How many rds will my AR15 bolt last before replacement?

[sirhrmechanic]

These failure/ wear numbers seem really high...

No, I don’t have empirical data except for firing tens of thousands of rounds out of AR platforms and never seeing a bolt failure. But that is not scientific.

But it seems to me that everything from barrels to bolts need to last for more than 100 30-round magazines on a combat rifle. I get that we haven’t had ww2 and that even in Fallujah, likely no one fired 3000 rounds. But what army would stick with a rifle that fails at 3000 rounds?

The numbers seem odd.

Interesting thread...

Sirhr

 

[Delta Echo]

20” guns break bolts a lot less than short ones.

Correct. Carbine length gas puts more stress on the bolt than midlength gas, and midlength puts more stress on the bolt than rifle length. But the only broken bolts I've ever seen were on carbine length.

 

[FishinGuns]

My take on all this, change out the bolt with the barrel, they are consumables.
I have always had spare parts for 5.56 and 308, barrels, BCG etc.

Especially since last year it was kinda hard to NOT pass up coated BCG's from Toolcraft for less than $90, BA barrels same thing $90 - $100 last year.

Anyone that takes this stuff seriously should at a minimum have 1 replacement part(s) on hand
You guys act like it's all new?
Bolts,barrels, gas rings,springs,extractors and firing pins are all consumables, PERIOD.

Does it make much sense to have a range day cut short because of a breakage from poor preventive maintenance ?

Magpul even seen fit to make a storage container in the grip.

So I’m 100% on board with your sentiments. I’d like to find a trustworthy bolt to last the life of my Noveske CHF barrels and my Hodge CHF barrels. A quality bolt in a stainless barrel, sure, 6000-10,000 rounds and a quality bolt hopefully goes the distance. A top tier FN CHF barrel from Noveske or Hodge going 20,000-30,000 before going tits-up, would be nice to have a bolt that can go that distance.

New barrel always means new bolt in my book. Replace the gas key on the carrier. And 2 is 1, and 1 is none, regardless.