I have a bolt carrier group who’s gas key on the right side looks to have a sort of smooth surface and the finish looks somewhat worn. It was like this when new. You can also see a little bit of carbon above and behind the top gas port hole at the edge of where the gas key meets the carrier. Does this seem okay?
For what it’s worth, I have shot 200 rounds with this BCG in a new rifle that it came in with no problems, and it is from a reputable company. I’ve tried to wiggle the gas key at all to make sure it’s tight, and there is no movement whatsoever which makes me think there’s no leaking. The staking of the gas key screws are quite aggressive as well.
I have some shipping here because no one carries it around here. Unfortunately it won’t be here till Thursday at the earliest…
But yeah… maybe I’m making something out of nothing.
Yeah, the whole thing just looks dry as a bone to me. Maybe it looks different in person but unless it looks like it’s wearing to raw metal I wouldn’t think there is an issue.
That’s awful advice. A man should know his hardware inside and out and be able to spot any potential issues before they develop into serious problems. This goes for guns, cars, house, etc.
I’ve been a member of this forum for years and it’s developed a really strange vibe recently.
It seems like an attitude that if you aren’t just blindly shooting your AR like a third worlder with a beat up 1970s AK you aren’t in the cool club or something. Guys are chastised for asking about their brand new thousand dollar rifle showing up with scratches and QC issues.
The whole Colt outsourcing thing was amazing to me because guys were legitimately trying to ensure the quality of their rifle, but many users were roasting them with snark saying they shouldn’t even be looking to see where their rifle parts came from.
This seems to be accompanied by lots of snarky one liners with text message abbreviations that read like high school Facebook users.
While I can’t comment on the OP’s BCG I think it’s great that he is actually inspecting his weapon and understanding it’s function instead of just blasting it until something breaks. That sort of behavior used to be the vibe of this forum - understanding the AR rifle inside and out and becoming a proficient rifleman, not just a gun range goober.
Obsessing over random tool marks or imperfections is not"understanding your weapon". You will learn more about the AR from SHOOTING THE GUN than going over it with a magnifying glass.
Doesn’t appear to be anything more than wear marks and initial gas leakage. Unless you are seeing gouging inside of the charge handle,I wouldn’t worry about it. More than likely just a tad more material on the right side of the key during manufacture, potential slight right holes in BC and/or both. Provided no sharp edges, oil and enjoy. If any, knock them down with a file. The staking on the top should be no more than .025 above the key, as a reference, a 1/16" punch is .062
Cool…
Also, I’m Wondering IF you have thought to check and see how your Gas key lines up with the Gas tube, with the Gas tube going into the Gas key? Hopefully it’s smooth, if not, she’s an easy fix, adjust the gas tube until you’re happy with it… But, be careful NOT to over do it and trash your Gas tube!..
I think there’s room for both oogling the details and shooting. It’s not an either or situation. Every now and then I inspect my guns fairly closely to make sure things are right. New guys just want to know if what they’re seeing is gtg or not.
Here are two better pics. The bottom one is the “shiny” side (though it’s more like it’s more faintly finished rather than shiny), and the top is the other side of the BCG.
