TRIARC Systems Bolt Carrier:  A Quick Look





For some time now I’ve been interested in trialing a bolt carrier that has been coated with NP3 (electroless nickel TEFLON).  NP3 has attributes that are potentially beneficial to the reciprocating parts of the AR-15 such as the bolt and bolt carrier.  A relatively new company with a growing reputation for quality called TRIARC Systems sells just such a bolt carrier.





The TRIARC bolt carrier weighs the exact same amount as a full-auto Colt bolt carrier; 9.4 ounces.  The carrier proper is made from case hardened 8620 steel, while the gas key is made from 4140 steel.  The gas key is fastened to the carrier using Grade 8 hardware.  The aft section of the bolt carrier has a small radius on the external diameter to aide in the smooth entrance of the bolt carrier into the receiver extension/buffer tube.





The staking on the gas key is nicely done.





The NP3 coating on the bolt carrier gives the carrier the most lubricious feel of any bolt carrier that I’ve owned; including my JP Enterprises bolt carriers.

The length of the TRIARC bolt carrier is 6.672”, which meets the US mil-spec.  The internal diameter of the gas key is 0.181”, which also meets the US mil-spec.

The bore of an AR-15 bolt carrier can be thought of as being divided into three different sections with critical dimensions.  Starting at the front of the carrier, the “bolt run” section of the bolt carrier interfaces with the “land” on the bolt.  This section of the Triarc carrier has an internal diameter of 0.531”, which as before, meets the US mil-spec.

The next two sections of the bore of the AR-15 bolt carrier are extremely important for the proper function of the gas system. The gas system of the AR-15 is commonly referred to as a “direct impingement” system.  In actuality, the AR-15 uses a gas piston system with the tail of the bolt and the gas ring section being the piston and the two sections of the bore of the bolt carrier being discussed forming the cylinder.

The second section of the bore of the bolt carrier interfaces with the gas rings on the bolt and this section of the TRIARC bolt carrier has an internal diameter 0.4995”.  The third section of the bolt carrier interfaces with the tail of the bolt and this section of the TRIARC bolt carrier has an internal diameter of 0.2515”.  Both of these dimensions meet the US mil-spec and when combined with a bolt with the proper dimensions should produce a highly efficiently functioning gas system.






I checked the firing pin protrusion on the bolt that I received.  With the supplied firing pin, the protrusion was 0.0295". With a new Colt firing pin the protrusion was 0.0290".  I also checked the headspace of the bolt with a 16" TRIARC Track 2.0 barrel.  The bolt closed on 1.4646" gauge.  The bolt did not close on a 1.4666" guage.

The mil-spec for the inside diameter of the bolt face is .380", with a tolerance of plus .005".  The inside diameter of the bolt face of the TRIARC bolt that I received is ~0.3825".





It is interesting to note that the cam pin hole on the TRIARC bolt does not have relief cuts like a Colt bolt.  Neither does a Hodge bolt.







It's truly refreshing to see a relatively new company in the AR-15 arena that isn’t just a lot of hype and that is straight forward with the customer as to the materials their components are made from.  In addition to that, the NP3 coating on the Triarc bolt carrier is quite aesthetically pleasing.





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Worth mentioning the NP3 and NP3+ was discontinued for the retail market 10/21. I believe it is still in use for mil and aerospace.

I handled a Triarc rifle at my local gun store about 2 years ago and it was a work of art…the nicest AR I have ever laid my hands on.

Great post molon! Triarc did the cerakoting on my 12.5" SBR. They did a fantastic job.

They're a local business to me.

Doesnt Sionics have a NP3 BCG ?

Nice, very gas efficient bolt carrier with those internal dimensions.

It wasn’t discontinued, the shop that provided it simply closed down.  Another shop took over the retail side, can’t remember the name though.

Hmmm.  I have some parts currently in need of cerakoting.

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Well, shit. Now I want one and I didn't even know this was a thing ??

Discontinued by Coating Technologies. The owner and applicator of NP3 family of finishes.

Molon, are you referring to your JP chrome carriers for that comparison?

I love hard chrome, especially suppressed, but they are getting hard to find.  I have NiBo, but I am not impressed, the nickle teflon has had my interest, lately

I would be interested to hear your impressions after 1000 rounds suppressed!

I was happy with them. The downside is since they're a new company they are small and turnaround can be lengthy. I dropped it off in January and got it back in April.

Umm then how did I get a Sionics NP3 that was produced Dec21 and a Triarc NP3 that was produced Jan22?

Way cool!

Interesting....

3 of 4 bolt carriers I own are NP3: Sionics, FCD, and an LMT E-BC that was sent to Robar for NP3+. I guess I bought into the hype but I don't regret it .

Who does this coating anymore?

Better question is how'd you get the Sionics bcg?  I didn't even see them hit the website after their IG announced back in stock.

benjam8291 is correct, the shop that was offering RETAIL np3 services has stopped as of Oct. last year.

I have two LMT and one DD whole uppers sitting on a shelf in favor for Triarc whole uppers.

They are top notch.

I had a Scout Squad M1A done in NP3 by Robar back in the late '90s. It was an awesome looking rifle. Sold it for crazy money around 2010.
I have another plain Jane Scout Squad.

Wish someone as good as Robar was doing NP3 now.

Triarc know what they're doing, their ARs are top notch and the tri-lok rail is excellent.

They just need to be careful as they grow. Lead times are getting out of hand, a friend of mine has been waiting on a factory build for almost a year with no meaningful updates. Scaling is hard and I give them the benefit of doubt (without knowing anyone there first-hand). They need look no further than the shop up in PA that is clearly outdriving their headlights.

Wright Armory had taken over Robar's coating business.  It looks like the poster who said NP3 was discontinued was correct though.

https://wrightarmory.com/np3-metal-finishing/

I like their barrels a lot. I only have two, but they are accurate and properly gassed.

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Hype company that doesn’t bring anything to the table new. I owned a 12.5” middy rifle and really wasn’t blown away like everyone else seemed to be. Ended up selling it to a nerd who couldnt live without one.

That is a pretty good testimony....LMT and DD and way up there...

I thought Robar closed down completely

I'm looking forward to seeing how their Single Edge Polygonal Rifling performs.










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Black Friday they had a pre-order that was supposed to ship mid January, I ended up getting it end of December.

Likewise. There were/are rumors that it could increase velocity, all other factors being equal. I guess we'll find out.

My JP bolt carriers are QPQ nitride . . .




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Those gas key bolts are junk no matter how pretty the useless staking is.

Gotcha.  The JP, and the ToolCraft nitrided are definitely slick.  Took me a minute to warm up to the nitride thing.  Still haven't gone beyond a couple of BCGs.

I've had one for about 5 yrs or so.  No issues with it.  Picture below of it.
Mine is also engraved NP3 by the gas port holes.  Yeah I know it's filthy.  Still runs fine.  Quick wipe with towel and crud comes right off.

However, I pretty much just run a Surefire carrier these days.

I had my SR-15 BCG NP3'd a while back. Definitely cleans easier, but doesn't retain lube as well.

It is nice being able to just wipe it down to clean it, but I'm not sure that it makes a difference in the number of rounds I could shoot without cleaning.

The lube running off issue is why the military quit chroming the whole carrier.

I was unaware of this; now, i'm intrigued...

Is nitride similar to NP3 in this way?

Probably. The main problem I’ve seen with nitrided carries is that the raw machinings were made according to spec, but the nitride doesn’t add dimension like the chrome and the gas key bore ends up slightly oversized.

You were probably thinking of the Young Manufacturing bolt carriers that I've used in several builds.

Chrome . . .





Ionbond over chrome . . .




















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You ever mess with the TiN coated stuff? Seems like it would work and who doesn’t like a little bling

Only on neck bushings and case trimmers.







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that is a beautiful rifle!

The NP3 process is an nickel/teflon coating.  It's highly lubricious and will function without lubrication.

Nice!

Nice review. This site will bankrupt me someday.

I'm not seeing separate carriers for sale at all.