Hello.  I was visiting a local gun shop and the guy behind the counter showed my a DPMS rifle.  Can't remember the model but I have a question about something he said.  He tells me that the DPMS rifle has a self cleaning bolt...what is that exactly and is it a feature on others such as Olympic, Bushmaster, etc?
Thanks.
John in Oregon

That dealer is blowing smoke up your ass.  

DPMS makes pretty good stuff (at least I have had a good experience). All AR bolts do rid themselves of alot of the carbon buildup, but you still need to clean the bolt from time to time.  It is this way with all AR's.  Since the gas is blown back into the bolt after each shot fired, it blows off some of the carbon buildup off of the bolt.

Sounds like the guy was trying to get you to buy the rifle on the spot (that's a shocker).  Look around here and you'll learn alot from the vast experience that is on this board and it'll keep you from getting shafted by dealers like you described.

Welcome to ARFCOM!!!

Quoted: a self cleaning bolt...

That has to be the best feature for an AR that has never been invented.  

Unless he means you yourself are cleaning the bolt.

Quoted: ....  He tells me that the DPMS rifle has a self cleaning bolt.....

If a dealer told me that kind of B.S. I'd look for a new place to spend my money.

Most DPMS assembled rifles came with a chrome plated bolt.  This is what the dealer may have been referring too.  It is not self cleaning though!  I is just a little easier to clean off sometimes.  Who know what he was talking about.  Ask the dealer to show you the difference between a DPMS self cleaning bolt and an non.  I would find a dealer that knows a little more about the products that he is selling.

I too thought it a strange statement.  The guy that was behind the counter is not the store owner.  The store owner in the past has been most helpful and I will let him know what was told to me by his guy.  I, not knowing a hellofa lot about ARs, but have studied and read a bunch, had never heard that term so thought I had best post the question here.  
I thank ye all kindly for your responses.  
I can't wait to get into the "club."  I am gonna get one of them pesky black rifles and not bitch about it as I have read many hours worth of recommendations/comments/complaints/etc here and elsewhere....what I end up will be what I have reached for...  Tain't much that can't be fixed or tweaked to one's satisfaction if need be.   It will go with my Czech Mauser and Mk4No.II which are both pretty fine shooters and really, really neat old rifles.  hat
Thanks and all the best,
John in Oregon

As for ammo, check with your local Wal Mart.  Here in the Atlanta metro area WallyWorld is selling Winchester white box .223 'value packs' of 40 rounds for around $7.50.  This is 55 gr. FMJ and Israeli produced (IMI?), but it shoots good and is about as cheap as you'll find it.

That's a good one. self cleaning bolt.

He's not the grandson of one of MacNamara's "Whiz kids" from the Viet Nam war era, is he? They touted the "self cleaning abilities" of the Ar15 also.

Where do they find these guys?

Quoted: As for ammo, check with your local Wal Mart.  Here in the Atlanta metro area WallyWorld is selling Winchester white box .223 'value packs' of 40 rounds for around $7.50.  This is 55 gr. FMJ and Israeli produced (IMI?), but it shoots good and is about as cheap as you'll find it.

$7.50!!?   That same value pack costs $10 here in DFW at wally world. That's it. I need to move to Georgia.

I have 2 DPMS B/C units one chromed, one not.
I don't experience any difference in the rifle with the chromed bolt.

Chrome material is "slicker" (lubricity) than most metals, tolerance the same, a chromed bore will exhibit less friction on a bullet vs a moly bore.  With a target grade lapped barrel the difference probably will fall in favor of the lapped barrel.

With that in mind, the chromed bolt might wear less over time on the upper rcvr, however it is also a much harder material so any wear will favor the upper rcvr and not the bolt itself.  
In all reality, I don't think it matters.

As far as cleanliness, ammo with a quality powder will make the biggest difference.

Outside of his hype, I don't think you'll go wrong with the DPMS product.  I have a AR-15 lower and a upper from DPMS with zero complaints.  The DPMS upper has received a far greater "beating" than any other upper I have.  

Here is a tip: Secure the buffer tube and keep it fom backing out with temporary loc-tite.

Quoted: Quoted: As for ammo, check with your local Wal Mart.  Here in the Atlanta metro area WallyWorld is selling Winchester white box .223 'value packs' of 40 rounds for around $7.50.  This is 55 gr. FMJ and Israeli produced (IMI?), but it shoots good and is about as cheap as you'll find it. $7.50!!?   That same value pack costs $10 here in DFW at wally world. That's it. I need to move to Georgia.

Put down the crack pipe and walk away...  I just bought some to break in my M17s at the Wally Worlds in both Plano and McKinney for about 7.50 a box... hey, mabye they just don't like you _DR  Eagles may fly, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines!

Quoted: As for ammo, check with your local Wal Mart.  Here in the Atlanta metro area WallyWorld is selling Winchester white box .223 'value packs' of 40 rounds for around $7.50.  This is 55 gr. FMJ and Israeli produced (IMI?), but it shoots good and is about as cheap as you'll find it.

Winchester Q3131A is IMI (and in a white box), but not all Winchester that comes in white boxes is IMI.....  

Actually...DPMS has chromed BOLT CARRIERs....the bolt themselves is not....

At least on my DPMS NM A2.

That's almost as good as the "snug-nosed barrel"...

I was in local gun/gunsmith shop years ago when an elderly black gentleman came in & inquired about a .38 in the case.  He wanted to make sure it had a "snug" barrel because he'd always heard good things about "snug-nosed" .38s.  The owner (a good friend and excellent gunsmith who is no longer with us ) informed him that the gun he was asking about was new, but if he wanted to buy it today he could take it in the back and "snug it down" for him at no extra charge.  The man agreed and my friend disappeared into his workshop area in back with the revolver - you wouldn't believe the sounds that came from that shop!  Hammering, banging, clanging... he even fired up a table saw & cut on something.  Each of us standing around nearly bust a gut trying not to laugh out loud.  After a couple of minutes of loud noises, he came back up front, put the gun in the box, and completed the sale with a straight face.

"Yep... I snugged it down real good for you!"  

I'll never forget that...