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Page AR-15 » Rimfire and Pistol Calibers
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 10/8/2015 10:49:20 PM EDT
Hey all.  Grabbed a NiBo 9mm BCG a while back, maybe in the spring or late winter.  I remember looking all over for one in NiBo and right when I gave up stumbled on this place Tactical Ambush.  Thier prices were almost too good to be true but ordered one based on the reviews on the page.  Turns out the price was so good 'cause they were going out of business right around the time I placed my order.  Didn't find this out until just now when I went to look them up.

Haven't seen much about them on the net, other than some people saying their name and logo are ridiculous.  The name is a bit over the top but I actually like their owl logo.

Reading between the lines on some posts here on ar by a guy claiming to have worked for the company, it seems their BCGs are made by toolcraft, which I imagine applies to their 9mm bolts as well.  Either way I was able to dig up specs on their nitride 9mm bolt, which I imagine applies equally to their NiBo bolt:

*M16 Heavy Duty Bolt Carrier
*Black Nitride Coating ("EVO" nickle boron in my case)
*9mm cal
*Made out of 9310 steel
*Heavy Duty Spring
*Ramped to Accept Standard Hammer
*Our bolt is made specifically for the 9mm AR-15 platform, it is CNCed to fit the mentioned round and the firing pin is made for that particular round.
*The bolt is mil-spec, heat treated, with a mil-spec finish.  Drop in fit.

G2G or boat anchor?  Since it was almost certainly made by an outside company with final finishing done by TA or someone they contracted I can't imagine it'd be bad, but figured I'd ask those with more experience before running it.
Link Posted: 10/8/2015 11:32:32 PM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
Hey all.  Grabbed a NiBo 9mm BCG a while back, maybe in the spring or late winter.  I remember looking all over for one in NiBo and right when I gave up stumbled on this place Tactical Ambush.  Thier prices were almost too good to be true but ordered one based on the reviews on the page.  Turns out the price was so good 'cause they were going out of business right around the time I placed my order.  Didn't find this out until just now when I went to look them up.

Haven't seen much about them on the net, other than some people saying their name and logo are ridiculous.  The name is a bit over the top but I actually like their owl logo.

Reading between the lines on some posts here on ar by a guy claiming to have worked for the company, it seems their BCGs are made by toolcraft, which I imagine applies to their 9mm bolts as well.  Either way I was able to dig up specs on their nitride 9mm bolt, which I imagine applies equally to their NiBo bolt:

*M16 Heavy Duty Bolt Carrier
*Black Nitride Coating ("EVO" nickle boron in my case)
*9mm cal
*Made out of 9310 steel
*Heavy Duty Spring
*Ramped to Accept Standard Hammer
*Our bolt is made specifically for the 9mm AR-15 platform, it is CNCed to fit the mentioned round and the firing pin is made for that particular round.
*The bolt is mil-spec, heat treated, with a mil-spec finish.  Drop in fit.

G2G or boat anchor?  Since it was almost certainly made by an outside company with final finishing done by TA or someone they contracted I can't imagine it'd be bad, but figured I'd ask those with more experience before running it.
View Quote


I bought a 9mm upper from them. The firing pin broke after 50 rds. Not a big deal, but not worth the trouble. Their website is offline. Wouldn't trust them again even if I could.
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 10:31:44 AM EDT
[#2]
Pretty sure their out of business..
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 12:22:33 PM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I bought a 9mm upper from them. The firing pin broke after 50 rds. Not a big deal, but not worth the trouble. Their website is offline. Wouldn't trust them again even if I could.
View Quote


Thanks for mentioning the firing pin!!. Took a look at my bolt 'cause something was subconsiously irking me about the firing pin before you mentioned it.  It's not long enough first of all, and the "strong spring" they talk about in their product literature is a piece of garbage, like something you'd get in the Ace hardware bargain bin.  After removing the firing pin and checking it out closely, the portion behind the retaining tab, the cylindrical nip the hammer strikes, is clearly too short.  Maybe they tried to save a few shekels and machined their own pins, or got some blowout deal on 9mm pins that turned out crap, I dunno....but this pin is def going in the garbage.  The area that is supposed to protrude from the bolt body for the hammer to strike barely sticks out, literally about the width of a piece of paper.

I'll replace it with an RRA piece, maybe take a pic of them side by side to illustrate what I'm talking about.  The bolt itself looks sound with everything machined as it should be.  I'm about 99% sure the bolt itself was made by someone else and then TA put their junk parts in it.  We'll see.
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 1:23:20 PM EDT
[#4]
I have on of these bolts and it works perfectly. Would not hesitate to purchase another one at a discount price. The vendor may have been a poor business man however he did not manufacture the bolts.

When I hold this bolt and my Colt bolt side by side they look a lot alike except for the coating.
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 3:17:06 PM EDT
[#5]
I really would like to find a nickel or chrome bolt for the 9mm. I was ready to take the plunge until I read the stuff on here. I'm glad I waited. I just wish someone else would offer a 9 bolt in that finish.
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 3:50:11 PM EDT
[#6]
Seriously, stay away from tactical ambush, just google their name, and read the first arfcom link (sorry i cant link it to you)
Link Posted: 10/9/2015 8:33:25 PM EDT
[#7]
I use their bolt and it seemed to work just fine.  However I did just have an OOB discharge not sure what exactly caused it yet. The bolt cleans up nice being coated and all.  Not sure where you would find one now being they are not in business.
Link Posted: 10/10/2015 10:06:53 PM EDT
[#8]
I have a nickel one.
First time out it wouldn't fire. It shipped with a bad spring. It also looked like the firing pin was too short.
Bought a Rock River pin and spring. Replaced the spring and everything has been fine for over 500 rounds.
Have the RR pin as a spare.
Link Posted: 10/12/2015 3:42:06 AM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I have a nickel one.
First time out it wouldn't fire. It shipped with a bad spring. It also looked like the firing pin was too short.
Bought a Rock River pin and spring. Replaced the spring and everything has been fine for over 500 rounds.
Have the RR pin as a spare.
View Quote


Had the same issue with mine. Shot well for about 2 mags then it wadded up the firing pin spring (made by bic no doubt). I havn't been back out with it since, but replaced the spring & firing pin with RR units. Also picked up another carrier from Mas defense as a spare since TA is a memory now
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 8:45:55 PM EDT
[#10]
Everyone who has a TA 9mm bolt should change out the firing pin and spring ASAP.  Again I'm really glad I found this out before running the bolt but if you're running one now with the spring and pin it came with change them out before you go to the range again.  The TA pin is approximately the same OAL (I think) but everything behind where it mates with the retaining cotter is machined differently.  A picture is worth a thousand words and unfortunately I don't have one but suffice it to say the TA firing pin is different from industry standard (Colt, RRA, etc).

When assembled the rear of the stock TA firing pin barely protruded from the bolt (where the hammer would strike it), versus the RRA pin, which protrudes approximately 1/16th inch (give or take, eyeballing it).  I imagine this would put more stress on all involved components and is out of spec either way.

The spring is also different and inadequate: longer, narrower and weaker per unit of length.  On paper this spring might have been a superior option but in practice I can see how it would easily bind or otherwise fail prematurely.  It's unclear whether the firing pin was machined to accommodate this new spring or if the machining was just off period, but either way both parts should be replaced.

If I had to venture a guess, they were trying to solve a problem that didn't exist with this off-kilter pin and spring while saving a few pennies along the way.  Didn't work out.

Fortunately ~$15 in parts from RRA fixes an otherwise fine (NiBo) bolt made, presumably, by toolcraft.
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 9:46:53 PM EDT
[#11]
I guess I got lucky.  Haven't changed anything on it and have over 1000rds with it. Everything is holding up fine and no issues so far.
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 10:20:25 PM EDT
[#12]
Other than the stupid Owl, mine works OK.
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 10:34:06 PM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Other than the stupid Owl, mine works OK.
View Quote

Hope that wasn't one you wanted to trade me:)
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 11:07:37 PM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I use their bolt and it seemed to work just fine.  However I did just have an OOB discharge not sure what exactly caused it yet. The bolt cleans up nice being coated and all.  Not sure where you would find one now being they are not in business.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I use their bolt and it seemed to work just fine.  However I did just have an OOB discharge not sure what exactly caused it yet. The bolt cleans up nice being coated and all.  Not sure where you would find one now being they are not in business.


Quoted:
I guess I got lucky.  Haven't changed anything on it and have over 1000rds with it. Everything is holding up fine and no issues so far.


I can think of a few scenarios where an out of spec firing pin coupled with a grossly out of spec spring could cause OOB discharge.  I highly encourage you to order the following parts from the following page:

RRA 9mm Parts Page

9MM027 -- 9mm firing pin

9MM027S -- 9mm firing pin spring

Order 2x each while you're there.
Page AR-15 » Rimfire and Pistol Calibers
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
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