Opinions please...help me spend my money.

[timcar86]

So I just received my new BCM upper for my AR. I'll post pics when I get home so you all can see its beauty. Anyway, my goal for this rifle was for it to be a fighting gun. Fixed stock, simple optics, a light and that's about it. Currently it's about as bare as it gets with a set of sights and nothing more. Here's the deal; I only want to add a new bolt carrier group, trigger and optics. I can only buy, right now, either a trigger or a BCG. I'll have to save a little more to get the aimpoint that I want later. So what would you buy first? Keep in mind that I want this to be a practical fighting rifle and those are the only aftermarket parts I'll be adding. Please give me the order, parts and brands that you would get.

Should be an interesting conversation. Also, let's not slip into the "only buy brand X and kill everything else with fire!" arguments.

Edited October 13, 2012 by timcar86

[timcar86]

As promised:

[timcar86]

Here's what I want:

1. Colt bolt carrier group: http://www.coltsmfg.com/ShopOnline/tabid/62/ProdID/304/Default.aspx

2. Geissele Super Enhanced Trigger: http://geissele.com/superdynamicenhanced.aspx

3. Aimpoint Micro T-1 2MOA: http://www.aimpoint.com/us/products/all-products/product-singleview/product/Micro%20T-1/

[Lumber_Jack]

Let me ask, why do you want to change the BCG?

[Dolomite_supafly]

The factory FCG is fine. There are ways to improve it immensely. I persoanlly like single stages, like the factory trigger, better than twos tage triggers. As far as two stage triggers go Giessele is the best but the budget two stages, like CMMG or RRA, will also serve you well. I would avoid any of the target style triggers as they use an extremely lightweight hammer spring to achieve that and that can cause light primer strikes. And light primer strikes are the absolutely worse thing to have to deal with in a fighting carbine.

As far as BCG goes, I am a phosphate kind of guy. The reason is the phosphate coating holds oil and lubricant better. This keeps the BCG protected. And when you start getting into anything else I would skip right by chrome. It has very little to offer above phosphate coated. Now the nickel boron treated bolts seem to be the best of every world right now. It requires no lube and offers a very protective coating. It is also very, very slick so it will be easy to clean. Also, whatever BCG you decide make sure it is properly hardened and the gas key is properly staked. Both of these are reliability and long term durability issues.

The BCM bolt carrier is as good as the Colt. You are not upgrading by replacing the BCM with the Colt. As a matter of fact I think you are down grading. Colt is no longer the gold standard it once was.

Aimpoints are great. Battery life is great. But I personally like a dot sight that changes dot intensity with ambient light otherwise you are always turning a knob or hitting a button. Not that big of a deal but if you are going from indoors to out or vice versa it can mean a matter of life and death if you loose your dot or it overpowers your sight picture. I have used a Burris Fastfire for a very long time now. It changes intensity automatically. It holds zero despite being on everything I own at least once. Battery life is also very good and it measured in years as well. But if you buy one make sure to get the picatinny protector as it protects the optic from bumps.

Another optic that works really well for me is the Zoom Dot. It was originally made by Millett and is VERY durable. It has an autosensing reticle and the knob on the side changes the dot size from a 1 MOA dot to a 10 MOA dot. This lets you use it for close up work as well as make distant shots. They also have a very long battery life although not years. I use one every day and have for years. It uses standard Aimpoint batteries and the internals are all part of a single, easily replaceable wafer if it ever needs to be replaced.

A few bits of advice you didn't ask about. Before doing a lot of buying shoot the gun and shoot it a lot. This will reveal weak spots as well as things to change to suit you. All too often people build the gun they think they want with parts they think they need for it to run reliably only to find out the gun has issues.

Dolomite

[timcar86]

Let me ask, why do you want to change the BCG?

Unfortunately the upper did not come with a bolt. Currently I have a stock Bushmaster BCG in the rifle.

[timcar86]

A few bits of advice you didn't ask about. Before doing a lot of buying shoot the gun and shoot it a lot. This will reveal weak spots as well as things to change to suit you. All too often people build the gun they think they want with parts they think they need for it to run reliably only to find out the gun has issues.

Dolomite

Agreed. This is my 4th AR platform so I think I'm getting close to what I actually want. I'll probably hit perfection in another couple of guns

Edited October 13, 2012 by timcar86

[Lumber_Jack]

Unfortunately the upper did not come with a bolt. Currently I have a stock Bushmaster BCG in the rifle.

Oh that makes sense, I thought you were looking to replace the BCM bolt group. I would probably just get the BCM bolt if they have any in stock.

[Guest Average Joe]

^{I would def .go with the BCG, if it didn't come with one. I personally like the NiB BCG, I have had great performance out of mine. so far runs flawless and is easy to clean up afterwards. This is the one I got: http://vtsupply.com/...ts_id=1283{7}60, There are others out there but the trick is to find someone with it in stock. Good Luck!!}

Edited October 18, 2012 by Average Joe

[ProjectDexter]

BCM BCG is $160. It's the best you can do without going for Nickle Boron IMO. Auto BCG with all the same chrome line parts as colt has and its parkerized and has all the same Milspec testing. I'm also a fan of the Milspec triggers but geiselle is pretty nifty.

[timcar86]

Just installed the Geissele Super Dynamic Enhanced trigger and man is it sweet. The second stage of the trigger feels amazing and is very crisp. I'll probably go with optics next. If I shot thousands of rounds a month I'd pick up a more reliable BCG but as it stands I can go a little longer without getting one for now.