I finally received my new BCG from Fail Zero today. The finish looks great and is smooth in every area. The only problem is that the Bolt is very stiff going back and forth in the Carrier. I tried putting it in two different AR’s I have, and it is really hard to pull the charging handle back and forth. In fact, the bolt will not go into battery while riding the charging handle forward, I have to pull it back and let it go (this is being done with no ammo in the gun). (side note: The carrier is running smooth back and forth in the gun, it is just the bolt that is stiff.) I also ordered a spare bolt to go along with the BCG kit, and the spare bolt is having the same problem. I also tried putting the EXO coated bolt in a normal carrier and it has the same problems. The dang EXO coated bolt just seems to be very tight no matter what I do. Has anyone here had this problem with their FailZero bolt when they first received them? Do I just need to run some ammo through it to make it more smooth, or will it ruin my gun if the bolt is too stiff? I have spent about an hour moving the bolt back and forth inside the carrier and it has seemed to smooth out a bit, but is still stiff. Will this go away after firing some rounds through it, or should I send it back for a different one? Thanks.
Tis’ normal, new gas rings plus the plating…makes the parts a little stiff. Make sure your headspace is ok & go shoot a few hundred rnds.& everything will seat nicely.
FZ has a place here in the Industry Forums/Manufacturers/FailZero:
http://m4carbine.net/forumdisplay.php?f=107
Good place to check out if you’ve not done so already.
have you oiled the gas rings to help them along
Yes. The bolt is still really stiff. Again, I have not shot the gun with the FailZero BCG yet, but it is very stiff when actuating the charging handle (and when manipulating it by hand). I am a little afraid to try using this BCG if it is too tight, but maybe it is okay?
Is it imperative to check the head spacing before use? What will happen if head-spacing is off?
Just go shoot it. Stiffness in new BCGs is normal.
I just got a boron BCG thru Spikes, and it is definitely a bit stiff. However, I put some Slip EWL on it and that made a big difference. I’d suggest lubing it lightly, at least initially, and let it wear in a bit – how awful, an excuse to go shooting for break-in.
Ignore the head spacing remark. You have no need to worry about the head spacing. I wish people would stop that BS.
Anyway. The stiffness is normal and you will be fine. My SR15 upper will not seat into full battery if I too ride the charging handle. This is normal. If the bolt is too loose that is bad. You want a stiff bolt. I’m sure it is not as stiff as you imagine it to be because you are comparing it to an older bolt and carrier.
If you pull the charging handle all the way back and let her go, as long as the BCG seats correctly and all the way forward, then you are good to go. No worries.
Don’t listen to Bantee on the head space. He has no idea what he is talking about :fie:. End users do not need to worry about HS as they are not (read should not) be messing with the barrel extension. The manufacturer handles that.
Hey Burt, you a cowboy shooter?
I agree with you that this bolt should be stiff because if it isn’t the rings are worn out, or so I’ve been told by people who should know. I also agree that the manufacturer should have checked out the headspacing and if this is the bolt that came with the gun, it probably was headspaced. However, if the bolt is aftermarket, it should be checked, it’s very simple to do with a cartridge as long as the firiing pin is removed 'cause you know what assumptions do. If the bolt closes and locks, it fits. If it doesn’t, time for a gun smith. Happy trails!
PS: the problem with incorrect headspacing is that you can jack chamber pressure sky high.
Evil Bert’s probably right…60,000 + psi detonating inches from your face…skip the headspace…what’s the worst that could happen??:rolleyes:
Ok. For all of you who say headspace isn’t important answer this question. The winner will get a free accessory for a firearm.
Why do we set headspace in the M2 .50 caliber?
Why do we perform yearly inspections of small arms and as part of that check we use a headspace gage?
Why do the military TM’s warn you not to swap bolt assemblies from different weapons without checking the headspace?
Freerunner,
Would you care to elaborate on your experience with the AR platform?
The stiff bolt is normal. You need to apply some lube to it, regardless of whatever magical unicorn coating has been applied.
You should not be riding the bolt forward at all. Let it slam forward as it was designed to do. Riding forward will breed bad practices that you will continue when you aren’t supposed to.
I have been shooting firearms my whole life, and the AR-15 has been one of the main weapons I have shot a lot. I have never built an AR from scratch, but I have bought uppers and lowers and BCG and put them together. I know that new BCG’s are a little stiff at the beginning, but this one seems to be extra stiff. When I pull back on the charging handle, it takes a lot of muscle to get the bolt to unlock and start to move backwards.
I also know not to ride the charging handle, but I can do this on my other AR without ammo and have them go into battery. The EXO coated BCG will not go into battery unless I pull it back all the way and let her rip. I also noticed that the extractor in the EXO coated bolt is really easy to push back. My other bolts are very stiff. It seems that they may use soft extractor springs, any experiences with this? Thanks for all of the reply’s.
Headspace on the 5o is set as its part of the timing of a controlled explosion. The gun will blow up as the rounjd is being detonated without it being chambered
I know how headspace and timing works and why. I have rebuilt at least 30 M2’s during my time in service to include the gun mounts.
Exactly how will the round blow up unless you pull the trigger?
The M249, M240 and M4 also have headspace gages and are used in the inspection process.
ruptured primer blowing a jet of gas back at your face.
jamming the weapon
Freerunner, I also have a FZ bolt in my AR…which is now a year old, my bolt came with the blue spring insert, which I have since replaced with the black spring insert & Crane o-ring from Bravo Co. It may be worthwhile to check out your extractor setup if it doesn’t reliably eject. Hope this helps.
i just dont see paying 250 for a fail zero bcg then worry if its gonna work. or having to replace extracter springs etc. 130 for my dd bcg
or 130 for a bcm and notworry about it and you dont have to replace anything.
op send it back and buy a bcm from GandRtactical
Lmao!! Agreed, it’s a nice bolt…but it isn’t that nice. I didn’t realize the spring insert was blue…til’ I already owned it! Lol. My BCM bolt isn’t as “pretty” but it works just as well & didn’t need any spring upgrades…lesson learned!
My Spike’s/FZ BCG also exhibited this same stiffness and it is normal. After 200rds of Federal XM193, it’s about the same as my CMT FA BCG. I use McFarland gas rings from G&R in both of them and this, alone, makes the bolt more resistant to motion.
Either way, just lube it and shoot it. 