I have seen a lot of times that uppers are sold without the bolt group. What good is that?

You need a bolt in order to use the rifle. It's not like I have some just lying around , ready to put into an upper. I'd have to buy one so why not just sell the bolt with the upper?

It might sound cheaper for sales but in the end it all comes out the same.

Gee;  could it be that the person is selling the upper because he has a diiferent ipper he wants to put on his lower, and he needs the bolt/carrier assembly?  Or if it's a new upper from a dealer, that's how it came from the factory?

Oh, by the way, some of us DO KEEP SPARE BOLT CARRIERS in our parts boxes.  Those who don't, I guess, just have to plan on buying them when they get a new barrelled upper assy [:D]

Yes, I see what you mean. But if you use your spare for the new upper, now you'd have to get another to have as a spare.

Of course, i've seen uppers sold without barrels, etc.... but what I mean is when it is advertised as a complete upper but later on down the page is mentioned "without the b/bc/ch".

Just had a trade go down the crapper for that reason.  His idea of a "complete" upper did not include the b/c/ch.  Personally, I think a "complete" upper means everything - upper receiver, front and rear sights, barrel, b/c/ch, flash supressor, etc.  As far as I'm concerned, its not "complete" without the bolt, carrier and charging handle.  If its missing parts, it isn't really "complete" now is it?

I guess the price is probably the best tip off.  Uppers w/bolt, carrier, and handle usually go for about $100-$125 more than "barrelled upper recievers".

I do understand the problem though, which I guess is part of the reason I've stocked up on spares over the years. Right now I've got two Colt GI surp bolt assys and a Colt carrier in the parts box; to say nothing about the roughly 2/3s of the parts for a lower[:D]

Now they may sit there forever, or get used next week, but if I run into a killer deal on a lower, or upper at a show next month I won't have to spend as much extra all at once, as I would if I didn't have the stuff.  I'm just a pack rat at heart I guess[:D]