All the reminissing about the ban era caused me to take a look at the two ban era guns I own.  One DPMS CAR and one RRA stanadrd A2.  Both have unshouded AR-15 bolt carriers.  Neither of them is a go-to gun, just range shooters.  Is there any real issue in running an unshrouded carrier?

no issue, I used one for many years and many thousands of rounds with no problem.



They do beat up the firing pin though.

good question, I unfortunately ended up with one sold on the EE that was not described as unshrouded by the seller () but I found out when it arrived. I put it the parts box an still have it, just in case I ever was in dire need of a carrier...so what do others have to say about them?....<><....:)

this.  faster wear of the pin and maybe slightly less mass

Not unless you've got a notched hammer.



 

Never had a problem. My Colt SP1 came with one when I bought it new back in 1987. I also built 2 carbines  with Spikes lowers and Colt SP1 BCG's One has a Noveske N4 basic light upper and the other is a Double Star upper with 16" heavy cromelined barrel . The double star ws going to be sold on EE but I couldn't do it since it shoot just as good as my Noveske and Colt. The Colt has a notched hammer and the 2 cars. dont the only thing  I have ever had to do is replace the firing pin retaining pin. It became more difficult to to remove and reinsert after cleanig because it started to bend. I have a few spares and will allways use my old Colt BCG's in all my guns as they have never let me down.

No issues. Fired a lot of rounds with those carriers in my rifles. Still have some of them.

no issue

never had any problems or heard of any

now bolts is a different story

I still have the un-shrouded bolt carrier in my 6520 and before I gave it away, my old Colt A-2 upper also had the un-shrouded carrier in it.  Never had problems with them after literally tens of thousands of rounds between the two guns.  But I got paranoid enough after reading on ARFCOM about the firing pin's retaining pin got beat up to death, I actually filed the sear block down in my old (1992) Sporter.

The thousands of jam-free rounds I've fired through my unshrouded Colt carriers are proof positive that the whole "OMG!  If I don't have a F/A bolt carrier and a barrel that isn't parkerized under the FSB according to The_Chart, my gun will blow up" mantra is utter nonsense.

You to! I just bought one, and said nothing about it being un-shrouded.... O well...

That said, I have never had a problem with an un-shrouded carrier.

If you use a larger collar M16 firing pin then the collar of the pin will get beat up by the hammer because now the pin is cocking the hammer and not the carrier like with happens in a full shrouded carrier. The retaining pin can bow.

and the firing pin retaining pin.

Not a major problem though. They were the industry standard until about 10-years ago.