I've been shooting a lot the last 3-4 weeks and hadn't cleaned any of my guns. Have everything spread out and working on it, when I noticed the below little wire sticking out on my AR bolt. I was cleaning it with a microfiber cloth and might have been a bit too vigorous. Is this an issue? Do I need to replace the gas rings?

The gas ring is flaking apart. Change the rings.

Rifle is about 6 weeks old and has probably 1500 rounds through it. PSA standard BCG. Do the rings need replacing often?

I think 1500 rounds is a good time to change the gas rings. I am not the one to answer that however. Take a look at the link for what it could be. I would see what some of the other members think about the duration. A good quality bolt and rings will last a while. I think you are good. Maintenance time.  http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=66&t=633677

Yes, same rifle.I just ordered a bunch of small parts, including another of my BCG (was previously out of stock), and multiple sets of gas rings, from PSA. Just talked to the friend who helped me assemble rifle and he said it's easy to get a towel caught on the rings. I suspect it's from me really going to town on the bolt rather than anything else since it was filthy. It was shooting just fine yesterday.

Gas rings never need to be cleaned. That one got snagged, and broke. Can't tell you whether that happened due to a burr/imperfection on the inside of the carrier or due to your cleaning.

Rings are inexpensive, but can be a little finicky to get the replacements installed. I'd probably just get three new rings and start over.

Have you been using a decent lube on there? Don't generally see a bolt tail worn that severely in 1500 rounds.

I use FrogLube. I run the BCG very wet (FL liquid) although I hadn't thrown some lube on it since I cleaned it last, so 3-4 weeks and it's been shot every weekend at least a couple hundred rounds.

ETA: I wasn't cleaning the gas rings specifically. I was cleaning the bolt.

If the thousands of pounds of force from hot gas isn't damaging your bolt, why would a microfiber cloth?

If you could, clean and degrease your BCG, and look at it closely where the gas rings slide inside (with a flashlight, if need be). Are there any signs of galling, pitting, or scraping?

If the answer is yes, i'd stop using froglube and switch to something else. 1500 rounds is a very low number for gas rings to be breaking. How do the parts seem to be wearing in on the rest of your gun?

This. Good to change major bolt components early but I've got some carbines that have well over 8k with stock components. All pass bolt test and look great. Always good to have a "bolt rehab" kit on hand or spare BCG.

Eta: as said, rifle is too new to really have that issue. Definitely contact manufacturer.

This on the rings.  See that gap in the bottom one, that gun will be single shot if you try to use that one again somehow.  Order quite a few sets and keep them in your kit.  

Don't scrub on the rings.   Take them off if you really want to scrub on the bolt.

Looks fine inside the BC. There are other places, such as on the cam pin and edges of the outside of the BC, that are showing shiny in places.

However, that didn't seem unusual to me since all of my pistols have showed shiny bits where the slide and frame rubbed together.

Odd to have gas rings break/wear in 1500 rounds
I wouldn't worry about your lube at this point . Any oil that winds up on the rings is going to burn or blow off in the first couple of shots . Running the bolt and carrier wet is the correct thing to do but there certain areas (like the rings) that take the direct hit of the hot , high pressure gas that are going to be dry pretty fast.

Other than inspecting the area where the rings ride for rough spots in the metal or lumps of carbon or other crud (that you did) and replacing the rings there isn't much to do .

You might have snagged the ring or more than likely it got crunched when originally installed . Chances are if you twisted off the stray part and installed the bolt everything would run fine.

I have several ARs and really have rarely had to replace anything . I do cam pins when they show some wear but that is me and they are no where near failure .

Ar-15s are really pretty tough , remember they were designed to run full auto under nasty military conditions , those of us playing around with them at the range in semi are hardly getting then warmed up

If everything looks ok, that rules out a lubrication issue. The cam pin and outside starting to become shiny is normal wear; so this was probably just a weak gas ring giving into metal fatigue. It could have broken 500 rounds ago and you likely never noticed

Replace the rings, clean and check as normal every few hundred rounds, life goes on and shooting things is fun

I went shooting with two other folks yesterday and I think we put 4-5 mags worth through it at least without any issues. They were raving about how great it shot.

Because the gas is not snagging the burrs on the gas ring and pulling them out radially....

You could probably just clip the protruding piece off and run it, but I'd change em all out. ARs have been known to run on less than 3 gas rings.

1500 rounds is premature for them to fail with normal firing IMO. When you order the gas rings consider throwing a BCM extractor upgrade kit on as well. Whole order will be around $10 and will just take an extra minute after changing rings to install.

Install a new set of rings.  Don't just cut off that piece.  That's no way to affect a repair in that area.

about the same issue.
OEM gas ring worn out.


I have a 16" BCM midlength, almost like this. OEM gas rings.
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=16-LW-MID

Counted 4 Tac carbine classes, assumption that would total 2K (500/per class) only place I do somewhat rapid firing...indoor shooting avg 100-200 rounds per visit...did about every 4 months...no rapid firing.

Just looking for anyone with same experience and possible solution.

Will get BCM upgrade kit and JP gas ring also.

I installed new rings and have no issues.

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I know, I said to install new rings in the very first sentence. I said you could likely clip it and still run in the mean time.

This might have scratched your bolt carrier. A scratched bolt carrier is not a good thing if you need presition at shooting.
I do not believe you were vogorous at cleaning the bolt. Looks as if the rings have quality issues or less possible bad inserted.
Just check your carrier for scratches.