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Your Thoughts On the Strongest AR Bolt

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Yep I have loads of BCGs on hand but I'm putting together a 22 Nosler that I expect to push pretty hard pressure wise.

I really want the stongest bolt I can get for a standard barrel extension.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Don't need a special extractor or any of that fancy stuff just a very strong Bolt only for a standard carrier. 

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A standard truly MiL-spec bolt should do fine. Daniel Defense, BCM, COLT.

 

Avoid the boutique finishes and fancy cuts.

Absolutely pass on the coated stuff.   Generally out of spec from pre coating polishing.

Daniel Defense, BCM, COLT​...Yep these were my thoughts.

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Ray, I wouldn't trust Spikes anything to be spec.

 

AIM - maybe, but probably not.

I believe they are one in the same, meaning they are made by the same company. Aero Precision I think. Mil-spec is Mil-spec.

 

Now, S&W or Bushmaster? Nope

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All good info - Thanks Folks

 

Just to clarify...The life cycle of this rifle will not excede 3000 most 4000 rounds.

 

These loads will be high intensity in excess of 60,000 psi.

 

I'm not sure about the correlation between longevity and intensity.

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All good info - Thanks Folks

 

Just to clarify...The life cycle of this rifle will not excede 3000 most 4000 rounds.

 

These loads will be high intensity in excess of 60,000 psi.

 

I'm not sure about the correlation between longevity and intensity.

 

A failure analysis done by a friend left me with the strong impression that in the AR platform there would be a correlation. IIRC the reasoning behind it is how fast the unlock occurs in an AR bolt. If you look at how short the path is compared to rifles like the SCAR you can see it. So if your adding more energy into the system it would seem logical to me it will be harder on the bolt. However will it be an issue for a sub 4k round count? Im sure you will find out! :D

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A failure analysis done by a friend left me with the strong impression that in the AR platform there would be a correlation. IIRC the reasoning behind it is how fast the unlock occurs in an AR bolt. If you look at how short the path is compared to rifles like the SCAR you can see it. So if your adding more energy into the system it would seem logical to me it will be harder on the bolt. However will it be an issue for a sub 4k round count? Im sure you will find out! :D

 

Shane - the only problem I have with your reasoning is gas behind the piston relieves pressure on the bolt before it unlocks.

Thus higher pressure would not (in my way of thinking) Increase the resistance to unlocking the bolt.

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Shane - the only problem I have with your reasoning is gas behind the piston relieves pressure on the bolt before it unlocks.

Thus higher pressure would not (in my way of thinking) Increase the resistance to unlocking the bolt.

 

That is my thinking as well, to a point. You are relieving the pressure on locking logs in the early phases, but the more velocity you impart to the carrier the more stress you will put on the cam pin and bolt in the cam pin area when the rotation starts. Personally I have not seen broken lugs but I've seen broken bolts at the cam pin hole, including one of mine, specially when shooting high pressure rounds, my long range ammo is around 60k according to the load data.

 

For me, I've chosen to go to the new JP bolts that have a reinforcement band around that area, and also go to adjustable gas systems to reduce the pressure in the system.

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I don't know the answer to this question and this is purely theoretical on my part but I would think that since there is more energy being imparted into the system, it has more energy to do the work of unlocking the bolt at higher pressure. Thus more wear and tear on the bolt group. I wouldn't think that all AR calibers unlock the bolt at the same PSI.

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Ammo being equal - Barrel length, gas system length, firing schedule all effect the wear and tear to a significant degree.

 

A16" midlength rifle used for precision shooting and an 11.5" commando used as a training gun will have extremely different amounts of wear and tear after 5000 rounds of identical ammo.

 

I see guys in the team with SBRs (11.5")!have to do much more maintenance in their guns than guys with 14.5" guns even though they are shooting the same ammo in the same drills with the same round count.

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Question on Mil-spec bolts.

 

Is Mil-Spec considered the base or minimum requirement? And what if Oldschool goes with a "newer" style of BCG with "upgraded" finishes and cuts?

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Question on Mil-spec bolts.

 

Is Mil-Spec considered the base or minimum requirement? And what if Oldschool goes with a "newer" style of BCG with "upgraded" finishes and cuts?

The AR is a system. Change one thing, something else is affected.

 

For example - NiB/boutique bolts. They allegedly run cooler with less fouling. Great!

 

Except the gun is still producing the same amount of heat and carbon regardless of what the bolt is made of or coated in. That extra fouling and heat has to go somewhere. So now the barrel extension, barrel, upper receiver, barrel nut, gas block, and gas tube get dirtier and/or hotter than designed - instead of the the part designed to sink the heat and bleed it off and is removable to clean better and easier - the BCG.

 

There is no free lunch.

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