Change S&W bolt carrier group?

[Rick_A]

The only carriers I've seen failed are those attached to blown up rifles.

The bolts may fail after 25K rounds or more.

About 100 rounds will make a standard BCG as smooth as the fancy coating jobbers, it just won't be as shiny or wipe down as easily.

Full profile carriers can smooth out overgassed guns if the gas block is not adjustable and an extra heavy buffer is not enough.

Sometimes spending that dough on cool stuff just makes ya feel good, I guess.

I wouldn't run any moving mechanism with metal to metal contact without lube, but that's just me.

 

[turbo38gn]

What is the problem with the original, are they known to fail?

Ok, I'll answer it for ya... NO.. they aren't known to fail... A lot of good info in this thread, surprised the OP hasn't responded... makes me wonder why...

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Nothing wrong with having a spare BCG. I think it is an excellent idea. My spare just happens to have another rifle wraped around it.

 

[TheMaineEvent]

I'm all for a spare BCG and buying a quality one at that. Having spare parts is just common sense to me, but I wouldn't take out a perfectly good BCG to replace with another one just because it's "better".

Only benefit I could see in replacing a perfectly good BCG is if the cleaning process become a lot easier.

 

[78Staff]

I've got a spare now as well - just picked up a WMD Nickel Boron FA BCG, for a couple reasons. Wanted to try the the slicker coating, wanted to try a heavier FA bcg, plus now I have a spare.

There's certainly nothing wrong at all with the oem S&W BCG, which by all accounts is made by LM&T, at least it was recently. I originally planned on only getting the bolt - as already posted the coating(s) are of minimal benefit on the exterior of the carrier - but decided to try the heavier FA/M16 carrier also, so just picked up the entire BCG from WMD in Nickel Boron from JoeBobs

WMD Guns Nickel Boron X Bolt Carrier Group - NIBXBCG

FWIW, if someone just wants to just try the heavier FA/M16 BCG but isn't concerned about fancy coatings, the S&W (LMT) Heavy FA/M16 BCG is available at Bud's Police Supply for quite a bit less... $135 or so.

 

[cyphertext]

There's certainly nothing wrong at all with the oem S&W BCG, which by all accounts is made by LM&T, at least it was recently.

I've been told that the bolt and carrier are from Microbest, not LMT.

 

[78Staff]

I've been told that the bolt and carrier are from Microbest, not LMT.

Actually, yes that is correct also. Very early on S&W used Stag/CMT, in 2007 they switched to LMT, and then later (not sure exactly when) they switched to Microbest (who, apparently has also made BCG's for LMT and others as well).

Much as with many large OEM's I suspect parts are sourced out and vendors change without any formal notice to the retail chain. There are also only so many actual manufacturer's of parts, who supply to any number of various companies who stamp and resell as their own brand. Fairly common practice.

 

[Plazzman]

Nothing wrong with having a spare BCG. I think it is an excellent idea. My spare just happens to have another rifle wraped around it.

I agree, I have a Spikes Tactical (Nickel Boron) BCG that I got for a good price that I could not pass up, which ended up in my Sport. As for the the spare I am going to build a AR around it for my brother. So as I look at it as nothing wasted. I got what I want and so does my brother.

 

[WR Moore]

The carrier itself is close to being an eternal part. The bolt itself and the cam pin are not. I'd spend money on spares of those.

 

[Yooper1987]

Question

Sorry, but I fail to see how this is an "upgrade". Is it different? Of course, but I just don't see "better". Calling it an upgrade, to me, would be like calling a change from a Bently to a Rolls Royce or vice versa an upgrade. No...just different.

I have a question maybe more of a comment, I see a lot of guys buy certain novice rifles and then when they ask questions about replacing parts on them other guys say well that’s stupid why didn’t you just get a better rifle, I have rifles that I’ve paid over $4500 for I have rifle that were under $600 I am working on a smith and Wesson sport 2 right now stripped it of everything and am starting from scratch and replacing almost every single part, this s&w will function better than almost any $4500 stock rifle when I’m done with it and putting the parts on that I want, now my point is if your going to do a build from scratch is there anything wrong with buying a cheaper novice rifle and striping it down or should I have bought an expensive one and stripped that down? For me I’d rather do it to a cheap one than and expensive one, now I know ppl are going to say why it a rifle at all why not just start with buying receivers and uppers basically just parts instead of spending the extra money on an already built rifle, well the answer is because I enjoy taking and already built capable rifle and starting there other people may want to start somewhere different but is it wrong? Or are you telling me you can’t take a novice rifle and and turn it into and expert one?

 

[bamashooter]

I have a question maybe more of a comment, I see a lot of guys buy certain novice rifles and then when they ask questions about replacing parts on them other guys say well that’s stupid why didn’t you just get a better rifle, I have rifles that I’ve paid over $4500 for I have rifle that were under $600 I am working on a smith and Wesson sport 2 right now stripped it of everything and am starting from scratch and replacing almost every single part, this s&w will function better than almost any $4500 stock rifle when I’m done with it and putting the parts on that I want, now my point is if your going to do a build from scratch is there anything wrong with buying a cheaper novice rifle and striping it down or should I have bought an expensive one and stripped that down? For me I’d rather do it to a cheap one than and expensive one, now I know ppl are going to say why it a rifle at all why not just start with buying receivers and uppers basically just parts instead of spending the extra money on an already built rifle, well the answer is because I enjoy taking and already built capable rifle and starting there other people may want to start somewhere different but is it wrong? Or are you telling me you can’t take a novice rifle and and turn it into and expert one?

I really appreciate the ability of people to collect expensive firearms and the like. For your viewing audience, please post a few photos of those high-end rifles and the new parts for the Sport 2. Thank you.


PS: "Or are you telling me you can’t take a novice rifle and and turn it into and [an] expert one?"

Regarding this, I reckon you can modify anything to where the "upgrades" are easily confirmed as justified or merely a bundle of more expensive parts. The rcvrs are as critical a part as any other. I would consider a person foolish were they to upgrade a plethora of parts and not the rcvrs. Upgrades are typically performed for increased confidence in functionality and reliability. Otherwise, why do them?

Good luck and let's see those pics.

 

[BRL40]

Oh great now I don't know how the heck I just posted pictures from my phone but maybe you get the idea.

The law around here may soon not allow you to get spare parts and at first I thought about gas rings, then I thought about an entire spare bolt, then I decided to just get the whole dang BCG.

Went with a Areo Precision nickel boron BCG because it's manufactured locally, it's
shiny silver, and...it's really purty!

ETA: I have no idea how to rotate pictures, I'm just amazed I actually posted any at all.
Maybe I'll just start taking them while standing on my head until I figure this stuff out.

 

[BRL40]

...please post a few photos of those high-end rifles and the new parts for the Sport 2. Thank you...Good luck and let's see those pics.

Yea, we love pictures around here...even if you gotta stand on your head to get 'em.

 

[BRL40]

Tried out my new bolt carrier group, worked great but since I don't have a headspace gauge, I decided to put the original bolt in the new carrier, it's already set up from the factory and mated to the barrel extension. Besides nickel boron extractors tend to be slick where you don't want that...or so I hear.
bamashooter, I don't think you'll be seeing any pictures from yooper1987 anytime soon, notice the post date and number of posts.
I'll make up for it though.
ETA: my bad maybe it was the post date before that.

 

[bamashooter]

Tried out my new bolt carrier group, worked great but since I don't have a headspace gauge, I decided to put the original bolt in the new carrier, it's already set up from the factory and mated to the barrel extension. Besides nickel boron extractors tend to be slick where you don't want that...or so I hear.
bamashooter, I don't think you'll be seeing any pictures from yooper1987 anytime soon, notice the post date and number of posts.
I'll make up for it though.
ETA: my bad maybe it was the post date before that.

Mine shows new member and new post (Apr 2023). Why not?

 

[BRL40]

Yea, I was thinking his post was the one from 6-6-2014.

Sorry Yooper1987 and welcome to the forum.

So do you have any pictures to share?

We love pictures.

 

[Oldsalt66]

I've been using these BCGs in my builds and they've proven to be excellent:

Toolcraft NiB bolt carrier groups.

Palmetto State Armory has them on sale right now for $99.


Just a moment...

 

[epps]

m&p 15

Since we're on the subject, has anyone had their stock BCG fail?

my gas key screw wasn't staked good and backed out on a brand new m&p 15 after about 90 rounds not good . that's why i buy s&w so i don't have to worry about shipping it back . i own 3 m&ps but my new one failed in just a few min. i cleaned and checked everything when i got my new m&p home and everything was tight went out back run 2 mags through it took it apart to clean and the gas key had worked loose just got it home and have to work on it not good at all

 

[wood714]

Zombie Thread!

I have friends that swap barrels and bolt and have never checked head space.

I'm putting together a XM177 type upper, and have a new full auto profile bolt from PSA, and a new 11.5" barrel from Brownells.

I've bought at least a half dozen or more uppers, but always bought them complete.

I've read a lot on ARF and most said "it's not a bolt action, you don't need to check it."

New barrel.

 

[67tempest]

I don't see how a bolt carrier itself could fail. I've had bolts snap at the cam pin hole, had gas keys come loose. The face of the original bolt in my 1970's Colt SP1 was cratered when a primer blew out. Have never had, seen or heard of a bolt carrier itself failing and I've been shooting AR's since the 70's.