I need to buy a m16 automatic style carrier and saw a chrome fluted carrier for sale. Does anyone know wether they are good or not? I read in Guns and Weapons for Law Enforcement Jan 2002 issue that Knight's sr-15 Match .223 :          

"The SR-15 didn't feel like other s of its kind. Part of it was certainly its two-stage Match trigger, but the mechanism didn't sound the same either. A few more shots revealed it to be the ultimate smoothness of the hard chrome plated bolt and carrier combined with special finish to the buffer. The sound of these parts in the SR-15 is a 'swish' instead of the standard 'thang.'"

Is this true? Is a chrome carrier a good buy? Thanks for any knowledge!

Read this
[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=74776[/url]
Hope it helps.

Thanks for that link, but people are just arguing that the chrome would make one stand out and camouflage would be pointless.
I would just put a brass deflector over it and that would make all their arguments worthless.

So, not about camouflage...
Does anyone have knowledge of how good they are, beit less jump, quieter movement (which would be perfect for a silencer), whether fluting helps at all, or reliability/longevity?

Thanks for knowledge on this!

Have you worn out a standard bolt carrier?

Why spend money to fix a part that works fine and is a PROVEN design to be a beta tester for the lastest, greatest, Gee-Whiz chromeplated, techolubed, nickel fiberiod, whatchamacallit?

You pays yer money, you takes yer chances.  I don't see the need for it.

Well, they put sand cuts in the FAL carrier, so perhaps fluting the AR carrier could have the same effect? i.e. increased reliability.

The chrome bolt will wear on your upper.

If you absolutely mush "jazz up" your bolt carrier, the Robar NP3 treatment is reported to do well.  

Personally, I've never worn out a bolt carrier nor saw any reason to modify one.  Even if you did, they're not too expensive to replace.  YMMV.

I haven't worn out a carrier, I'm just in the process of building the "perfect rifle" (Aren't we all?!) I have looked around and found that there is not much difference in price between the two m16 carriers.($100-$150 VS $150-$175 chrome) I do agree chrome would look ugly and would need to be hidden. Any new suggestions or personal experience on np3 being a good alternative or why/how a chrome carrier might hurt the gun are appreciated.

I rather like the cool look of a hard chrome carrier & I have not seen any wear on the upper either. Adding a Les Baer hard chrome bolt looks even better.
IMHO

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/016/wg/kE/wK/BX48058.jpg[/img]

ColtShorty

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