Chrome/Nickel AR-15 Bolt Carrier Assembly Opinions...

[Ted S.]

Anyone have experience with these. I can sort of see a Chrome/Nickel plated bolt carrier assembly as having some benefits for being easier to clean, but are there any other benefits, or is this just a clever marketing trick?

[Guest Tennessean]

I just ordered 2 nickel plated bolt carriers from Phase 5. They are supposed to be easier to clean and more durable, but I bought these because Phase 5 is selling them for a very reasonable price and they have them in stock. I'll let you know how they do. They are both going in 6.8 SPC'S.

[Guest Tennessean]

Got the bolt carriers in today. They appear to be very well made, and they look sharp. Now I just have find some gas keys.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Easier to clean being that you may actually see where the dirt is, but no real benefit unless it's some specified

non-mil spec top end carrier. If it says mil spec, I'd assume mil spec. No benefit, otherwise. I have several Young

stainless bolt carriers that fit very snug in a few of my uppers. I won't try to interchange them between the others,

either. I'd love to try one of those nickel boron carriers. Maybe after the latest panic gets over with and everyone

realizes their poop actually stinks like everyone else's and the price gets back to normal.

 

I'd say Gordon can give you a better spiel on the difference between the two. :D

[Ted S.]

Got the bolt carriers in today. They appear to be very well made, and they look sharp. Now I just have find some gas keys.

 

Cool, let me know if it's any good!

[bigwakes]

Nickel Boron is worth the money in my opinion. I have two from Spikes and they make life much easier when it's time to do the dirty work.

[Guest Tennessean]

Got some DPMS gas keys from Midway, and a buddy is staking them for me this week. The Phase 5 bolt carrier is really slick with laser-engraving. I can't wait to try these out.

[Mld3021]

I have a chrome zero fail bcg and it's slick. I really like it. I clean after every range session so it probably makes no functional difference.

[leroy]

For what it's worth; i think that the only "value" a plated bolt carrier brings to the party is the idea that it's slicker and ya can see the dirt better when the time comes to see what your cleanin off the carrier.  They get plenty dirty and i can see where a good plating job would slicken things up and make them easier to see.  "slicker" also means the stuff will come off easier because of this "slickness".   The "crome" plating is pretty hard; but the "boron nitride" stuff is "harder than a harlot's heart".  Harder material plus good surface prep on the bare steel equals real slick surface.

 

Havin said all that; i will pass on the downside of plating.  It can and does come off.  Back when i worked for a livin; we used lots of "magic" flame spray and  plating operations on large rotating machinery to build up shafts and bearing surfaces.  If not done very well (...and sometimes when it is very well done; and for reasons unknown to mortals who are doin their best...); flame spray and plating can (...and does...) come off from time to time; naturally, at the wrong time; because that is the nature of things. 

 

If i wuz usin my ar to protect my life and had to absolutely make certain that it would work; i would not use a plated anything in the carrier group of my ar for the reasons stated above.  If i wuz a casual plinker, target shooter, tinkerer, or ar mechanic playin with toys for enjoyment; i wouldnt hesitate to buy a good plated carrier if i wanted one. 

 

Also, another "for what it's worth" in regard to steels.   The stuff used in weapons in general and ars specifically is good stuff.  It's hard, slick, strong and will do the job very well without any plating or surface treatments at all.  Couple that with the great advances in NC machining and you have not good; but "great stuff".  If ya buy good stuff; you will get great results.  Dont be dragged off into the woods by the snake oil salesmen who say they have "magic platings", "secret coatings" and "mysterious metals" they use in parts; its all marketing hype.  All this stuff is good.  That's why it works so well.

 

leroy

[2006Blackpearl931]

I have a Ruger SR556 with a factory chrome BCG. Thousands of rounds downrange, and it still looks new. No discoloration, wear marks, flaking or peeling. No additional wear to the upper either. I just assembled a new rifle and used a WMD NIB-X bcg. Less than 500 through it, and it has began to turn a dark grey on the bolt and front of the carrier. I use Frog Lube in the gun while shooting and clean with Hoppes #9. I have even washed the bcg with acetone. The gun hasn't had more than 100 through it at one time yet. Just won't clean up like it was new. Supposedly you don't have to lube the nickel boron, but ARs like to run wet, so I do. It may be the Frog Lube causing the discoloration.

[Ted S.]

I have a Ruger SR556 with a factory chrome BCG. Thousands of rounds downrange, and it still looks new. No discoloration, wear marks, flaking or peeling. No additional wear to the upper either. I just assembled a new rifle and used a WMD NIB-X bcg. Less than 500 through it, and it has began to turn a dark grey on the bolt and front of the carrier. I use Frog Lube in the gun while shooting and clean with Hoppes #9. I have even washed the bcg with acetone. The gun hasn't had more than 100 through it at one time yet. Just won't clean up like it was new. Supposedly you don't have to lube the nickel boron, but ARs like to run wet, so I do. It may be the Frog Lube causing the discoloration.

 

Good info. I'd start to wonder if others have had discoloration with the NiB plated ones. Or it could be the lube like you mentioned.

 

Nice to hear the chrome is still in good shape. Do you have any other opinions on the chome bolt as far as performance or ease-of-cleaning?

[2006Blackpearl931]

Yeah, shoot the dog crap out of it! I honestly didn't even tear the chrome bcg apart to clean it until it had 1200-1500 rounds across it. Cleaned up spotless. And I've shot every kind of ammo in that gun too, including several hundred rounds of Wolf.