for more style or just because it's "cool" then just admit that. Durable = just get mil spec.
I mean the military also figures an M4 bolt is only good for like 10k rounds so lol. Figuring most other platforms have essentially a lifetime bolt, mil spec bolt life is pretty abysmal.
Very intresting. I wonder what BCG i have on my Armalite M15 3gun. Anyone know?
I'm sorry you got the M4/M16 vs AR15 or more accurately full auto vs semi auto BCG wrong. The difference is the bottom of the BCG has a little more material, You got that right. But it has nothing to do with weight or strength.
The extra metal on the bottom of the BCG (picutred at 10:14) is there to actuate the auto sear. The semi auto bolt will work just fine in an auto gun, but will never fire full auto, even if auto is selected. If I recall correctly the semi auto BCG was created to accommodate some legal requirements of the 1994 ban. There are ultra light BCGs that have bit of metal to actuate the auto sear, while being completely skeletonized . I'm thinking of the Brownells M16 lightweight and Faxon's absolutely fantastic 5.56 gunner lightweight BCG.
The BCG also comes into play with some triggers, that can use the it to reset the trigger for faster fire. Although there are still some legal questions around these triggers.
Correct. I bought my first AR, a Colt HBAR, in 1996. It had a non "full auto" BCG.
I use the black nitride bcg.
Hard and no dimension change.
The last three coatings are dimensionally increasing. Can lead to binding and FTF, FTE.
I could care less what it's made of as long as damn thing runs reliably.
Last thing I want is to be fucking with my rifle, whether in cover or on the range.
Take care of your stuff, and it takes care of you.
Good to see an American who knows how to hang an American flag vertical.
🫡🇺🇲
The best upgrade ever is Patriot Arms Roller Cam.
If it don’t have chrome, ship it back home.
I would be concerned about what materials are being mixed although probably not a thing with such strong materials but They are metals in environments that contain moisture as air contains a level of moisture-what I'm getting at is that different metals contain different Electrons and electrons want to balance its why in plumbing When you switch from an old black Dielectric coupling that is a piece of higher Conductive material Cause the currents to jump from material to material Away from the coupling Where it leak Is more more likely to Be formed from accelerated corrosion.
So in a nutshell, the bolt should be carpenter 158 and then the carrier and finish comes down to preference?
the finish comes down to what you want to do with the rifle.
@@wnemethvargo284 Only to a point it seems. Is there really a drastic performance difference between, for example, phosphate vs nickel boron coatings? Video makes it seem like it's more of a user experience difference than a performance enhancer.
@Roxas13XIII phosphate holds on to oil really good, nickel boron is really slick and doesn't hold on to oil as well because it doesn't need that much. Nickel boron runs better dry and dirty than phosphate. it has better corrosion resistance than phosphate too. nickel boron is good with suppressor and ar pistols.
@wnemethvargo284 So as long as phosphate gets oil and cleaned, performance is about the same? I'd like to hear more about the "better for AR pistols" statement. Wdym?
@Roxas13XIII ar pistols get dirtier because of the shorter barrel length (less time for a complete powder burn), nickel boron is easier to clean compared to phosphate, has more reliability compared to phosphate when dry and dirty. chrome lined phosphate bcgs are a little more beginner friendly due to ease of oiling up, it spreads, and shows where you need to oil via shiny wear spots.
No Hard Chrome Plate? Its cost is less than DLC but CoF is close to DLC and better than NiB, slightly. It is extremely durable too.
@@torpedoarmed8970 I feel like an opportunity was missed to highlight the advantages of chrome over the rest 📈
I was wondering the same. Maybe it's considered too "old school" to make the list.
It also says a lot that many of those super premium BCGs are hard chrome. Like geissele, KAC etc
@ @Mike-li9nd No offense to AT3 but the gun industry(Like Many) has to come out with new "Shiny Objects" to keep getting your cash.
This has made me realize choose hard chrome first on parts and nitrided second. It does have the advantage of not being a coating or plating but instead a surface treatment.
Why no NP3? I have a Sionics and FCD both NP3 and they are top of the line.
Sionics NP3 is the get
The rainbow ISNT DLC. Its a PVD type coating - physical vapor deposition, using a combination of metals and inert gas to embed the formulation. ie TiN is Titanium Nitride, so titanium and nitrogen. You also have TiCN, Titanium Carbo Nitride, usually copper color, TiAlN , Titanium, Alumnium Nitride, which is a greyish purple, TiN as you mentioned is gold, and other formulations to give you slightly different properties and will gove you different colors depending on the metals used for the coating base.
DLC is a CVD coating - Chemical vapor deposition. They are different processes and do slightly dofferent things to the metal even though the end want is similar.
DLC is ALWAYS a black to dark grey depending on the specific process used and the base metal and if it was polished, bead blasted, etc.
One other thing you neglected to mention is why nitride is used over phosphate or what its benefit is - Nitride literally becomes part of the metal. Its not a coating that sits on top, like paint or Cerakote. It can resist harder wear better than Park because its a deeper penetration. PVDs are a few microns thick.
Parkerizing/phosphate was one of the progenitor methods discovered for long term protection of firearm metals from corrosion and wear and heat. Right next to bluing and black oxide. Its done because its cheaper than the other processes, its a high temp dip where PVD and CVD types require specialized vacuum and high temp ovens with a sputtering device to pulverize the coating metals into a gas vapor.
Good video. Did your research and made this informative and digestible for those who’d rather learn in this way. Still I can’t take advice from anyone who thinks it’s okay to add anodized parts on their AR. When I see anodized red, blue, purple etc etc I immediately am kit listening to anything that guy has to say😂
Geissele advanced bcg is the best. 😊
Thanks
Welcome
Ionbond, NP3, DLC, Chrome, and chrome lined phosphate are the only acceptable coatings.
Let's be realistic. The primary reason anyone is choosing these more expensive coatings and materials is for looks and bragging rights.
Or the maybe the vain hope they won’t have to clean and lube as often? :-/
I take it you don't build many AR15 rifles and do not shoot too often. Unless you just do not clean your weapons properly like 90% of average gun owners
I buy Daniel defense BCG and barrels for my build yea it’s expensive but it’s well worth the money ! They are mil spec and high quality they don’t do any crazy coating or anything unusual.
Spoken like a true poor man
@@FilthyFirearmsthe poorest individuals are those that demean others for their fiduciary decisions and oftentimes are ignorant on their own...
How could you not talk about chrome BCGs? Also, Nitride and Nickel Boron BCGs often are out of spec since BCGs are typically designed for a chrome lining, which adds material, and these finishes typically lack the chrome lining and the added material thickness. Having an out of spec BCG is unacceptable, in my opinion.
you can polish it and it will work even better and stay cleaner
The milspec stuff has served me well for many years. There is better stuff at a higher cost, but why. I survived, what else needs to be said about milspec?
Stick with phosphate or chrome. Not sure why chrome wasnt included here.
AR guys are hilarious.
Only the bolts are manufactured of C258 or 9310. The carriers are never manufactured of these materials. Carriers are 8620 per the Mil-Spec.
I'm thinking about getting the bootleg bcg that has the suppressed and unsuppressed settings
I love mine. With the jp captured silent buffer its just a wonderfully shooting machine
@professorchoke482 do you shoot it suppressed?
@whowhatware yes
@@professorchoke482 in getting the B&T print x srbs suppressor do you think I'll need a adjustable gas block too? Or the bolt would be fine?
@whowhatware .750 gas port so pretty standard. The bcg has 4 settings so Between the bcg and the buffer system, its tuned up pretty damn nice.
Good stuff thanks 👍💩
No problem 👍
I will just stay with Mil-Spec.
Good to know that full auto rated just means heavier. I'll probably stop buying those to save on weight
All you need is a BCM BCG
Damn right. BCM anything is trustworthy.
Exactly. It’s not just the materials. Bravo Company Also does a fantastic job of Quality Control.
BCM BCG manganese phosphate? Are they good?
Yes
What about Ion Bonded BCGs?
You got a heart but no response??? Haha Can we exchange that for an ACTUAL response? Lol
Isn’t Ion Bond a trade name for a DLC process?
I’ve had terrible luck with nickle boron and have since stuck to nitride. That’s where it’s at personally
NP3?
I fell on the LWRC side because the gas key is not bolted on.
Man all of these experienced gun enthusiasts in the comments I'm just catching up and getting ready for the supreme Court to legalize guns for felons :D can't wait to hit the range again! Been so long and all I had was a hi-point back then cuz they were cheap haha
Hard Chrome > NP3/DLC > Nitride > Phosphate > everything else
Nice and really I get what I want . Now to send a 20mm rifle to be gold plated let’s gooooooo
No mention of chrome finish?
Hard chrome
Chrome > all
They look like lightsabers in the thumbnail if you don’t anything about guns
Unless the Titanium powder coating is polished, it's about as reliable as stock BCGs. I've ran thousands of rounds using Nickel-Boron and found they're the most reliable and easiest to clean.
stop F'n around
get a BCM or SOLGW BCG, and you will be good to go!
can you name all BCG's, so we can look them up