Who makes the best AR 15 BCG?

[rdinak]

Going to pick up a couple spares. Who do you think makes a quality BCG for the AR15. Prefer something coated that will be easy to clean.

Not looking for stacked tolerances or something that requires Unicorn butter to function. Want something I can throw in a Colt, Spikes or other low speed, high drag unit and achieve 100% reliable function. Must be made in America.

 

[Rstrick0352]

Rainier sells their MPI/HPT BCG's for reasonable prices. They have the crane spring and O -ring as we'll. I have one in my AR pistol and the finish is holding up well. Got all the big ticket items I look for in a BCG at prices that beat everyone else's.

https://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=3759

 

[Tangodown911]

Lmt or BCM plain and simple

 

[HOGTOOTH5R]

BCM or Daniel Defense would be my default picks.

 

[Casey Simpson]

Any mil spec bcg on the shelf fits with your requirements. They will all exceed your expectations.

 

[TACTICAL45]

Any mil spec bcg on the shelf fits with your requirements. They will all exceed your expectations.

Yep, you wanted a no frills set up, they will do it all day long. Pretty much everyone bases their own from them and go"Mall Ninja" from there. Couldn't even tell you how many rounds I have on my service rifle, I was the Armorer for my unit for 18 months, I never had a fail from a BCG. Misuse and little to no cleaning from soldiers cause issues, but never had a BCG go bad. Trust me, I had plenty of chances as the Armorer to "test" weapons. You can get them very cheap, just about anywhere. Now if you decide later on a HSLD set up later, I run JP LMOS BCG and JP Silent Captured Spring system in my LR 308 and a off the shelf MIL spec BCG and Buffer assembly in my 5.56, no issues.

 

[BravoSierra]

JP LmoS has a pretty slick coating on it that is real easy to clean. And it is certainly well made. My go to BCG's other than the JP is BCM.

 

[BLDTYLRY]

JP or Young Manufacturing are my preferred BCG's

 

[Redmanss]

I agree LMT, BCM and DD are are tops, but the OP said he wanted something coated. Young are great NM chrome carriers, but since he's looking to run this in what sounds like work style guns, he may want something more subdued. For that, I would look at a melonited carrier, and Seekins Precision has theirs on the market now: Seekins Precision Melonite M16 Bolt Carrier Group Can't beat under $150 either...

I don't have one of their M16 style carriers, but I do have a pair of their new low-mass carriers and they are very fine indeed. I only have about 500 rounds each with them installed, but flawless thus far with minimal wear showing.

Bolts wear and fail, that certainly happens and should be anyone's primary consideration when it comes to having spares. Outside of improperly staked gas keys coming loose (fuck you Bushmaster), I haven't seen a bolt carrier fail either in a shit ton of range time but I have seen some poorly manufactured ones. Machine marks across bearing surfaces was a bad problem with one brand, can't think of it off the top of my head but I have two of their .308 carriers at the house that will be blasted across a sanding wheel. I hate ordering shit overseas and not seeing it for months on end...

 

[Donr13]

young mfg

 

[TACTICAL45]

Good catch, I forgot about he wanted something coated. He could always have it coated locally, just an option.

 

[Regalkismet]

Personally I like the JP full mass bolt carriers and YM bolt carriers.

 

[wareagle700]

Forget the latest coating gimmick, just buy one thats known great quality. BCM, Daniel Defense, LMT, JP, etc...
I have found some coatings are so slick they do not hold oil very long and dry up faster. Even these super slick BCG's need oil.

 

[jonthomps]

I've always ran LMT. Never a problem. They're GRRRRREAT!

 

[BuzzinSATX]

BCM or Daniel Defense would be my default picks.

I'll second this....


Take Care,

Buzz

 

[oeser]

JP or Young Manufacturing are my preferred BCG's

+1

 

[mdmorrow]

for something coated look at the WMD nib-x bcg. I put that in my 300 blackout sbr and it's been top notch. I also have bcm, larue, daniel defense and etc. in other rigs. Any quality mil spec bcg will do you well. In my research, the WMD was the only nib coated bcg that accounted for the thickness of the coating. All the others take a regular mil spec bcg and coat it. Supposedly some people find coated bcg's to be too tight in their upper. That's all just internet hearsay though so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[MSTN]

I think I may. I promise that's what I'm trying to do.

We take the Young Manufacturing standard FA or NM FA bolt carrier - forged, then centerless ground, and then hard chromed - and have it Ionbond Diamondblack ("D/B") coated, a Rockwell 90+ hardness coating only three microns thick. Easy clean up. Low, low wear. I torque and stake the gas keys correctly, myself. Never had one come loose.

We use LMT shot peened, proof round tested, MP-inspected bolts and internals like firing pin and cam pin. These, too, are Ionbond Diamondblack coated all the way down to the gas rings. If I told you how long these D/B coated gas rings will last, you would not believe me - And I would not blame you.

If this BCG is going into one of our custom AR' upper receivers, we have enough bolts on hand to get the absolute optimum headspace for your application down to 0.001". We do this with our set of PTG headspace gauges in 0.001".

My bet is most folks don't even use "Go/No-Go" gauges.

 

[Guest]

Y/M

 

[Tangodown911]

Wes how much for one of your carrier groups

 

[MSTN]

Wes how much for one of your carrier groups

$305 with standard FA carrier. $345 with NM FA carrier. Plus shipping.

 

[Pusher591]

I think I may. I promise that's what I'm trying to do.

We take the Young Manufacturing standard FA or NM FA bolt carrier - forged, then centerless ground, and then hard chromed - and have it Ionbond Diamondblack ("D/B") coated, a Rockwell 90+ hardness coating only three microns thick. Easy clean up. Low, low wear. I torque and stake the gas keys correctly, myself. Never had one come loose.

We use LMT shot peened, proof round tested, MP-inspected bolts and internals like firing pin and cam pin. These, too, are Ionbond Diamondblack coated all the way down to the gas rings. If I told you how long these D/B coated gas rings will last, you would not believe me - And I would not blame you.

If this BCG is going into one of our custom AR' upper receivers, we have enough bolts on hand to get the absolute optimum headspace for your application down to 0.001". We do this with our set of PTG headspace gauges in 0.001".

My bet is most folks don't even use "Go/No-Go" gauges.

Wes,

If I have a LMT enhanced carrier/standard bolt could you perform these mods to it? Stripped if factory coating, hard chromed, ion bonded? If so PM me details and a price, I'll get it shipped out ASAP

 

[Grand]

For those that don't know, MSTN's uppers shoot well.

 

[BLDTYLRY]

If you wanted a subdued coated BCG, go with PWS DI BCG. It has a really slick Isonite coating that I believe is better than anything out there. I was able to pick one up for $99 before the previous election but the price for one of these is double or even triple now.

 

[Regalkismet]

Wes,

If I have a LMT enhanced carrier/standard bolt could you perform these mods to it? Stripped if factory coating, hard chromed, ion bonded? If so PM me details and a price, I'll get it shipped out ASAP

X2...i have a new JP Carrier I would like to have coated.

 

[BravoSierra]

For those that don't know, MSTN's uppers shoot well.

There's an understatement.

 

[ex95B10]

Am I the only one that likes the Fail Zero BCG?

 

[BigBlue&Goldie]

I'm a fan of the Y/M chromed bolt carriers. Consistent quality and the chrome makes it easy to clean. I have one NiB coated carrier, and I really don't see the hype with NiB; I prefer the chrome.

 

[MSTN]

Wes,

If I have a LMT enhanced carrier/standard bolt could you perform these mods to it? Stripped if factory coating, hard chromed, ion bonded? If so PM me details and a price, I'll get it shipped out ASAP

ionbond will only work with 100% new, totally carbon-free parts for the coating. They don't even like to work with bolt carriers that have the gas key already attached, because the thread locking compound used can leach out and taint every single item in the batch.

That's why we send in the carriers, bare, and then attach the gas keys when they return.

I'm sorry to disappoint.

Edited to add: I see my ammo is on the way - THANKS!

 

[MSTN]

I'm a fan of the Y/M chromed bolt carriers. Consistent quality and the chrome makes it easy to clean. I have one NiB coated carrier, and I really don't see the hype with NiB; I prefer the chrome.

The ionbond Diamondblack cleans up even better than the hard chrome.

 

[jasonfaz]

MSTN, those carriers look fine indeed my man!

My preferences have been JP FMOS 16, WMD NIB-X, and the PWS Enhanced carrier BLDTYLRY mentioned above. One thing to note regarding the PWS carrier though - keep in mind that it won't run if you're using a JP SCS.

 

[jasonfaz]

...and if you're shooting suppressed, you'll certainly appreciate the coated BCGs more so than if you're not using a can.

 

[Millionaire]

JP Enterprises and Salient Arms International are the best coated IMO.

 

[Birddog6424]

Check out the Rubber City Armory Low Mass BCG. It's Nitride coated, fantastic product.

I have two of them, and they are slick coated, but I still lube them like every other BCG. They weigh within .1 ozs of the JP, but they are $80 less money.

This is the low mass system used by Noveske, and Colt is now buying them.

Carrier only;
https://www.rubbercityarmory.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=42

or complete Bolt;
https://www.rubbercityarmory.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=41

 

[wareagle700]

The ionbond Diamondblack cleans up even better than the hard chrome.

What about lube?
Do you need to oil these BCG's? And if so, does it need oil more frequent than a phosphate carrier or does it stay put?

 

[jasonfaz]

I agree LMT, BCM and DD are are tops, but the OP said he wanted something coated. Young are great NM chrome carriers, but since he's looking to run this in what sounds like work style guns, he may want something more subdued. For that, I would look at a melonited carrier, and Seekins Precision has theirs on the market now: Seekins Precision Melonite M16 Bolt Carrier Group Can't beat under $150 either...

I don't have one of their M16 style carriers, but I do have a pair of their new low-mass carriers and they are very fine indeed. I only have about 500 rounds each with them installed, but flawless thus far with minimal wear showing.

Bolts wear and fail, that certainly happens and should be anyone's primary consideration when it comes to having spares. Outside of improperly staked gas keys coming loose (fuck you Bushmaster), I haven't seen a bolt carrier fail either in a shit ton of range time but I have seen some poorly manufactured ones. Machine marks across bearing surfaces was a bad problem with one brand, can't think of it off the top of my head but I have two of their .308 carriers at the house that will be blasted across a sanding wheel. I hate ordering shit overseas and not seeing it for months on end...

Machine marks on bearing surfaces would be glaringly reminiscent of one brand - AR Stoner.

 

[Birddog6424]

What about lube?
Do you need to oil these BCG's? And if so, does it need oil more frequent than a phosphate carrier or does it stay put?

Lube everything. A slicker surface is just Bonus Jonus, but lube the hell out of it like a normal bolt just to be safe.

If you are having issues with oil migrating off the bolt (as all oil does) try adding a light grease. Grease is a barrier lubrication and doesn't migrate. I lightly grease after cleanings then oil liberally in between.

 

[MSTN]

You can have too much lube … or not enough. Too much is better.

I've had good luck with Gunbutter and have stuck with it for a decade or so. That's not to say there's nothing better. I just haven't felt the urge to look for anything better.

Anecdotal experiences with one or two carriers makes for interesting reading. Come back when you've got a few thousand out there you've built with your own two hands.

 

[MSTN]

Am I the only one that likes the Fail Zero BCG?

I asked them at the SHOT Show why, if their coating is so tough, they didn't coat their gas rings. No answer.

Great advertising, though.

 

[wareagle700]

Anecdotal experiences with one or two carriers makes for interesting reading. Come back when you've got a few thousand out there you've built with your own two hands.

Haha, not gonna happen in my line of work. That's what people like you are for, answering questions so I can decide who to buy from.

 

[MSTN]

You can have too much lube … or not enough. Too much is better.

I've had good luck with Gunbutter and have stuck with it for a decade or so. That's not to say there's nothing better. I just haven't felt the urge to look for anything better.

Anecdotal experiences with one or two carriers makes for interesting reading. Come back when you've got a few thousand out there you've built with your own two hands.

I apologize for coming across like such a jerk. Just had a total knee replacement and the painkillers just don't work all that well. And I really don't think I've built more than two thousand …. I hate it that I exaggerated.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

Skip the coating - it's not needed. As long as you keep the BCG half way lubed decently, it'll run filthy.

I use BCM BCGs exclusively. Great quality, great customer service. I'm one of the rare folks that has actually had a BCM bolt carrier fail, and I still wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one.

 

[bustin]

Most companies do not make their own carriers or bolts, they are rebranded from a DOD contractor. Microbest, Toolcraft, Young, CMT/Stag and lw schneider make most of the carriers on the market. LMT is in there too but not sure how many they produce. Stoner/Midway doesn't make anything. Toolcraft and Young would be at the bottom of my list...just my opinion.

 

[wareagle700]

I apologize for coming across like such a jerk. Just had a total knee replacement and the painkillers just don't work all that well. And I really don't think I've built more than two thousand …. I hate it that I exaggerated.

Nobody's perfect, some of us just come real damn close.

 

[BigBlue&Goldie]

Most companies do not make their own carriers or bolts, they are rebranded from a DOD contractor. Microbest, Toolcraft, Young, CMT/Stag and lw schneider make most of the carriers on the market. LMT is in there too but not sure how many they produce. Stoner/Midway doesn't make anything. Toolcraft and Young would be at the bottom of my list...just my opinion.

What don't you like about Toolcraft and Young?

 

[Birddog6424]

Anecdotal experiences with one or two carriers makes for interesting reading. Come back when you've got a few thousand out there you've built with your own two hands.

I don't think a person needs to have built even one BCG to have a valid opinion about them. To a person who has shot the livin' sh!t out of them, they either run or they don't. It doesn't take an expert to tell the difference.

I'm not meaning to come off as a jerk either. But at the end of the day, the BCG is a pretty simple mechanism.

 

[sidewaysil80]

I don't know about being the "best", but I have been very happy with the Rainier Arms offering. At this point I am using them exclusively for builds.

https://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=3759

 

[ketchup]

For those that don't know, MSTN's uppers shoot well.

How well? .125" well?

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

How well? .125" well?

That is incredibly unrealistic for any AR.

If you can shoot under an inch consistently you are doing well.