Bolt Carriers

[Lightstrider]

What do you guys think about the the JP low mass and Faxon lightweight GUNNER carriers? I'm wondering if the lighter weight really makes a difference or if it's just something that is for cool factor.

Im also looking at the JP full mass or just a standard nitride carrier for the reliability but still interested in something with high grade materials and nitrided.

[ah1whiskey]

i don't see a reason for a lightened BCG myself.

it might not hurt anything-- then i am sort of contaminated by all those years with uncle sam.

[A5BLASTER]

Lowmass bcg's are awesome and JP's is the top of the top shelf, now saying that let me say this unless you intend to use a lowmass buffer and adjustable gas block with the lowmass bcg it isn't worth it, they are a system and they work their best if used as a whole system.

I played with the lowmass system made by JP and loved it but I went back to my scs and PF bcg because it just wasn't needed for the application I use my rifle in, I use my rifle for hunting and range and on the job removing problem animal's for the state.

Hope this helps sir.

[Lightstrider]

I'm wondering with regards to just the carrier where I can get the most reliability and longevity. I assume that any carrier from a reputable company will work just fine but I see that standard carriers are using 8620 steel but JP uses 416, it there a known difference in terms of life expectancy measured by rounds fired between these two materials for a carrier?

There are also various 'enhanced' carriers like from LMT but they don't list any specifics about materials or what makes them enhanced. Aero Precision has complete 5.56 BCG's that are nitrided full milspec for $90, Faxon is the same except for a 9310 bolt instead of C158 for $145, BCM's BCG is $169, LMT's enhanced carrier by itself is $169, PF sells a 6.5 BCG for $225 that is also a 9310 bolt, then JP's full mass BCG with 6.5 enhanced bolt comes in at a whopping $366 but it's obvious that JP doesn't play around and they know what they're doing.

So we're well beyond the days when milspec was or if it was state of the art, obviously it's all about what they can get for the cheapest so who knows but JP says the C158 bolts life expectancy is 6,000 rounds but 3,000 rounds they begin to show wear or may crack. JP uses the 9310 chromium nitrided bolts with their own specified enhancements. Alexander Arms has their 6.5 hard use bolt, I think I read somewhere that it is also 9310 due to concerns of C158 and the 6.5 being tougher on bolts. There's also the group buy Monster bolt, 9310 steel QPQ nitride for a great price but I wonder how it fairs against the JP bolt.... I guess it's affordable (1/3 the price of the JP) and if I bought 3 of the Monsters instead of 1 JP, if.... IF I were to break the Monster I'd have 2 extra and know the mileage I got from my first.

[explorecaves]

Bolt carrier will last unless you have a catastrophic failure. It is the bolt (and gas rings and extractor) and possibly gas key that will need to be replaced.

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know JP doesn't make junk but I kinda question having 416 for a carrier. I am sure they know more about it than I do but vs a hard chrome, nitrided or NIB carrier I think the bore where the bolt runs would wear faster with the softer stainless. How fast and how much makes a difference I don't know though.

If the heat treat is done correctly 9310 is superior to C158 for bolts.

FWIW Joebob's has Odin 6.5G BCG's for $150. Using the group buy bolt I pieced a NIB BCG (aside from the bolt obviously and firing pin retaining in) for around $160 using WMD BCG parts from Primary Arms.

[A5BLASTER]

What are you intending to do with the rifle? Hunt,target,selfdefense/homedefense.

As of my last hunt yesterday I have exactly 1,647 rounds on my JP grendel bolt and it still looks new.

[LRRPF52]

Low mass carriers are meant to be one of many components in a tuned competition system, pioneered by JP Enterprises.

The purpose is to reduce the secondary recoil impulse effects of reciprocating mass from disrupting your sight picture, which helps with your splits and target-to-target transitions, as well as spotting your long range hits.

The biggest consideration you have to be aware of, especially with 6.5 Grendel, is early unlocking. How will you compensate for reduced mass and early unlocking?

You need to reduce the cyclic rate, which usually means adding weight, or choking gas. The lightweight carriers are meant to be used in conjunction with adjustable gas, so that you can tune down the system to prevent early unlocking and violent cyclic rate.

In conjunction with the Silent Capture Spring, a lightweight carrier and adjustable block is pretty slick in .223 Wylde.

I personally use full weight carriers in 6.5 Grendel, but I have not yet played around with lightweight carriers in Grendel.

[Lightstrider]

What are you intending to do with the rifle? Hunt,target,selfdefense/homedefense.

The rifle will be primarily for livestock defense and personal defense against coyotes, mountain lions, small black bears, trespassers up to no good, but also for hunting deer and hogs. I have my eyes on a 18" HBAR Criterion barrel from PF and I can get their 6.5 BCG for $175 instead of $225 when getting the barrel so I figured I'd try that out. JP full mass BCG is double that, I'm sure it's great but that's as much as my barrel and I'd think a better barrel would be in order if I were to spend that much on the BCG.

[rabiddawg]

I know an ole baw in La. that is speermintin with lightnin a bcg. Claims you can strain yo coffee with it ifn yont to

[A5BLASTER]

Hello Dawg, yep I was but I gave up on that project when one of the one's I built failed and I just didn't see the need for it after playing with the JP lowmass parts, so I went back to the PF bcg.

[rabiddawg]

Just taking the opportunity to mess with you blaster

[A5BLASTER]

I know it's cool bro lol.

[carlhwv]

I've got a build going. Doing a complete upper. Got a barely used JP 18" barrel, fitted enhanced bolt, and a superlative adjustable gas block. I'm building for hunting, focusing on up to 300 yard accuracy, weight, and dependability. Not sure if I'm going with simple flash hider. I looked at one of the break/forward blast director setups, but it adds another 300 bucks that I can't justify right now. I thought about matching a JP low mass BC. After looking into it and seeing what it is really meant for, I'm going with a PF carrier. They sell two. Which direction have others gone here?

Also thinking about a PF 7075 billet receiver. Not sure about mod 0 or mod 1. For the 18" barrel, I'm leaning to a 15" hand guard to protect GB. Had a Noveske NSR and will probably get something similar or go carbon fiber and I like the Gunfighter mod 4 charging handle. Looks like the Superlative Adjustable block fit in low profile guard, but not sure till I get it. I should probably wait to order the receiver and other part till the barrel gets here, but I'd like to have everything ready to go so I feel an order being placed today.....

[Lightstrider]

Yeah hard to choose between a flash hider or comp/brake cause flash hider really only comes in handy in low light conditions whereas the comp/brake will work wonders with recoil but they are so loud, blast your neighbors and also at night shoot fireballs.

I personally choose to stick with nitride, but read up on the nickel boron.

You can see slight differences in the Mod 0 and Mod 1, I'm not sure which one is better or what each are for. I can see the charging handles are setup differently, and the way things line up or how the top rail is built in are different.

If your 18" barrel is rifle length gas a 15" will work, if it's a mid length gas system I believe 12" covers the GB.

I'm not sure about adjustable gas blocks, I don't know how they come into play if you don't use a suppressor or something, maybe if you hand load your own ammo you can tune it to for that.