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Posted: 3/15/2016 11:17:58 PM EDT
| So I'm looking at a Bravo Company complete BCG for a new build, but just wanted a couple of questions answered about the BCM and BCG's in general. First, what type of steel is the actual carrier of the BCM made of? I know that the bolt itself is made of the mystical Carpenter 158, but I'm wondering what type of steel the carrier body is composed of. Along those lines, what type of steel will offer the highest reliability and longest service life in a carrier body. I believe that 8620 is mil spec if I'm not mistaken, but is there something better out there? Thanks in advance for the help. |
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So I'm looking at a Bravo Company complete BCG for a new build, but just wanted a couple of questions answered about the BCM and BCG's in general. First, what type of steel is the actual carrier of the BCM made of? I know that the bolt itself is made of the mystical Carpenter 158, but I'm wondering what type of steel the carrier body is composed of. Along those lines, what type of steel will offer the highest reliability and longest service life in a carrier body. I believe that 8620 is mil spec if I'm not mistaken, but is there something better out there? Thanks in advance for the help. Yes, 8620 is the carrier steel in the BCM, and the carrier steel you want. |
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I have never seen or heard of a bolt carrier failure, no matter who it was made by. Why make an issue about something that is a non-issue? Minutia guys love to obsess about non issues. I mean unless the dude is totally new to ar's (possible) and doesn't know it's a non issue. |
| I'm going to go against the grain and tell you that I had a BCM BCG fail to extract within the first 500 rounds. It would fail about 10% of the time. It was most likely an issue with the extractor so I sent it off and they had it back to me within a week in perfect condition and it runs fine now. The customer service is excellent. |
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Quoted:
So I'm looking at a Bravo Company complete BCG for a new build, but just wanted a couple of questions answered about the BCM and BCG's in general. First, what type of steel is the actual carrier of the BCM made of? I know that the bolt itself is made of the mystical Carpenter 158, but I'm wondering what type of steel the carrier body is composed of. Along those lines, what type of steel will offer the highest reliability and longest service life in a carrier body. I believe that 8620 is mil spec if I'm not mistaken, but is there something better out there? Thanks in advance for the help. If you ever wear out a carrier (using factory ammo) I'll buy you a new rifle. |
| Thanks for the response. For 99% of folks, this is a non-issue, and I'm nobody special. I already own a complete BCM upper receiver. I'm just doing a little research to see what if any advantage there are to using the newest "wonder steel" (and yes, that is meant to be sarcastic). The point is, just about any decent carrier and bolt combo on the market is going to serve out a long, effective life, but perhaps I just have a little too much interest in arcane details. Honestly I just wanted a little technical information regarding this topic. Thank you for the legitimate responses answering the question, and for the rest of the smart-assery. |
| 8620 is an excellent steel for carriers. It is easy to machine, reasonably priced, very available, very tough and very forgiving in heat treating, There are better steels, but they are more costly and there is virtually zero benefit. Now the bolt itself is a different story. Craig |
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Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ |
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Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ Quoted:
Quoted:
Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ They were $125 for a long time and almost always in stock before the panic hit and people started flipping them. With everyone else dropping their prices significantly, I have held off on buying anymore BCM BCGs. Same with Spike's. They were $113 before the panic. They have since stayed quite a bit higher than many other companies. |
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I have never seen or heard of a bolt carrier failure, no matter who it was made by. Why make an issue about something that is a non-issue? Not really the carrier but over the years I've seen many issues loose carrier keys due to improper installation. I only bring this up because the key generally comes intalled and I like to know that whoever I am getting my BCG from properly torques and stakes the carrier key. That is one of the reasons I stick with BCM BCGs. |
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Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ Quoted:
Quoted:
Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ What are the chances ToolCraft makes the BCM BCG? |
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What are the chances ToolCraft makes the BCM BCG? Quoted:
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Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ What are the chances ToolCraft makes the BCM BCG? It would not surprise me. |
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Quoted: I don't buy them because it just mean's I have to take more time to get rid of the laser etching I dont buy them for that reason also. And Ill disagree that they are the very best too. They are absolutely one of the best if you want a true milspec BCG. Before you guys get your torches and pitchforks, Ill say that they are good to go and to buy with confidence. BCM makes good stuff, and seem to have passion towards QC. Which reflects in their price, and some feel that price is worth the extra confidence of their product. |
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Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ Quoted:
Quoted:
Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ What makes toolcraft so good? I've only recently heard of them. |
| Buy with confidence OP. BCM sells great products. I have a BCM complete 11.5" upper on a Palmetto lower that I mounted my Specwar 7.62 can on. I shot for a while without cleaning it, but I kept it oiled. I don't know how many rounds I had through when one day I decided I would clean it. There was so much gunk build up on the BCG that I couldn't see the BCM marking on the BCG. Cleaning took a little while, but I haven't experienced any malfunctions. I now have a Specwar 5.56 in jail for this rifle. |
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Quoted: What makes toolcraft so good? I've only recently heard of them. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ What makes toolcraft so good? I've only recently heard of them. A .mil supplier (and sometimes FN) and one of the handful of companies that supply most others. For those that have been paying attention over the years theres a high probability they supply BCM (and also PSA, and most likely Spikes). But none of those companies release their source, of course. But certain clues have emerged. That said, of the 3 BCGs I have; they are PSA, Cage code marked Toolcraft that came in a surplus complete USGI FNMI A2 upper and KAC. All work as intended with no issues. And all were much cheaper than a BCM. Ok maybe not the KAC  But Toolcraft is (one of) the supplier that supplies the AR aftermarket with quality milspec BCGs that doesnt make their own in house. Like BCM, PSA, and Spikes. |
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Quoted: A .mil supplier (and sometimes FN) and one of the handful of companies that supply most others. For those that have been paying attention over the years theres a high probability they supply BCM (and also PSA, and most likely Spikes). But none of those companies release their source, of course. But certain clues have emerged. That said, of the 3 BCGs I have; they are PSA, Cage code marked Toolcraft that came in a surplus complete USGI FNMI A2 upper and KAC. All work as intended with no issues. And all were much cheaper than a BCM. Ok maybe not the KAC But Toolcraft is (one of) the supplier that supplies the AR aftermarket with quality milspec BCGs that doesnt make their own in house. Like BCM, PSA, and Spikes. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Too bad BCM BCG aren't in line with other BCGs price wise. Agree, when compared a $91 Tool Craft, BCM is over priced. I have multiple of both. I kinda understand the high price though. When they where $135 they always sold out and were flipped on EE for $180+ What makes toolcraft so good? I've only recently heard of them. A .mil supplier (and sometimes FN) and one of the handful of companies that supply most others. For those that have been paying attention over the years theres a high probability they supply BCM (and also PSA, and most likely Spikes). But none of those companies release their source, of course. But certain clues have emerged. That said, of the 3 BCGs I have; they are PSA, Cage code marked Toolcraft that came in a surplus complete USGI FNMI A2 upper and KAC. All work as intended with no issues. And all were much cheaper than a BCM. Ok maybe not the KAC But Toolcraft is (one of) the supplier that supplies the AR aftermarket with quality milspec BCGs that doesnt make their own in house. Like BCM, PSA, and Spikes. And CMT. |
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Another contrarian voice. I'd be inclined to buy a BCM BCG if they made them in house and there was some sort of secret sauce that made them worth the premium that BCM (and customers) feel they deserve to command.
Given that BCM's BCGs appear to be made by Toolcraft, which you can buy for half the price, I don't see a reason to spend that money. That said, BCM's BCGs are fine products and deserve the praise that Bravo receives on Toolcraft's silent behalf. |
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Another contrarian voice. I'd be inclined to buy a BCM BCG if they made them in house and there was some sort of secret sauce that made them worth the premium that BCM (and customers) feel they deserve to command. Given that BCM's BCGs appear to be made by Toolcraft, which you can buy for half the price, I don't see a reason to spend that money. That said, BCM's BCGs are fine products and deserve the praise that Bravo receives on Toolcraft's silent behalf. Toolcraft is also a gov contractor and supplies their replacement bcgs. |
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Quoted: Another contrarian voice. I'd be inclined to buy a BCM BCG if they made them in house and there was some sort of secret sauce that made them worth the premium that BCM (and customers) feel they deserve to command. Given that BCM's BCGs appear to be made by Toolcraft, which you can buy for half the price, I don't see a reason to spend that money. That said, BCM's BCGs are fine products and deserve the praise that Bravo receives on Toolcraft's silent behalf. All that said, I'm not sure toolcraft supplies bcm. I'm pretty sure they supply PSA, maybe bcm currently or on occasion, but at one point it was pretty much admitted by Paul that BCM BCG's are actually FN. At one point a few were sold accidentally with the FN markings on the bolt/carrier.
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I have never seen or heard of a bolt carrier failure, no matter who it was made by. Why make an issue about something that is a non-issue? I have personally never had a bolt carrier failure but have been on this site long enough to see pictures of problems such as broken firing pin retainers, broken extractors, gas key staking and bolt failures, rough bolt channel drillings which caused the gas rings to hang up, and a cracked bolt. The worst I have done is somehow chip an extractor which had to be replaced. |
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