I can't get enough of this series. I'm actually curious how many people are actually building these rifles. I had a helluva time trying to find the Aero Precision uppers in stock anywhere, which leads me to believe that quite a few people want a WWSD Stamp of Hubris AR.
Andrew B I am currently working on an 18 inch version. Can't weight to see how it shoots and handles with that light weight and rifle length gas system.
I built my version, I went out of my way to buy parts on sale, so getting the upper on sale took a bit watching Aero Precision’s website but it popped up eventually. The barrel... the barrel took forever. So much so I gave up on the 14.5 and just bought the light 16 inch on sale from another website.
I appreciate the work you guys put into this series and the fact that you don't care if sacred cows are slain. A quality BCG isn't tactical enough for some people, they have to have the latest and greatest even though it hasn't proven itself. Lightweight BCGs have nutritional value, the more you buy the better the manufacturer's kids eat.
I like standard “full auto” carriers in nickel boron coating its got all the best benefits of a standard just super easy to clean and do run better in arctic temps like where I live cause most of us up here have to switch to dry lubes in the winter which is the majority of the year here lol the nickel carriers just seem to handle it better than others.
Nickel is the way to go if you're a civilian who properly maintains the rifle. The military uses phosphate because it's porous and holds a lot more lube - they need the rifle to last 25 years even with Pvt. Schmuckatelli abusing it, and as long as he smears enough lube on it, it will. Nickel-boron is the exact opposite: it's so smooth and slick that it has very low friction in the action and therefore requires less lubrication. I'm not surprised yours works better in winter conditions.
Thank you guys, love this series. I have done extensive research and have a decent understanding of metallurgy and gun mechanics, and have deemed the sharps reliabolt and their improved carrier (xpg) to be a rather huge upgrade. The steel is much, much stronger, there is room for debris, all the corners have been taken off, the carrier has been balanced and has the back end ever so slightly enlarged in order to prevent carrier tilt. Also, the coatings/treatments that they have, such as NiB, Nitride, and DLC are a huge upgrade to the gritty milspec phosphate. They did have a batch or two at first with shitty heat treat, but the last issue I can find was years ago, and they’ve only become more popular. I looked through the comments before posting this to make sure you hadn’t already said anything about it, and I did see lots of people asking about it. Would super appreciate your thoughts if you get the chance sometime. Thanks again.
Ben Griffith increasing room for debris also increases room for debris to enter the action. The standard bcg helps seal the upper from influx of debris
I’m sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant the space that the redesigned lugs afford, which wouldn’t allow any more debris to enter, unlike some designs that are on the bolt carrier and not the bolt itself. I have actually examined and compared the design of the XBG vs milspec, and there is negligible difference between the gaps that would allow debris to enter the system, although I would love a design that closes it off as much as possible.
Does it really matter that much though is the real question, it's kind of like demanding an aluminum lower for these weapons when polymer is more than fine. There comes a point when turning everything into a brick shithouse is honestly unnecessary. That being said, I really find it fascinating just how far every single part of the AR has been engineered today.
I agree that the difference is minimal and most people would never be in a situation to notice the difference, but for a small cost increase ($40-60) I I think it’s worth it at least for myself, and probably others who train hard.
I love that you touched on the full- vs. semi-auto design as I was wondering about that common (used to be very common for a few decades there, not so much now) difference. They were so common that I'm surprised that we now believe it mattered.
That was never our experiences, though, in shooting them during the 1980's and 1990's (locally, among those I knew with AR15's). We didn't see it then, and I bought a semi-auto bolt carrier in 2006 (so... apparently still in fashion to a degree even at that late time) that I still use for monthly drills - never a problem with it.
If you are a competition shooter that buys exactly one type of ammo that is very consistent in how it is manufactured AND you train enough to be on the level of people who compete for a living, that level of nitpicking can affect how much you win. But Karl and Ian want a rifle that will work with random mixed bags of ammo meaning you can't optimize your rifle that way.
@@darthhodges As Ian always says, it's a compromise. As most know, the typical mil-spec AR is very overgassed by design so it will cycle with any ammo despite how dirty the action is. If you need a combat rifle that will likely get dirty, where you can't always guarantee the quality of the ammo, and you still need it to go bang every time, without fail, then keeping everything mil-spec is fine. The reality is that most shooters don't and won't have to deal with that ever. With proper part selection, it's simple to tune the gas system for better efficiency while still shooting all off-the-shelf ammo. You get a better and softer cycling rifle without any downsides that actually matter.
Finally! One of the parts in my AR is compatible with the WWSD rilfe InRangeTV Stamp of Hubris! But seriously, keep up the good work. I like your points of view and content.
Didn't ussocom end up sourcing LMT's enhanced BCG and bolt due to vastly decreased bolt life and increased stresses on the system because of gas port erosion amongst units with a higher usage rate on M4a1s? Might not matter for 16" semi auto rifles, but still maybe something to consider.
With BCGs, I actually often go with what Stoner actually did do; a full chromed BCG, although I have been very impressed with the LMT Enhanced bolt, and am switching all my AR-15s over to them.
I agree that there's not a whole lot to be done with the Bolt Carrier, but there definitely is considerable improvements to be made with the Bolt (as per Stoner himself) The LMT Enhanced Bolt is one (it was rush ordered to SOCOM as they were having reliability issues with their short barrel carbines in early GWOT) with stronger bolt lugs, a more supported case head, and much better extraction, as well as the one piece gas key. The KAC SR-15 bolt essentially offers the same thing too but with more rounded bolt lugs and matching barrel extensions. Considering this is ^literally_ what Stoner designed in the 90's at KAC, I'm kind of surprised you overlooked it.
That is truely what stoner did to improve the ar15. Along with the rest of the bolts features reduced cam pin and firing pin diameter to beef up the bolt by having a smaller hole. Hm defense has a interesting bolt that is another to beef it up.
This was really the first thing I thought about. Of course the downside is, that the SR-15 bolt is entirely proprietary and only works with proprietary barrels. If you want essentially the same thing, but compatible with standard bolt carriers and barrels, then you would get the LMT Enhanced Bolt that they made for SOCOM.
Einsatzgruppen Commander it is nice but the lmt is meant for over gassed carbines. It has issues on rifle length and some mid length gas systems. The kac system is the true evolution of the Ar 15. 4-5k round count vs 20k. I hope the patent runs out soon.
james maxwell this is true to some extent, as the LMT BC is designed with the improved cam track for excessively gassed SBRs, but even if you don't _need_ that, there really is no downside to this except perhaps for a slight reduction in RoF on full auto. But you still get the better extraction, and the LMT Bolt is known to be of a harder material than even the KAC one ( and also frequently exceeds 20K rounds). I do agree that the SR15 is the evolution that Stoner envisioned, but the problem is it's an entirely new and proprietary system, which is not at all compatible with existing ARs. That means at the military what effect did they have to buy entirely new rifles, and let's be honest, if they are going to do that it's not going to be for an improved AR-15 - they're going to want a brand new design. That's why, in terms of _practical improvements_ , the LMT BCG or even just the bolt make a whole lot of sense.
Good stuff right here. I have the voodo tactical/adams arms light weight bcg in my piston Dissipator race gun. It took tuning to run correctly. It does recoil ever so slightly less than my 20" with a milspec bcg.
I am suprised you guys didn't go with lwrci, lmt, or pof bolt carriers group. I figure you would go to a single part carrier with heavier weight and diffrent timed cam track. Y'all are just full of surprises
william brown but aren't the different timed cam tracks for SBR's? Because I always heard that you don't use the enhanced BCGs on rifles that don't need that mod.
Titanium Rain it does not hurt the reliability maybe on weaker ammo like tula? if the gas system is right and then just change the buffer. But that is the ar it is a blancing of spring to gasport pressure to bolt dwell. Longer barrel ie rifle gas system more wiggle room pistol gas system very tight in what it needs. chris bartocci author of black rifle2 gets into that in detail. If you want to know more.
When I build mine, I plan to use an adjustable gas block. After that, I probably will play around with a lightweight bolt carrier for fun, but I would choose a a full weight if I needed it for any serious purpose.
Nothing about finishes? Phosphate vs chrome vs nitride vs nickel-boron vs whatever else I'm forgetting because it's 2:00 in the morning and I'm watching TH-cam rather than going to sleep for some reason even though I have to get up for work at 5:00-something?
Having run both standard and nickle boron coated carriers. I'v found the nickle boron, like the Gucci charging handle, its small but adds up. It makes for a smoother action for very little disadvantage. Iv also found it makes cleaning of the BCG to be significantly easier if its been awhile.
Some people complain about the coating flaking or wearing through. Iv never personally seen it. Nib has a Rockwell hardness over the "mil-spec" coating so should outlast a stock coating. I personally cant afford to blast away ammo all that often so I wont see that benefit myself.
What about increasing weight like on the ultimac? Didn't you talk to one of the designers of the AR (was it Jim Sullivan? ) and one thing he said was they wanted to increase the weight of the carrier?
The thing is, Stoner _himself_ actually redesign the BCG for the AR-15 in the 90s. It's called the bolt in the SR-15 ( and the very similar one made by LMT for SOCOM). I mean, I realize it would shorten this entire series dramatically, but the SR-15 is literally _ what Stoner did_ to improve the AR
I'm surprised this has been overlooked, along with the KAC SR-15 BCG, the LMT Enhanced BCG is the best that money can buy, though the LWRC one is right up there too
Would a titanium BCG be a viable lightweight option? I realise that the expense would likely be prohibitive, and the gas flow regulated properly; but after that?
Wouldn't a constant recoil bolt carrier and recoil spring make for a better shooting experience even on semi? More of a push instead of a jab to the shoulder?
Can you explain the advantage? That seems like you exchanged 6 of over for a half dozen of another. Your reciprocating mass is still similar, so what is the reason?
Great video video I was wondering about lightened BCG, I am curious about the Sharpes BCG and if their changes in geometry had a notable effect, but I think any effect would be deminimis. Thanks for the series.
People kept having them blow up. Funny thing about removing a third of the critical pressure bearing material is that it makes the whole system weaker. Whodathunkit?
hornmonk3zit I read no reports of them "blowing up" I have heard reports of lugs shearing of because of poor heat treatment on the bolt. I was talking about the changes made to the BCG not the bolt itself, that said the most recent reports I have heard was the problems have been addressed and the bolts are working.
The sharps bolt carrier and Bolt are both gimmicks, unfortunately. If you're looking illegitimate, combat proven upgrade to the AR-15 BCG, the only real options are LMT, KAC, and LWRC. Of course, these will all cost you a pretty penny
Einsatzgruppen Commander I have no problems with gimmicks, as long as there is a tangible increase to efficiently. Remember red dots on pistols were once considered a gimmick that only the gun golf guys used. Now they are practically ubiquitous, and the benefits are unquestioned. You could say the GWACS lower is a gimmick as well, the carbon fiber hand guard, ect. BTW did you mean legitimate?
Should try Whiskey Arms Carrier (111g w/key ) w/ Ti firing pin and nickel boron bolt. Shoots like a 22mag. It’s more for fun; needs a lot more lubing. Every 500 rounds or So. My Nickel boron will run forever without a problem.
Would be interested in your opinion on the sharps rifle company "reliabolt" it has chamfered locking lugs. Seems like a decent idea. Not sure if it makes a difference.
Can you test a flat wire buffer spring? There like 20$ that’s a cheap upgrade it we can fined out if there worth it! Also I run a one piece gas ring it’s been good so far.
Hey love the WWSD project! I know I’m a little late here but have you guys considered the sharps rifle company extreme bolt carrier group? It’s m16 profile made from S7 tool steel, rebalanced to reduce bolt tilt, DLC coated and it’s generally a little less $$ than your standard milspec bcg at around $170ish off the manufacturer’s page. I’ve been using it in a 10.5in mk18 build and it runs EVERYTHING.
I know I'm way late and this concern may have been addressed in later videos. Given the goal of the WWSD project of modern materials wouldn't some newer bolt carrier group coatings be a perfect fit for the project? One I'm really looking at right now is a diamond like carbon coating which I don't think adds a substantial amount of weight. Additionally it has reduced friction coefficient, ease of cleaning, and potentially increased durability from the hardness. It's a long shot but if you happen to see this what are your thoughts on BCG coatings?
Recommending the standard carrier geometry was completely expected. However, I was kind of hoping for a deep dive on the coatings. My newer bolts are NiB, and my old ones are phosphate. I somehow don't have a single nitride bolt, and I'm curious if TiN provides benefits beyond a little "bling". Bling can be fun, but probably not if there is some other hidden cost I'm not aware of. Some other time, perhaps?
POF-USA Roller cam pin conversion kit, sharps np3 plus relia-bolt, standard full auto bolt carrier, KNS Perma-Pin Firing Pin Retainer, standard firing pin there, the perfect BCG
LW BCG’s make sense if you have an adjustable gas block. Otherwise, they’ll do more harm then good. It’s why they are so popular in gaming. With light loads, adjustable gas, and a light BCG you can really get the recoil to nothing.
That's only true on The Recoil stroke though. No matter how well you tune the gas block, a lighter BCG will always be less reliable _in feeding_ than a standard or heavyweight one.
Do you think that a bolt's quality has any significant effect on accuracy/consistency? Obviously a bolt with an intentionally craptacular lockup is going to be bad news, but do you think the difference between a rack-grade bolt versus a boutique bolt would make any difference? Are there any tests out there on this sort of thing?
I've heard great things about the LMT Enhanced bolt, not BCG, just bolt. It has cuttouts in the lugs to allow flexing and prevent breakage, among other things. Not cheap though.
Yes I found that one shortly after the LMT. It is believed that the KAC is better overall. I know they call the KAC proprietary which I'm not sure if that means it only works with their barrel extensions or not. Either way, I would hope the KAC is so much better to warrant a $220 price tag compared to $175 on the LMT. I've heard the LMT lasts and lasts long past any other bolt and I would think the KAC would as well.
There's an even better foolproof way to prevent the gas key from coming loose. The bolts holding the gas key to the carrier need to be of a trilobular Taptite style. During installation of the fastener it forms the corresponding threads in the carrier. That creates mechanical locking feature. This is what's used in safety critical applications like seat belt bolts.
Isn't carrying an extra complete BCG a good idea? It contains most of the failure prone bits or "consumables". I think I've heard you mention this before.
The one "unique" BCG/bolt thing I suggest trying is - well, except better extractor/spring, perhaps - would be the POF-USA "Roller Cam Pin." It's such a straightforward and obvious idea that I'm not sure why it wasn't "invented" earlier, but AFAICT it seems to move a little easier than a standard cam pin. Granted, I can imagine that the pin holding the disc could, with enough use, break, but with a semi-auto rifle I can't imagine that would happen any time soon and I also don't see why just milling a round cam pin top rather than rectangular wouldn't be an improvement even if it _didn't_ rotate like a wheel.
I have a 1st gen POF-USA piston upper, and I don't put crapoloa for lube on it...partly because that part makes the bolt slide back and forth so nicely. I put a normal cam pin on it to compare and I don't think it was just my imagination that the circular cam pin was way smoother, so I swapped back ASAP.
When swapping between various different bolt carrier groups, (assuming all are quality products) do you check head space or is it really an issue with ARs
The only argument *against* a BCG with an integral gas key I might put forth is that *if* your gas key were to be damaged somehow or the point where it interfaces with the gas tube starts getting worn, you now have to replace the entire BCG vs simply replacing the key and re-torquing/staking it in place. However I don't know as gas keys are particularly susceptible to damage and the drawbacks of the two piece design perhaps outweighs the ability to replace the key. Presumably the standard AR BCG design is a holdover from the late 1950s when machining processes weren't sophisticated enough to produce a BCG with an integral gas key.
A lot of people say you should bring a spare BCG wherever you go with your rifle, so it would be a non issue. Plus, I don't see any way for the key to be damaged, short of internal parts being misaligned or dropping the BCG and bending the key. But as a devil's advocate kinda thing, yes it would require replacement of the whole BCG.
Does anyone keep using a BCG after the gas key comes loose the FIRST time? I would think it's less of a headache just to buy a new carrier and forget it.
Have you guys ever considered a side charging AR upper? I’ve heard arguments that they can be advantageous for clearing jams while remaining on target. I’m not familiar enough with them to know if this is an innovation or a cosmetic novelty.
The side chargers typically ruin the "closed off system" aspect of the AR. And the normal charging handle is mostly ambidextrous, choosing a side is a step backwards.
+NSA NSA Dubious claims at best, and as they said, BCGs are consumables, and that LMT bolt is 300+ Bucks, you can get three or four decent AR bolts for that price....why bother?
Just buy Toolcraft BCGs. They're industry OEM and probably the best you can buy considering that. Get it in whatever coating you want. They're cheap to boot. Most companies don't manufacture their BCGs in house, and that includes big brands like Spike's, BCM, Colt, etc. The only in house manufacturers I can think of off the top of my head are Daniel Defense and LMT. You would be surprised at just how many "top brands" aren't even made by that brand, but actually by a different tooling factory.
I’m not sure I’m following the reasoning here unless you’re pretending to build a full-auto AR, and in that case I’d have to call into question your use of the thinnest pencil barrel available. Karl stated he ran that mildly lightened (9.5 oz.) BCG extensively without inducing any problems, and this would be an area where you could have shaved off a few more ounces, so it does seem that you possibly aren’t applying the same criteria as you have with some other controversial component choices. If a few ounces can be taken off without negatively impacting reliability, and possibly increasing it due to the integrated gas key, it sounds like that mildly lightened BCG would be keeping with your originally stated goals. Having said all that, I’ve really enjoyed this series and could get behind all the other reasoning behind components that got your WWSD “stamp of hubris”. Keep up the good work.
I thing you can't really change bolt carrier today. What could be done been done already. You can reduce weight and add fancy gas tweak but I think that part is too "dynamic" to be complex and it can't be too light because reliability.
Titanium Rain Yeah pretty much. KAC has been improving it for quite a while. Also an AR10 project would be much harder, there is a major lack of standardization with AR10s unlike AR15s
To be honest, while I'm a big fan of KAC, I think that the LMT MRP and MWS are even more advanced yet. They have all the same internal upgrades in the BCG as KAC, and the full ambi controls, but also bring the benefits of a completely monolithic upper and handguard (which is patented) as well as the incredible barrel change feature which means you can get different lengths, different materials, different calibers, or even different operating systems depending on what you want. It's really hard to imagine any possible improvements to the AR platform. If you are a modern first world military, and price is no object, and you _really_ have to have an AR-15 style rifle, LMT really is the best you can buy.
Oh yeah LMTs are sweet if you can afford them, but as far as improvements to the AR10 specifically they aren't really doing anything special other than the monolithic rail and coming more readily in other calibers (though all that is is a different barrel, which is easily done with any other AR10, minus the quick change LMT has). Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't LMTs built on standard AR10 size receivers, as opposed to SR25 size? I know that doesn't make a ton of difference, but it can impact weight a good deal, especially taking into account how heavy AR10s tend to be lol
I've got a polymer upper and lower on my ar and it weighs 5lbs, I've only got 350 rounds through it and have had absolutely zero problems, plus the polymer is slick and self lubricating, helps the bcg slide by smoothly.
Yeah I always get NiB BCGs. Never lubed them once and never had a problem, just make sure to wipe off the gas rings before the carbon hardens or it'll get mad sticky.
Means nothing, the aluminum of the receiver is softer then the finish of the bolt carrier. NiB is nice, but you still have to lube them, countary to popular belief. Honestly, pick whatever looks cooler, finish is meaningless.
I feel I should also add since this is a WWSD? video, Eugene Stoner intended for the BCG to be chromed. NiB is nicer than chrome and again, in my experience, needs no lubrication, zero, none, dry as a bone and cleaned regularly.
just subbed to support the channel. I don't know much about your channel but it seems like youtube is being kind of unfair? I follow forgotten weapons and dig that. best of luck to y'all
So I have a question about the wwsd project, from what I've been able to tell from shooting and research, what about a 6.5 Grendel, it has substantially higher stopping power and range, with about the same recoil impulse as .223 and many people I've talked to about it consider it the ultimate AR-15 cartridge.
Woodrow Call Yes, a bullet is a bullet for the most part, but the 6.5 is more about extended range than about being a "bigger bullet". With the 129gr ABLR, you can get expansion out to ~900 yards out of an 18" barrel. I'm probably building a Grendel anyway, just because I'm a pragmatic kind of guy. If I'm spending big bucks on putting together a rifle, it better be THE rifle. And it's not THE rifle if I can't legally take it hunting or stretch out to longer ranges... I realize that, to that end, I'm making trade offs with weight and recoil, but I think it's worth it.
I'm on mobile but Ian and Karl participated in a P&S modcast about 5.56 vs 308 vs interim cartridges, search on youtube. If you don't have the time, then there's a excerpt of the podcast that is 16 min long with Chuck Pressburg, former Ranger and SF. Basically, a round constrained to the AR15 magwell fired from an AR15 constrained bolt only brings problems. "Stoppan powah" is meaningless when the average soldier cannot see past 300 yards in 75% of the world surface, and in the remaining 25% he simply will not make hits on people 600 yards away from awkward positions, unknown range, under stress, wind and an enemy who will only spring for 3-5 seconds before diving back into cover. 600 yards is crew served weapons range. And the weight will severely limit your carrying capacity meaning you're ignoring the studies that lead to SCHV. And since you're limited to FMJ projectiles anyway, extra energy at range means nothing when the bullet is gonna icepick anyway. You either hit vitals or you don't. A 6.5 substitute for 7.62/308? Now you're talking.
Weight, if you have a 120 Grain bullet, you already nearly tippled your cartridge overall weight, that means you carry less of it. This is why 5.56 and 5.45 are so good, you can carry metric ass tons of ammo, you can stay in the fight longer.
RyTrapp0 Yup. 6.5 is heavier, you can't carry as much of it, and in full auto that bit of recoil increase does make quite a difference actually, and yeah it's improved ballistics at range aren't really needed. 5.56 has stuck around for a reason, it's a damn good cartridge
Good points on design. Not mentioning coatings though? NiB like coatings are amazing for cleaning alone. WSS? NiB, TiN, Nitride, etc. Who cares which one, all are FAR superior to blue/phosphate/parkerized
I can't get enough of this series. I'm actually curious how many people are actually building these rifles. I had a helluva time trying to find the Aero Precision uppers in stock anywhere, which leads me to believe that quite a few people want a WWSD Stamp of Hubris AR.
Andrew B I am currently working on an 18 inch version. Can't weight to see how it shoots and handles with that light weight and rifle length gas system.
A lot of people are showing there's on Discord.
I built my version, I went out of my way to buy parts on sale, so getting the upper on sale took a bit watching Aero Precision’s website but it popped up eventually. The barrel... the barrel took forever. So much so I gave up on the 14.5 and just bought the light 16 inch on sale from another website.
For the record, I weigh 5.5 lbs exactly, with a magazine and a red dot.
Brownells is where I got mine, before WWSD was a thing. Try ClassicFireaems, I know they got some in at one point. Hope that helps.
I love it when Karl busts out the full CinemaScope® aspect ratio.
I appreciate the work you guys put into this series and the fact that you don't care if sacred cows are slain. A quality BCG isn't tactical enough for some people, they have to have the latest and greatest even though it hasn't proven itself. Lightweight BCGs have nutritional value, the more you buy the better the manufacturer's kids eat.
I like standard “full auto” carriers in nickel boron coating its got all the best benefits of a standard just super easy to clean and do run better in arctic temps like where I live cause most of us up here have to switch to dry lubes in the winter which is the majority of the year here lol the nickel carriers just seem to handle it better than others.
Nickel is the way to go if you're a civilian who properly maintains the rifle. The military uses phosphate because it's porous and holds a lot more lube - they need the rifle to last 25 years even with Pvt. Schmuckatelli abusing it, and as long as he smears enough lube on it, it will. Nickel-boron is the exact opposite: it's so smooth and slick that it has very low friction in the action and therefore requires less lubrication. I'm not surprised yours works better in winter conditions.
Thank you guys, love this series.
I have done extensive research and have a decent understanding of metallurgy and gun mechanics, and have deemed the sharps reliabolt and their improved carrier (xpg) to be a rather huge upgrade. The steel is much, much stronger, there is room for debris, all the corners have been taken off, the carrier has been balanced and has the back end ever so slightly enlarged in order to prevent carrier tilt. Also, the coatings/treatments that they have, such as NiB, Nitride, and DLC are a huge upgrade to the gritty milspec phosphate. They did have a batch or two at first with shitty heat treat, but the last issue I can find was years ago, and they’ve only become more popular.
I looked through the comments before posting this to make sure you hadn’t already said anything about it, and I did see lots of people asking about it.
Would super appreciate your thoughts if you get the chance sometime.
Thanks again.
Ben Griffith increasing room for debris also increases room for debris to enter the action. The standard bcg helps seal the upper from influx of debris
I’m sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant the space that the redesigned lugs afford, which wouldn’t allow any more debris to enter, unlike some designs that are on the bolt carrier and not the bolt itself.
I have actually examined and compared the design of the XBG vs milspec, and there is negligible difference between the gaps that would allow debris to enter the system, although I would love a design that closes it off as much as possible.
Does it really matter that much though is the real question, it's kind of like demanding an aluminum lower for these weapons when polymer is more than fine. There comes a point when turning everything into a brick shithouse is honestly unnecessary. That being said, I really find it fascinating just how far every single part of the AR has been engineered today.
I agree that the difference is minimal and most people would never be in a situation to notice the difference, but for a small cost increase ($40-60) I I think it’s worth it at least for myself, and probably others who train hard.
This is my favorite series on the channel.
I love that you touched on the full- vs. semi-auto design as I was wondering about that common (used to be very common for a few decades there, not so much now) difference. They were so common that I'm surprised that we now believe it mattered.
That was never our experiences, though, in shooting them during the 1980's and 1990's (locally, among those I knew with AR15's). We didn't see it then, and I bought a semi-auto bolt carrier in 2006 (so... apparently still in fashion to a degree even at that late time) that I still use for monthly drills - never a problem with it.
I think the only point of the lightweight carrier is using it with an adjustable gas block, on its own it doesn't do much
If you are a competition shooter that buys exactly one type of ammo that is very consistent in how it is manufactured AND you train enough to be on the level of people who compete for a living, that level of nitpicking can affect how much you win.
But Karl and Ian want a rifle that will work with random mixed bags of ammo meaning you can't optimize your rifle that way.
@@darthhodges As Ian always says, it's a compromise. As most know, the typical mil-spec AR is very overgassed by design so it will cycle with any ammo despite how dirty the action is. If you need a combat rifle that will likely get dirty, where you can't always guarantee the quality of the ammo, and you still need it to go bang every time, without fail, then keeping everything mil-spec is fine.
The reality is that most shooters don't and won't have to deal with that ever. With proper part selection, it's simple to tune the gas system for better efficiency while still shooting all off-the-shelf ammo. You get a better and softer cycling rifle without any downsides that actually matter.
Finally! One of the parts in my AR is compatible with the WWSD rilfe InRangeTV Stamp of Hubris!
But seriously, keep up the good work. I like your points of view and content.
Didn't ussocom end up sourcing LMT's enhanced BCG and bolt due to vastly decreased bolt life and increased stresses on the system because of gas port erosion amongst units with a higher usage rate on M4a1s? Might not matter for 16" semi auto rifles, but still maybe something to consider.
With BCGs, I actually often go with what Stoner actually did do; a full chromed BCG, although I have been very impressed with the LMT Enhanced bolt, and am switching all my AR-15s over to them.
I agree that there's not a whole lot to be done with the Bolt Carrier, but there definitely is considerable improvements to be made with the Bolt (as per Stoner himself) The LMT Enhanced Bolt is one (it was rush ordered to SOCOM as they were having reliability issues with their short barrel carbines in early GWOT) with stronger bolt lugs, a more supported case head, and much better extraction, as well as the one piece gas key. The KAC SR-15 bolt essentially offers the same thing too but with more rounded bolt lugs and matching barrel extensions. Considering this is ^literally_ what Stoner designed in the 90's at KAC, I'm kind of surprised you overlooked it.
Love this series
This is a fantastic series! Please keep it up!
What do you guys think of KAC's rounded lugs on the bolt?
That is truely what stoner did to improve the ar15. Along with the rest of the bolts features reduced cam pin and firing pin diameter to beef up the bolt by having a smaller hole. Hm defense has a interesting bolt that is another to beef it up.
Reid Knight worked very close with stoner to make improvements. It’s definitely stronger
This was really the first thing I thought about. Of course the downside is, that the SR-15 bolt is entirely proprietary and only works with proprietary barrels. If you want essentially the same thing, but compatible with standard bolt carriers and barrels, then you would get the LMT Enhanced Bolt that they made for SOCOM.
Einsatzgruppen Commander it is nice but the lmt is meant for over gassed carbines. It has issues on rifle length and some mid length gas systems. The kac system is the true evolution of the Ar 15. 4-5k round count vs 20k. I hope the patent runs out soon.
james maxwell this is true to some extent, as the LMT BC is designed with the improved cam track for excessively gassed SBRs, but even if you don't _need_ that, there really is no downside to this except perhaps for a slight reduction in RoF on full auto. But you still get the better extraction, and the LMT Bolt is known to be of a harder material than even the KAC one ( and also frequently exceeds 20K rounds). I do agree that the SR15 is the evolution that Stoner envisioned, but the problem is it's an entirely new and proprietary system, which is not at all compatible with existing ARs. That means at the military what effect did they have to buy entirely new rifles, and let's be honest, if they are going to do that it's not going to be for an improved AR-15 - they're going to want a brand new design.
That's why, in terms of _practical improvements_ , the LMT BCG or even just the bolt make a whole lot of sense.
I used to rock US GI tinted BCGs back in my Air-Force days at D-M.
Great audio, those blue yeti mics are amazing.
Really like the new video crop. Great information as usual!
Good stuff right here. I have the voodo tactical/adams arms light weight bcg in my piston Dissipator race gun. It took tuning to run correctly. It does recoil ever so slightly less than my 20" with a milspec bcg.
Check out the Ferfrans BCG as well as the LMT Enhanced BCG.
I am suprised you guys didn't go with lwrci, lmt, or pof bolt carriers group. I figure you would go to a single part carrier with heavier weight and diffrent timed cam track. Y'all are just full of surprises
william brown but aren't the different timed cam tracks for SBR's? Because I always heard that you don't use the enhanced BCGs on rifles that don't need that mod.
Titanium Rain it does not hurt the reliability maybe on weaker ammo like tula? if the gas system is right and then just change the buffer. But that is the ar it is a blancing of spring to gasport pressure to bolt dwell. Longer barrel ie rifle gas system more wiggle room pistol gas system very tight in what it needs. chris bartocci author of black rifle2 gets into that in detail. If you want to know more.
Yes! I've been waiting for the BCG for the stoner project for a while now
I love these wwsd videos!
When I build mine, I plan to use an adjustable gas block. After that, I probably will play around with a lightweight bolt carrier for fun, but I would choose a a full weight if I needed it for any serious purpose.
Nothing about finishes? Phosphate vs chrome vs nitride vs nickel-boron vs whatever else I'm forgetting because it's 2:00 in the morning and I'm watching TH-cam rather than going to sleep for some reason even though I have to get up for work at 5:00-something?
Having run both standard and nickle boron coated carriers. I'v found the nickle boron, like the Gucci charging handle, its small but adds up. It makes for a smoother action for very little disadvantage. Iv also found it makes cleaning of the BCG to be significantly easier if its been awhile.
Some people complain about the coating flaking or wearing through. Iv never personally seen it. Nib has a Rockwell hardness over the "mil-spec" coating so should outlast a stock coating. I personally cant afford to blast away ammo all that often so I wont see that benefit myself.
That one piece gas key... One less thing to break. Also jp makes these one piece gas rings very nice and simple.
I didn't know about the milled gas key. I was looking at a barrel with a milled gas block. Check out the HM Defense monobloc barrel.
Hey, I have the same microphone, good choice. Also good job on getting rid of the wind noise.
What about increasing weight like on the ultimac? Didn't you talk to one of the designers of the AR (was it Jim Sullivan? ) and one thing he said was they wanted to increase the weight of the carrier?
I don't think milling out pockets to add tungsten weights would be worth it when you could run a heavier buffer.
Titanium Rain I was referring to things like the Lantac which is slightly heavier.
I remeber the vid too it was sullivan talking about his updated version on the ar
Titanium Rain surefire did just that in their new bcg
The thing is, Stoner _himself_ actually redesign the BCG for the AR-15 in the 90s. It's called the bolt in the SR-15 ( and the very similar one made by LMT for SOCOM). I mean, I realize it would shorten this entire series dramatically, but the SR-15 is literally _ what Stoner did_ to improve the AR
Just found this content and I've been pouring through it ... what do you think of the recently released SureFire enhanced BCG?
Surefire Enhanced Bolt Carrier Group th-cam.com/video/Rs1kb5IBceE/w-d-xo.html
In your experience does a bolt wear at the same rate as a barrel? As if to say its best to just replace them together should you get to that point.
Yes! So glad to finally see this video!
Stoner got it right the first time. Great videos.
Stoner's first BCG had some definite flaws, it was Jim Sullivan that designed the bolt carrier we've used for the past half a century.
interesting, good to see collaboration.
Ok I'm really curious, and I've watched all of these wwsd videos trying to figure out. Maybe I missed it.
Why are you guys not doing a piston?
Pistons are applicable for short barrels and suppressors. We are not doing either of those. ~Ian
Also heavy
I had a gas key come loose randomly. It would not cycle at all. Thanks for the info about the milled ones
LWRC makes a right fine milled key bolt carrier with a very tough bolt also. It's a good buy.
I'm surprised this has been overlooked, along with the KAC SR-15 BCG, the LMT Enhanced BCG is the best that money can buy, though the LWRC one is right up there too
Is that Yeti really making the sound quality much better in that environment? Great job! Loving WWSD
I think in 2020 the best choice for the WWSD bolt carrier should be the Sharps enhanced bolt carrier group, that thing is awesome.
JP full mass bolt carrier groups are excellent products as well
Would a titanium BCG be a viable lightweight option? I realise that the expense would likely be prohibitive, and the gas flow regulated properly; but after that?
Wouldn't a constant recoil bolt carrier and recoil spring make for a better shooting experience even on semi? More of a push instead of a jab to the shoulder?
In my WWSD rifle I'm running a lightweight bolt carrier but an extra heavy buffer to maintain reliability and improve balance rearward.
Can you explain the advantage?
That seems like you exchanged 6 of over for a half dozen of another. Your reciprocating mass is still similar, so what is the reason?
Great video video I was wondering about lightened BCG, I am curious about the Sharpes BCG and if their changes in geometry had a notable effect, but I think any effect would be deminimis.
Thanks for the series.
People kept having them blow up. Funny thing about removing a third of the critical pressure bearing material is that it makes the whole system weaker. Whodathunkit?
hornmonk3zit
I read no reports of them "blowing up" I have heard reports of lugs shearing of because of poor heat treatment on the bolt. I was talking about the changes made to the BCG not the bolt itself, that said the most recent reports I have heard was the problems have been addressed and the bolts are working.
The sharps bolt carrier and Bolt are both gimmicks, unfortunately. If you're looking illegitimate, combat proven upgrade to the AR-15 BCG, the only real options are LMT, KAC, and LWRC. Of course, these will all cost you a pretty penny
Einsatzgruppen Commander
I have no problems with gimmicks, as long as there is a tangible increase to efficiently. Remember red dots on pistols were once considered a gimmick that only the gun golf guys used. Now they are practically ubiquitous, and the benefits are unquestioned. You could say the GWACS lower is a gimmick as well, the carbon fiber hand guard, ect. BTW did you mean legitimate?
Should try Whiskey Arms Carrier (111g w/key ) w/ Ti firing pin and nickel boron bolt. Shoots like a 22mag. It’s more for fun; needs a lot more lubing. Every 500 rounds or So. My Nickel boron will run forever without a problem.
Would be interested in your opinion on the sharps rifle company "reliabolt" it has chamfered locking lugs. Seems like a decent idea. Not sure if it makes a difference.
Can you test a flat wire buffer spring? There like 20$ that’s a cheap upgrade it we can fined out if there worth it! Also I run a one piece gas ring it’s been good so far.
Liking to new camera and/or new formatting/resoulution.
Vdi does make the integral gas key bcg in the standard weight
Recently purchased the gwac lower an my local gun store they were on sale for $120
Hey love the WWSD project! I know I’m a little late here but have you guys considered the sharps rifle company extreme bolt carrier group? It’s m16 profile made from S7 tool steel, rebalanced to reduce bolt tilt, DLC coated and it’s generally a little less $$ than your standard milspec bcg at around $170ish off the manufacturer’s page. I’ve been using it in a 10.5in mk18 build and it runs EVERYTHING.
I know I'm way late and this concern may have been addressed in later videos. Given the goal of the WWSD project of modern materials wouldn't some newer bolt carrier group coatings be a perfect fit for the project? One I'm really looking at right now is a diamond like carbon coating which I don't think adds a substantial amount of weight. Additionally it has reduced friction coefficient, ease of cleaning, and potentially increased durability from the hardness. It's a long shot but if you happen to see this what are your thoughts on BCG coatings?
Thanks for the great content Gents!
Finally yes. I'm going with an aim point TiN light weight bcg. I don't think it will make much difference but I'm willing to take the dive.
I have a PSA premium BCG in my AR, because it came with a Magpul D-60.
Recommending the standard carrier geometry was completely expected. However, I was kind of hoping for a deep dive on the coatings. My newer bolts are NiB, and my old ones are phosphate. I somehow don't have a single nitride bolt, and I'm curious if TiN provides benefits beyond a little "bling". Bling can be fun, but probably not if there is some other hidden cost I'm not aware of. Some other time, perhaps?
id argue itd probably a plus in a maritime environment. really not really a game changer tho
POF-USA Roller cam pin conversion kit, sharps np3 plus relia-bolt, standard full auto bolt carrier, KNS Perma-Pin Firing Pin Retainer, standard firing pin
there, the perfect BCG
I’d run a nitride bcg. A lot slicker than a phosphate
I know you gave the the stamp of hubris to the Geissele Super Charging Handle, but would the Geissele Airborne Charging Handle be a good substitute?
LW BCG’s make sense if you have an adjustable gas block. Otherwise, they’ll do more harm then good. It’s why they are so popular in gaming. With light loads, adjustable gas, and a light BCG you can really get the recoil to nothing.
That's only true on The Recoil stroke though. No matter how well you tune the gas block, a lighter BCG will always be less reliable _in feeding_ than a standard or heavyweight one.
@@einsatzgruppencommander740 that's an interesting point. Thanks.
Was this filmed with a backup camera or something? Aspect ratio on some bits is off.
Is there any standardish round count after which you should replace your bolt? Or how does one know their bolt is worn enough to need replacement?
Do you think that a bolt's quality has any significant effect on accuracy/consistency? Obviously a bolt with an intentionally craptacular lockup is going to be bad news, but do you think the difference between a rack-grade bolt versus a boutique bolt would make any difference? Are there any tests out there on this sort of thing?
I've heard great things about the LMT Enhanced bolt, not BCG, just bolt. It has cuttouts in the lugs to allow flexing and prevent breakage, among other things. Not cheap though.
Yes I found that one shortly after the LMT. It is believed that the KAC is better overall. I know they call the KAC proprietary which I'm not sure if that means it only works with their barrel extensions or not. Either way, I would hope the KAC is so much better to warrant a $220 price tag compared to $175 on the LMT. I've heard the LMT lasts and lasts long past any other bolt and I would think the KAC would as well.
There's an even better foolproof way to prevent the gas key from coming loose. The bolts holding the gas key to the carrier need to be of a trilobular Taptite style. During installation of the fastener it forms the corresponding threads in the carrier. That creates mechanical locking feature. This is what's used in safety critical applications like seat belt bolts.
Isn't carrying an extra complete BCG a good idea? It contains most of the failure prone bits or "consumables". I think I've heard you mention this before.
The one "unique" BCG/bolt thing I suggest trying is - well, except better extractor/spring, perhaps - would be the POF-USA "Roller Cam Pin." It's such a straightforward and obvious idea that I'm not sure why it wasn't "invented" earlier, but AFAICT it seems to move a little easier than a standard cam pin. Granted, I can imagine that the pin holding the disc could, with enough use, break, but with a semi-auto rifle I can't imagine that would happen any time soon and I also don't see why just milling a round cam pin top rather than rectangular wouldn't be an improvement even if it _didn't_ rotate like a wheel.
In fact it was invented earlier, Jim Sullivan put one on the 1959 AR-10A and on an earlier AR-10 model that was intended as a belt-fed LMG.
I have a 1st gen POF-USA piston upper, and I don't put crapoloa for lube on it...partly because that part makes the bolt slide back and forth so nicely. I put a normal cam pin on it to compare and I don't think it was just my imagination that the circular cam pin was way smoother, so I swapped back ASAP.
what no lmt?
When swapping between various different bolt carrier groups, (assuming all are quality products) do you check head space or is it really an issue with ARs
Spikes phosphate bcgs =best for the money
That being said I’m very excited about the new surefire suppressed bcg
The only argument *against* a BCG with an integral gas key I might put forth is that *if* your gas key were to be damaged somehow or the point where it interfaces with the gas tube starts getting worn, you now have to replace the entire BCG vs simply replacing the key and re-torquing/staking it in place. However I don't know as gas keys are particularly susceptible to damage and the drawbacks of the two piece design perhaps outweighs the ability to replace the key. Presumably the standard AR BCG design is a holdover from the late 1950s when machining processes weren't sophisticated enough to produce a BCG with an integral gas key.
A lot of people say you should bring a spare BCG wherever you go with your rifle, so it would be a non issue. Plus, I don't see any way for the key to be damaged, short of internal parts being misaligned or dropping the BCG and bending the key. But as a devil's advocate kinda thing, yes it would require replacement of the whole BCG.
Does anyone keep using a BCG after the gas key comes loose the FIRST time? I would think it's less of a headache just to buy a new carrier and forget it.
Have you guys ever considered a side charging AR upper? I’ve heard arguments that they can be advantageous for clearing jams while remaining on target. I’m not familiar enough with them to know if this is an innovation or a cosmetic novelty.
The side chargers typically ruin the "closed off system" aspect of the AR. And the normal charging handle is mostly ambidextrous, choosing a side is a step backwards.
Feelous Scout he'll yeah borther
Like Titanium Rain said, you're giving up alot of benefits going away from the standard charging handle
Still looking at rubber citys titanium bcg.
Sorry about the off-topic - what is the microphone you are using in that video - its really good! :)
How does one tell when it is time for the bolt to be changed out?
Coatings can make a big difference - especially with wear
Why no love for the LMT Enhanced? Is getting at least 4x the life and more reliable extraction "not worth it?'
+NSA NSA Dubious claims at best, and as they said, BCGs are consumables, and that LMT bolt is 300+ Bucks, you can get three or four decent AR bolts for that price....why bother?
Just buy Toolcraft BCGs. They're industry OEM and probably the best you can buy considering that. Get it in whatever coating you want. They're cheap to boot. Most companies don't manufacture their BCGs in house, and that includes big brands like Spike's, BCM, Colt, etc. The only in house manufacturers I can think of off the top of my head are Daniel Defense and LMT. You would be surprised at just how many "top brands" aren't even made by that brand, but actually by a different tooling factory.
I’m not sure I’m following the reasoning here unless you’re pretending to build a full-auto AR, and in that case I’d have to call into question your use of the thinnest pencil barrel available. Karl stated he ran that mildly lightened (9.5 oz.) BCG extensively without inducing any problems, and this would be an area where you could have shaved off a few more ounces, so it does seem that you possibly aren’t applying the same criteria as you have with some other controversial component choices. If a few ounces can be taken off without negatively impacting reliability, and possibly increasing it due to the integrated gas key, it sounds like that mildly lightened BCG would be keeping with your originally stated goals. Having said all that, I’ve really enjoyed this series and could get behind all the other reasoning behind components that got your WWSD “stamp of hubris”. Keep up the good work.
I thing you can't really change bolt carrier today. What could be done been done already. You can reduce weight and add fancy gas tweak but I think that part is too "dynamic" to be complex and it can't be too light because reliability.
WWSD Playlist please
Another series on the AR-10 please?
"what would Stoner do for AR-10?" SR25
Titanium Rain Yeah pretty much. KAC has been improving it for quite a while. Also an AR10 project would be much harder, there is a major lack of standardization with AR10s unlike AR15s
To be honest, while I'm a big fan of KAC, I think that the LMT MRP and MWS are even more advanced yet. They have all the same internal upgrades in the BCG as KAC, and the full ambi controls, but also bring the benefits of a completely monolithic upper and handguard (which is patented) as well as the incredible barrel change feature which means you can get different lengths, different materials, different calibers, or even different operating systems depending on what you want. It's really hard to imagine any possible improvements to the AR platform. If you are a modern first world military, and price is no object, and you _really_ have to have an AR-15 style rifle, LMT really is the best you can buy.
Oh yeah LMTs are sweet if you can afford them, but as far as improvements to the AR10 specifically they aren't really doing anything special other than the monolithic rail and coming more readily in other calibers (though all that is is a different barrel, which is easily done with any other AR10, minus the quick change LMT has). Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't LMTs built on standard AR10 size receivers, as opposed to SR25 size? I know that doesn't make a ton of difference, but it can impact weight a good deal, especially taking into account how heavy AR10s tend to be lol
it may or may not really tie into anything but what is yalls opinion on titanium bcgs?
The suffer from gas cutting in the long run and suffer the same problems light weight carriers do.
Redneck Fury i figured the 2nd one would happen, what specifically is the first?
Upper receiver?
Would've gone with a DSA nickel teflon sand cut bolt carrier combined with a Sharps bolt. Nice enhancement I think
I've got a polymer upper and lower on my ar and it weighs 5lbs, I've only got 350 rounds through it and have had absolutely zero problems, plus the polymer is slick and self lubricating, helps the bcg slide by smoothly.
What about bolt carrier group coating, such as nickel boron? Is this really just an ease of maintenance over performance treatment?
Yeah I always get NiB BCGs. Never lubed them once and never had a problem, just make sure to wipe off the gas rings before the carbon hardens or it'll get mad sticky.
Means nothing, the aluminum of the receiver is softer then the finish of the bolt carrier.
NiB is nice, but you still have to lube them, countary to popular belief.
Honestly, pick whatever looks cooler, finish is meaningless.
I feel I should also add since this is a WWSD? video, Eugene Stoner intended for the BCG to be chromed. NiB is nicer than chrome and again, in my experience, needs no lubrication, zero, none, dry as a bone and cleaned regularly.
my first thought isn´t that a standard part, how much can you do.
Nothing wrong with a standard bolt and carrier. Thanks guys
Keeping it simple! I like it
just subbed to support the channel. I don't know much about your channel but it seems like youtube is being kind of unfair? I follow forgotten weapons and dig that. best of luck to y'all
Why havent you made a playlist for WWSD?
Because the TH-cam playlist editor is awful and nearly unusable.
I would have gone with a sharps XPB bgc for the dlc coating
lwrc bcg, no need to worry about gas key screws.
Sharps reli-bolt carrier group... Won't this be on the top of the list for ' wwsd' build ? If cost wasn't a factor..
the bolt is a good thing, the carriers are lightened trash
So I have a question about the wwsd project, from what I've been able to tell from shooting and research, what about a 6.5 Grendel, it has substantially higher stopping power and range, with about the same recoil impulse as .223 and many people I've talked to about it consider it the ultimate AR-15 cartridge.
Woodrow Call Yes, a bullet is a bullet for the most part, but the 6.5 is more about extended range than about being a "bigger bullet". With the 129gr ABLR, you can get expansion out to ~900 yards out of an 18" barrel. I'm probably building a Grendel anyway, just because I'm a pragmatic kind of guy. If I'm spending big bucks on putting together a rifle, it better be THE rifle. And it's not THE rifle if I can't legally take it hunting or stretch out to longer ranges... I realize that, to that end, I'm making trade offs with weight and recoil, but I think it's worth it.
I'm on mobile but Ian and Karl participated in a P&S modcast about 5.56 vs 308 vs interim cartridges, search on youtube. If you don't have the time, then there's a excerpt of the podcast that is 16 min long with Chuck Pressburg, former Ranger and SF.
Basically, a round constrained to the AR15 magwell fired from an AR15 constrained bolt only brings problems. "Stoppan powah" is meaningless when the average soldier cannot see past 300 yards in 75% of the world surface, and in the remaining 25% he simply will not make hits on people 600 yards away from awkward positions, unknown range, under stress, wind and an enemy who will only spring for 3-5 seconds before diving back into cover. 600 yards is crew served weapons range. And the weight will severely limit your carrying capacity meaning you're ignoring the studies that lead to SCHV. And since you're limited to FMJ projectiles anyway, extra energy at range means nothing when the bullet is gonna icepick anyway. You either hit vitals or you don't.
A 6.5 substitute for 7.62/308? Now you're talking.
Weight, if you have a 120 Grain bullet, you already nearly tippled your cartridge overall weight, that means you carry less of it.
This is why 5.56 and 5.45 are so good, you can carry metric ass tons of ammo, you can stay in the fight longer.
RyTrapp0 Yup. 6.5 is heavier, you can't carry as much of it, and in full auto that bit of recoil increase does make quite a difference actually, and yeah it's improved ballistics at range aren't really needed. 5.56 has stuck around for a reason, it's a damn good cartridge
Only thing I can see to modernize the bolt is titanium
Reliable, is KING !
If I lose trust in a firearm,
It is gone !
Good points on design. Not mentioning coatings though? NiB like coatings are amazing for cleaning alone.
WSS? NiB, TiN, Nitride, etc. Who cares which one, all are FAR superior to blue/phosphate/parkerized
yep
ive had those gaskey screws come lose just loctite it down xD it works