My 5.56 Bolt

[imntxs554]

When I bought everything awhile back for my M4 build I bought the BCG from Bravo Company and it's Parkerized Black. Up until today I noticed something a little different maybe it was just me. A friend of mine and I went Shooting and when we finished I pulled out my BCG and just wiped it to see how dirty it was. When you have a black coated BCG you really need a lot of light. When I took it apart to clean and when I finished I looked with a Magnifying Glass and found a little more Residue that was cake on by the piston area. My buddy has a Spike Nickel Boron Coated BCG and his was just a little dirty but still had shine and he just cleaned it and put a small layer of oil on it before we put them back together. After that he shook it and the Bolt moved freely as mine was not it was a little tighter. I really cleaned and scrubbed it put just enough oil...very little. Would anyone know is this a problem or that's just the way some are. Thanks

Happy Shooting, Frank

Note: I came home and ordered a Spike Nickel Boron BCG from Primary Arms in TX just incase.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

There's usually a cake of carbon around the rings Frank. Pics would help to expound.

[imntxs554]

There's usually a cake of carbon around the rings Frank. Pics would help to expound.

Thanks Jim..I don't really understand...I clean all my Rifles and Pistols everytime right after I shoot them...but your right with the my lighted magnifying glass there is cake right where you said Jim...I use really good cleaning material then I brush it apply more solvent and let it sit and wipe it down. I can see if I only cleaned them 2 or 3 days after Shooting them, but I'm thinking it's that black coating on it that's not helping getting it clean.

[browningautorifle]

I find the carbon is hard enough after I shoot that I use the side of a screwdriver to break the carbon off the bolt and it chips off. I also have to go down inside the carrier to the corresponding spot and remove the buildup there. Then oil and assemble. Missing cleaning once in the recent past isn't a surprise Frank, things happen...specially right now... The parkerizing does hold some of the carbon there too. I used scotchbright to remove the outer coating and smooth that area up so it cleans easier.

[imntxs554]

The parkerizing does hold some of the carbon there too. I used scotchbright to remove the outer coating and smooth that area up so it cleans easier.

Jim...That's a great idea... I should remove the black Parkerized material that would be the correct thing to do. I didn't even think about it. Thanks Jim

Frank

Note: I guess it's not bad to have 2 BCG's. I already bought that Spikes BCG

[Sentryduty]

A couple of thinking points:

1. Are you having any stoppages while firing?

2. Certain types of powder (ammunition) can burn cleaner than others, certain brands foul more quickly than others.

3. I try to run my bolts quite dry, generally only a little CLP on the bearing points of the bolt carrier, oil anywhere near the gas key, will burn up and harden into fouling.

4. The only place I tend to experience fouling build up is near the gas rings on the bolt head, a scraper tool or pocket knife usually takes care of that. Sometimes a little cosmetic buildup around the gas key, same treatment.

5. I have seen a few different bolt carrier finishes, none seemed to stand out in my experience as remarkably superior to another. Go to war guns are parkerized for example, but the bearing surfaces are polished smooth.

6. Most fouling related stoppages I have seen are usually caused by over lubrication, which mixes with carbon and becomes a greasy slurry, slowing cycling of the action. This usually happened with Blank firing training and large volumes of fire.

Personally it appears it might not be a huge problem?

[browningautorifle]

I guess it's not bad to have 2 BCG's.

I needed a spare once, I was loading using older Rem primers that pinholed allowing gas to cut the bolt face, pockmarking it. I had to change it out. Spares are good.

4. The only place I tend to experience fouling build up is near the gas rings on the bolt head, a scraper tool or pocket knife usually takes care of that. Sometimes a little cosmetic buildup around the gas key, same treatment.

That's what he's talking about Darren.

[Brian Dick]

It should be tight and will loosen up with use. We had a test where you stand the complete bolt on it's face and if the carrier falls downwards, the gas rings should be replaced. Make yourself a sharpened brass scraper for the carbon build up. Don't take off the Parkerizing. It'll wear off on it's own with time anyhow. It's all normal.

[Sentryduty]

We had a test where you stand the complete bolt on it's face and if the carrier falls downwards, the gas rings should be replaced.

Compared to my civilian AR15, (350 rounds of mileage) I would think that most, if not all, of my service issued C7 bolts would have failed that test. LOL.

Interesting point, now I'll be doing "headstands" with every AR bolt I meet just to try it out...

[Brian Dick]

Don't sweat it. Some of mine do too and still cycle just fine. I can say that the very tired M16A1 rifles we had in the early to mid 80's were all amazingly good weapons. Airborne ops wrecked them frequently and we just fixed them and drove on until the M16A2's came on line. I even rebuilt one that came off a harness and burned in from 800 feet on a pay jump one night at Fort Bragg. We combed the DZ from about 9:30 until 01:30 with Duece and half trucks and M151 jeeps lighting up a long police call line and found it. No one was going back to garrison until it was found. There wasn't much left to work with but I replaced all the broken parts and went out and qualified with it just for s--ts and giggles. You should have seen all the other stuff we found on that op. Everything you could think of including e-tools etc! I learned I didn't want to be standing around below when the sticks were exiting the birds. Police up that chute and get the f--k off the DZ to the rally point!