[Willard]

Thanks for all the input.
I think I’ll get some spare small parts, and a couple of spare BCGs, and call it a day.

 

[Creedmoor fan]

I'll probably run out of ammo before I break two of my BCGs.

A spare bolt and firing pin seems as good as a spare BCG to me. Bolts occasionally shear off a lug or have extraction issues but it's pretty rare unless the gun has lots of wear.

I have more than two ARs. I think I have one or two spare BCGs and one or two spare bolts. Before I buy more I will buy a lot more ammo. I'm just waiting for prices to come back to reality (maybe by 2026 if Trump is elected, maybe never if Harris/Biden steal the election again).

 

[ScottMn]

… that’s what happens when you watch “walking dead” and start to wonder how they keep all those guns up and running.
[/QUOTE]

Now that is funny......and therefore has a little truth in it for more of us than care to admit...LOL!

 

[cciman]

Nickel boron will stain (from explosive gases) and develop a yellowish and dull surface that does not clean off. I would not recommend it. But it looks sexy cool when new.

 

[nedsled]

… that’s what happens when you watch “walking dead” and start to wonder how they keep all those guns up and running.

Now that is funny......and therefore has a little truth in it for more of us than care to admit...LOL!
[/QUOTE]

There is also a healthy dose of “who knows what political winds will blow us into a complete lockdown on sales of AR15 parts.”

Except for lower receiver my goal is to have enough spares to keep an AR up and running more or less indefinitely.

 

[Creedmoor fan]

My goal beside my tendency toward collecting is to have enough ARs and ammo that I can arm a few people in case of things going really sideways.

My ammo isn't quite there yet.

 

[nedsled]

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-5-56-nitride-mpi-full-auto-bolt-carrier-group-516446953.html

Just put my order in.

Also an order for spare buffer tube/spring/buffer from another vendor. All done with my memorial day shopping and near as I can tell complete with my "keep one AR15 lower running indefinitely" scheme. Although I spose I might need a spare stripped upper to be "nuke it from orbit" completely sure.

 

[Royles]

Nickel boron will stain (from explosive gases) and develop a yellowish and dull surface that does not clean off. I would not recommend it. But it looks sexy cool when new.

I have three NiB BCG’s and they haven’t turned yellow & are a breeze to clean, just saying. I’ll give it to you, they are not “shiny new” looking any more but no yellowing.

I recently purchased a chromed BCG and it is sweet. No discoloration & as easy to clean as NiB. Very pleased with it.

 

[wile_coyote]

I’ve had a lot of BCG’s in different rifles. They’ve all worked the same. Never tried the LMT enhanced or any of that. A standard old Colt worked as well as any.

NiB are easier to clean but do stain. Nitride are also easier to clean as is hard chrome. The DPMS hard chrome carriers are not smooth or well done the last time I saw them long ago . The stuff being sold claiming to be smith enterprises but marked with D isn’t. It’s DPMS. I have a smith enterprises hard chromed BCG and it’s marked with the SE in the shield.
The only upgraded BCG’s I’ve run are in my AR10’s. They need it because they’re chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor. Without adjustable gas, h2 buffer config and HP bolts cratered and pierced primers would occur especially with the 6mm.

6.5 Grendel has a standard bolt in nitride carrier.

if you’re running a standard 15 then a standard BCG should be fine, just get the coating or treatment of your choice.

 

[Tony6171991]

I don’t even want to admit how many BCG spare parts I have….

Spare BCG for each upper.
Spare bolt
Spare firing pins and retainers
Spare gas key and screws
Spare extractors
Spare extractor pins, springs, o rings and little rubber nubbins
Spare ejectors, pins and springs
Spare gas rings
Spare cam pins

… that’s what happens when you watch “walking dead” and start to wonder how they keep all those guns up and running.

I have the same spare parts but so far I have only had replace the gas rings since the rings failed when I tested them.

 

[nedsled]

I have the same spare parts but so far I have only had replace the gas rings since the rings failed when I tested them.

Tell me about it.

I was looking at admiring my stash of parts last night and they've been around so long I am starting to see a hint of rust here and there.
Now m in a "cosmoline the spare parts" project.

 

[chrischoi]

For price and value I'd also say Toolcraft. I know some places will use Toolcraft carriers since they are an OEM manufacturer.
If reliability is your main goal, I'd even go as far as grabbing a carrier key some OCKS (Optimized Carrier Key Screw) and a proper carrier staking tool.

I went with a Michigun MOACKS.

Chances are it will most likely be fine as is. But it's just insurance.

 

[douglas girard]

have you tried AR15.com?

 

[nerr]

Bang for the buck, no: but I really like cryptic coatings BCG's (they just had a 15% sale over Memorial Day). A few posters stated above the 'walking dead' syndrome. I think cryptic coatings use Toolcraft bolts under their special coatings. The Mystic Black is really slippery, but they all can be cleaned after moderate shooting with just a rag. It MAY be slick enough to run without lubrication, making it a good choice for SHTF reliability.

The other nice thing is that I have different caliber uppers, so I put in different colored BCG's to alert me to having a non-556 upper: especially nice when shooting 300BO which looks and acts just like 556 ... right up until cartridge fails to seat and ouchies occur.

 

[yocan]

I'm the only person I know to kill a carrier. 1000 rounds of hot ammo. Regular popped primers swedish NATO ammo fouled up the gas key to the point it still doesn't work. Just scarred it so much it drags on the gas tube

 

[Couch000]

Sharp's rifle company Extreme Performance Bolt.

Full Auto Patented Bolt Carrier Groups (BCGs) | Go Beyond Mil-Spec (srcarms.com)

I love my Sharp's BCG!

 

[FireMedic-50]

I own 2 and have a spare Bolt.

 

[nedsled]

have you tried AR15.com?

Good luck getting an account going there.

I tried to resurrect an old account and got no response, and when I tried to create a new account it got declined for no reason.

Not the greatest run site in some regards.

 

[douglas girard]

Good luck getting an account going there.

I tried to resurrect an old account and got no response, and when I tried to create a new account it got declined for no reason.

Not the greatest run site in some regards.

sorry I haven't used it in quite awhile.

 

[Master Guns]

Colt. It’s the most proven. Don’t toy around with cheaper brands like SLWGO or any of the other generic brands.