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Posted: 10/7/2010 5:02:51 PM EDT
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I have a quick question, If I have a new 16" carbine upper (DPMS) and I have not fired it. Is it OK to switch out the BCG with another brand? I am looking to install a BCM BCG in place of the stock BCG and even possibly replace the buffer with a heavy (H) one.
any information will be greatly appreciated. thanks. |
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If it's only had a few hundred rounds through it, it wouldn't be a problem. Any more than that and I would check the head space to make sure. Quoted: ok, good deal, I will plan on doing that. now would it be a problem to replace the BCG on a weapon that has been fired? would that cause any headspace problems? |
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This is an interesting subject (to me). I recently bought a complete upper from Spikes and had ordered it with a hard chrome BCG. When the upper came in the mail, it had the standard BCG. Called Spikes and they sent me the correct BCG. Does this matter? The upper that I had purchased had been test fired (I think) with the original BCG but not the one that they sent to replace it.
So is that a concern at all? I thought I had read somewhere before that if you ever change a barrel or BCG to order them together to match. But on the flip side, I have also read that alot of people keep a spare BCG on hand to swap out if something were to fail. One more reason for my interest is that I picked up a S&W MP-15 dirt cheap and wanted it to use as just a fire-n-forget toy. I was considering upgrading the BCG it came with to a auto carrier and also change out the carbine buffer with an H buffer. Was wondering if changing the BCG would casue any issues. Any insight into this topic is much appreciated. |
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Most, if not all, bolts and carriers are produced to exacting tolerances which makes them totally interchangable. No one that has bought a Bravo Company BCG to be "cool" and be part of the "in" crowd has ever had a problem put them into a used rifle. Not one of them ever had headspace problems. This is true of Spikes Tactical BCGs or Youngs Machine, Yankee Hills, RRA, Bushmaster, Denny Guns, Fail Safe, Colt, FN, Toolcraft, Advanced Ordnance, Wisco, Wiltec, even Olympic Arms.
I use mil surplus Colt and FN BCGs, no problem. I put these mil surp bolts up against any commercial bolt anyday and twice on Sunday. A bolt lug or a cam pin will break before a bolt wears enough to have headspace trouble. Chamber depth more often than not is the cause of headspace issues. |
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Most, if not all, bolts and carriers are produced to exacting tolerances which makes them totally interchangable. No one that has bought a Bravo Company BCG to be "cool" and be part of the "in" crowd has ever had a problem put them into a used rifle. Not one of them ever had headspace problems. This is true of Spikes Tactical BCGs or Youngs Machine, Yankee Hills, RRA, Bushmaster, Denny Guns, Fail Safe, Colt, FN, Toolcraft, Advanced Ordnance, Wisco, Wiltec, even Olympic Arms.
I use mil surplus Colt and FN BCGs, no problem. I put these mil surp bolts up against any commercial bolt anyday and twice on Sunday. A bolt lug or a cam pin will break before a bolt wears enough to have headspace trouble. Chamber depth more often than not is the cause of headspace issues. "You can’t really reset the headspace on an AR15 with a chrome-lined chamber. That is set when the barrel extension is installed on the barrel. If you have an unlined barrel, with short headspace, a gunsmith can adjust it by cutting the chamber deeper with the appropriate chambering reamers. If the headspace is long, or the chamber chrome-lined, the only option is to try a different bolt until headspace checks good, or you run out of bolts. Then it is time for a new barrel." |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
ok, good deal, I will plan on doing that. now would it be a problem to replace the BCG on a weapon that has been fired? would that cause any headspace problems? New bolt + used barrel = OK Used bolt + used barrel = CHECK IT Also, you should only do this with a low round count bolt. If its high round, youll start wearing it to the new barrel after its already been worn to the other one, this causes excess wear, may lead to bolt breakage IIRC. |
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A little more info here, this DPMS upper is going on a STAG lower with STAG LPK. Since the rifle has not been fired, I was looking at improving the upper with a BCM BCG, and I will keep the DPMS BCG as a spare. Also I will be mounting a Knight's 2 piece rail system and ARMS flip up rear sight.
So to make sure, if its a new barrel (never been shot) and replacing with a new bolt, then no problems. But if a used barrel and new bolt, then double check. So i should keep the carbine buffer, and not replace it? just want to be sure. thanks, for all the info, much appreciated! |
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OK, school trained smith, Colt factory armorer, DoD and DoS certified gun plumber here...
You can swap new bolts and barrels no problem and you can put a new bolt on an old barrel, you can even, as was stated, put a lightly used bolt on a used barrel. I generally recommend against the last one but it can be done. No matter which of these you do, CHECK YOUR HEAD SPACE! I can not stress this enough. Just this week I had a range master put a brand new in wrap Colt bolt into a M4 on the range that had a lug break. The 2nd shot on the new bolt popped the case in half. Got it home stripped it out and found the new bolt lugs were waaay short. Just for grins I tried a 249 no-go in it and it swallowed that gauge easier than Kelly Wells on her best day. Normally the new stuff is G2G and well within spec, but it's going to be the one time you don't check that it's going to bite you in the ass. Take it for what it's worth, but why not take it by the local smith and have him test it? Takes 30 seconds and might save your gun or you. Thus endeth the sermon... |
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Quoted:
OK, school trained smith, Colt factory armorer, DoD and DoS certified gun plumber here... You can swap new bolts and barrels no problem and you can put a new bolt on an old barrel, you can even, as was stated, put a lightly used bolt on a used barrel. I generally recommend against the last one but it can be done. No matter which of these you do, CHECK YOUR HEAD SPACE! I can not stress this enough. Just this week I had a range master put a brand new in wrap Colt bolt into a M4 on the range that had a lug break. The 2nd shot on the new bolt popped the case in half. Got it home stripped it out and found the new bolt lugs were waaay short. Just for grins I tried a 249 no-go in it and it swallowed that gauge easier than Kelly Wells on her best day. Normally the new stuff is G2G and well within spec, but it's going to be the one time you don't check that it's going to bite you in the ass. Take it for what it's worth, but why not take it by the local smith and have him test it? Takes 30 seconds and might save your gun or you. Thus endeth the sermon... This.. It only takes a few seconds to check the headspace and the gauges aren't that expensive. I never understood why people don't and take a chance, even though a small one, with something that handles controlled explosions a few inches from your face. 
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Quoted: OK, school trained smith, Colt factory armorer, DoD and DoS certified gun plumber here... You can swap new bolts and barrels no problem and you can put a new bolt on an old barrel, you can even, as was stated, put a lightly used bolt on a used barrel. I generally recommend against the last one but it can be done. No matter which of these you do, CHECK YOUR HEAD SPACE! I can not stress this enough. Just this week I had a range master put a brand new in wrap Colt bolt into a M4 on the range that had a lug break. The 2nd shot on the new bolt popped the case in half. Got it home stripped it out and found the new bolt lugs were waaay short. Just for grins I tried a 249 no-go in it and it swallowed that gauge easier than Kelly Wells on her best day. Normally the new stuff is G2G and well within spec, but it's going to be the one time you don't check that it's going to bite you in the ass. Take it for what it's worth, but why not take it by the local smith and have him test it? Takes 30 seconds and might save your gun or you. Thus endeth the sermon... Very sage advice. By the way where are the Kelly Wells? Edit: Never mind on the Wells question, Googled it, I had read your post wrong.  |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
OK, school trained smith, Colt factory armorer, DoD and DoS certified gun plumber here... You can swap new bolts and barrels no problem and you can put a new bolt on an old barrel, you can even, as was stated, put a lightly used bolt on a used barrel. I generally recommend against the last one but it can be done. No matter which of these you do, CHECK YOUR HEAD SPACE! I can not stress this enough. Just this week I had a range master put a brand new in wrap Colt bolt into a M4 on the range that had a lug break. The 2nd shot on the new bolt popped the case in half. Got it home stripped it out and found the new bolt lugs were waaay short. Just for grins I tried a 249 no-go in it and it swallowed that gauge easier than Kelly Wells on her best day. Normally the new stuff is G2G and well within spec, but it's going to be the one time you don't check that it's going to bite you in the ass. Take it for what it's worth, but why not take it by the local smith and have him test it? Takes 30 seconds and might save your gun or you. Thus endeth the sermon... Very sage advice. By the way where are the Kelly Wells? Edit: Never mind on the Wells question, Googled it, I had read your post wrong.
That's Fucking Funny.. |
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