Here four BCGs on some rifles I own, from top to bottom (or RIGHT to LEFT if the photo rotated):



1. AR15 Original BCG
2. AR15 Enhanced BCG
3. AR15 Enhanced Gen 2
4. Colt AR/M16



As the pictures suggest, only the Colt is positively staked.




For those who recall the original AR BCG, the material was milled out leaving the firing pin in contact.




And for those who are not aware, the subtle difference between the G1 and G2 enhanced is the extra material on the end.



I haven't been an active recreational shooter for a while, so I know that I could get away with leaving everything as is until failure (much of which may never happen), and that is the course many advocate. My thoughts were to replace the AR15 original since that rifle is getting re-barreled (and the bolt should probably be replaced to go with the new barrel) and I can get away with leaving the "enhanced AR BCGs" as is until necessary. What do you think?


1. Leave everything as is until failure?

2. Replace the Original AR BCG to match the new bolt/barrel and it has the weakest staking (or a complete lack thereof)

3. Replace the Original and the Enhanced BCGs (or get the enhanced staked properly).


What say you?

 

Keep running them until failure.

Replace if your life depends on any of those.  If range toys replace when fails.

I hope you keep the all with the same weapon.

dbl post win 8 isn't all that

Shoot 50,000 rounds thru each, you have the perfect controlled experiment in your rack. Whichever lasts longest buy more of that one.  Of course, the bolts will all wear out and fail, first.

If any of the staking looks particularly poor it can be enhanced by yourself or a gunsmith. Staking is just displacing metal, it's done with a pointed tool and large hammer. Basically, you beat on them. Other than that, A bcg just doesn't wear out.

As suggested leaving the bolt with the gun it cam with and just shooting it would be the best thing to do. Most shoot the full auto bcg simply because its slightly heavier and helps slow it down. Other than that their are rarely any issues with the cutaway bolt carriers. The bolt itself is more important. and subject to a lot more stress on the lugs and wear on the extractor.

Nothing wrong with what you have. Keep running them until they fail. That may be some time. Bolts will usually fail long before any carrier will.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  If the unstaked or poorly staked ones bother you, a drop of Loctite 271 (high temp) on the threads will solve the problem.

Easy enough to keep track of. Two are unfired at present, so one thought is to buy one M16 BCG and do this:

New M16 BCG > Enhanced Gen 2 host rifle (never been fired)
Enhanced G2  >  AR 15 Original host rifle (remove original BCG for spare)
Enhanced G1 > Back into the Enhanced G1 host rifle
Other M16 > Back into the M16 host rifle.

In other words, 2 stay the same. One gets a transplant but has never been fired (with a BCG that has never been fired). The other gets a transplant (unfired BCG), but though the rifle been well-used, it's getting re-barreled (and I'll replace the bolt while I'm at it).

This, absolutely.  I am personally sick to death of these gung-ho types and their "if your life depends on it" crap.

I agree that it's overboard in this case.

OP, they're all staked. It doesn't take much to get the job done. If you were to remove these screws, then the current stakes would be no good after re-insertion. But as-is they look GTG. Leave them as-is. The pressure from even the lighter stakes is greater than the force of the screw trying to back itself out.

I'd leave them as-is.

I personally would ditch the one without the shrouded firing pin.  I just don't like the exposed length of pin taking the load of cocking the hammer every time the rifle cycles.  Don't know if it would cause problems, but I would be nervous about the collar peening or the pin bending over time.

At $75 to $90 each I would replace all AR15 BCG with M16 BCG. Why not?? You will be able to receive that or close to it for the AR15 BCG's if you sold them.  You could keep them for spare parts as well.
If you are OK with the features of the AR15 BCG's you have, then stake them better yourself with a vise, dull punch/chisel and a hammer.

+1
The firing pin retaining pin does bend after around 700 - 800 rds. on my Colt SP1 carbine. I swapped it out right away with a new Colt F/A BCG.

+1

All look fine to me. If you aren't happy with them I'll take them off your hands for free

I'd leave them alone, but if you're getting a new barrel, at a minimum check headspace if you aren't getting a new bolt to go with it.

New barrel and new bolt at a minimum in the well-fired carbine.

Otherwise, it will get the Enhanced G2 BCG (which includes a new bolt) and the donor rifle (unfired) will get a new M-16 BCG.

If it were my rifle I'd go ahead and either rebuild my entire bolt carrier including gas tube and bolt itself. But first do a price comparison......it might be cheaper just to replace the entire BCG and be done with it.

Impala