Poll: What kind of BCG finish/coating would you prefer? [Poll]

[Dr Prepper]

Sounds like something taught in a liberal arts college.

What do they say about females romanticizing the ocean?

I wouldn't know (thankfully) But I was told by a Indian carpool driver I was with for years at work that in India the sign of wealth is a big fat belly. He said women will throw themselves at you with a big gut. He said theres a street corner in India where typically rich men can go stand and pick up women, like reverse prostitution. He kept inviting me to go back to India with him apparently his dad was a big to do back there and civil engineer who made most if the street and bridges and infrastructure back when they were modernizing. Who knows though I wasn't about to find out, with some of the other stories I heard.
That and I'm happily single. I don't care to be tied down. This is why own guns and my friends usually don't.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Sounds like something taught in a liberal arts college.

What do they say about females romanticizing the ocean?

Get off my Wave!!!

 

[titsonritz]

Phosphate is my go to, Np3 is the only other option I use.

 

[monkeybutler]

Poll is lacking classic chrome.

Generally phosphate is fine with me.

 

[Tony617]

I used BCM BCG in my home built ARs and they run very well for me.

https://www.primaryarms.com/bravo-company-manufacturing-bolt-carrier-group-bcm-bcg

I did pickup a few Toolcraft BCGs for spares and put in one my ARs. I have only shot about 400 rounds but it cycles fine and never a problems with it so far.

 

[3MTA3]

The reason phosphate is still around and such a great coating is its a porous coating that traps and holds lube, making it a very good for corrosion resistance and also makes it very lubricious under adverse conditions.
Really though there are no bad choices as long as you keep them lubed well.

I'm not adverse to phosphate, but the "it's rough so it can hold lube to make it slicker" never held water for me. If it wasn't so high friction you wouldn't need to run it dripping wet.

You would never treat a bore with phosphate due to the high friction, so why would you put it on the bearing surfaces of a moving part?

IMO phosphate was specified because better slicker durable protective coatings weren't available when the AR platform came into being. It is tough, inexpensive, and does not change the temper of materials it's applied to, so it does have some advantages. Friction reduction and ease of cleaning are not among it's benefits.

I did vote nitride above, but it must be applied carefully to the bolt to prevent the heat from changing temper. No experience with the others, though the SOTAR has shown that some of them improperly applied can fail miserably.

 

[Dr Prepper]

I'm not adverse to phosphate, but the "it's rough so it can hold lube to make it slicker" never held water for me. If it wasn't so high friction you wouldn't need to run it dripping wet.

You would never treat a bore with phosphate due to the high friction, so why would you put it on the bearing surfaces of a moving part?

IMO phosphate was specified because better slicker durable protective coatings weren't available when the AR platform came into being. It is tough, inexpensive, and does not change the temper of materials it's applied to, so it does have some advantages. Friction reduction and ease of cleaning are not among it's benefits.

I did vote nitride above, but it must be applied carefully to the bolt to prevent the heat from changing temper. No experience with the others, though the SOTAR has shown that some of them improperly applied can fail miserably.

Well it may be harder I'll take your word for it, I'm betting its sort of like alum. anodizing where its a sort of tube *matrix aka honeycomb* that holds and traps in the liquid making the liquid - lube in this case the bearing surface. Also the fact that your talking about a system that just belches carbon and fouling all in that action and area kinda makes it a moot point. Any one of these coatings are going to be dealing with friction and grit to some degree.
Side note. I really wish we could find a way to make a a combo of DI and piston so you get the benefits of both a sealed gas clean system but also get the chamber pressure drop of the delayed blow back. Would be pretty nifty.

 

[nwslopoke]

I'll start with, as far as I know. Phosphate BCG's are accompanied with chrome lining. I can't say that as a fact, but it has been my experience.

I have 2 nickel boron BCGs of different qualities. One polished from the factory and the other has a dull, textured finish. As well as several nitride BCGs. It would seem the Phosphate is the cheapest and low man in ranking but the only battle tested example. I agree, time and science have advanced since 1960, why not take advantage of it?

 

[Dr Prepper]

I'll start with, as far as I know. Phosphate BCG's are accompanied with chrome lining. I can't say that as a fact, but it has been my experience.

I have 2 nickel boron BCGs of different qualities. One polished from the factory and the other has a dull, textured finish. As well as several nitride BCGs. It would seem the Phosphate is the cheapest and low man in ranking but the only battle tested example. I agree, time and science have advanced since 1960, why not take advantage of it?

Chrome on the inside where the bolt slides (the piston/gas chamber area) And the key, in other words all the gas areas. The phosphate is only on the outside.

Come to think of it, I have the darker frosted kinda chrome looking carrier as well as a nickel boron. I wish I could remember what that other coating was. I know its a Surplus ammo "franken bolt" from back in the day. It discolors really easy like moly stains it permanently from what I've seen.

Looks like they still have one of those types of finishes.. And FWIW I will NEVER shop at SAA again. Terrible experiences, more than one.

SAA AR-15/M16 - BCG MPI -Partial NICKEL BORON V1.2 - .223/5.56/300AAC Complete Bolt Carrier Group

SAA - AR15/M16 Partial Nickel Boron V1.2 Bolt Carrier Group (BCG)

www.surplusammo.com

 

[monkeybutler]

Keep it greasy and it will go down easy.

 

[Phred]

I currently have a nickel boron BCG. My next one will be DLC. I have used DLC in racing engines and it's great stuff. Ran a full season with DLC processed piston pins on a sprint car. They looked new at the next rebuild, and the bushings in the rod pin bores were barely worn. Only downside is it's not cheap. NASCAR guys use it on a lot of engine components, especially areas were there is metal to metal contact. Just like AR's.

 

[clanhanson]

DLC is best and nickel boron is a rather poor choice for a BCG. I almost never lubricate my AR so phosphate is out.

 

[ferret427]

I had never used anything but a bog standard BCG until a few years ago I was putting together my .300BLK. I was going the SBR route and planned to supress it (my first build). I really like the rifle, though it is not perfect.

One of the things that seems to have worked out was that after watching a lot of videos and reading blogs, I got paranoid about how dirty DI suppressed systems can get. I spent a bunch of $ on a Cryptic Coatings black BCG. I have never bought another one, but the thing is awesome.

As an example, I took a carbine course where I went through about 250 rounds suppressed (supersonic ammo) without any maintenance during the class. After the class, I cleaned the BCG with Kleenex and Q-tips, no solvent. Shiny as new. The back of the bolt itself still requires extra cleaning, but the rest is literally shoot and wipe (Doh just realized the pun, keeping it).

I have about 2000 rounds through the rifle and the BCG still looks pretty much new.

 

[Z-PDX]

not any of experience with anything failing on my personal stuff. shiny stuff or basic black.

i keep them well lubed and they run.

i'd be more worried about gas key being properly torques and staked rather than flavor or coating.

 

[Nosferatu]

The bolt in my happy-switched, suppressed FNC was NP3'd. It was nice being able to rinse it off with water, dry it, slap it back in and waste another couple hundred bucks of 5.56.

Haven't had any fancy coatings on bolts since, but would certainly look at NP3 first.