So I run a Spikes nickel boron BCG in my gun and I was just wondering if nickel boron is really as great as they make it seem to be? I mean the finish on this BCG is very nice and cleaning is definitely easier and it is very slick even without lube. Is this coating worth all of the hype though? And what are some other benefits? Does it help reduce wear over time?
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Thanks for the link to a blank Google page…
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If it’s blank, I’m not sure why but it’s a search for nickel boron on M4C.
Copy/paste this into Google:
nickel boron, site:m4carbine.net
Eta: I tried the link on a desktop & my phone and it works for me.
That link was pointless, didn’t have much Vs. links in there.
Here is a few for you browse and check out
To many “use the search” snobs, I like to help a brother out by linking them if possible
I use a BCM and it is one of the highest rated and for the most many will say the best BCG on the market … and it’s not Nickel Boron … It has a benefit with pros and cons but for the most part 100% not necessary.
Maybe some of these links will help you choose.
Enjoy …
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?127624-nickel-boron-or-black-nitride-BCG
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?127624-nickel-boron-or-black-nitride-BCG
I will never put Any NiB products in any of my rifles after watching this. I never had an issue getting anything past the armorer and now that I am my own armorer, everything works fine with minimal cleaning on my milspec bcg. Ars don’t need to be spotless, they just need some lube… Unless you have a NiB bcg. In that case it needs MORE lube.
I’ve been running Fail Zero BCG’s for years now and never once have I seen/experienced a stuck bolt. I do keep my BCG lubed just the same though, and cleaning is a snap since fouling doesn’t really stick.
Pointless? There’s 952 hits in that link.
As far as the “search snob” thing goes, it’s all about “teaching a man how fish” instead of spoon feeding the lazy. It keeps the house cleaner.
By the way, your first two links are identical.
I am going to say this, I use a NiB BCGs (AIM Surplus) in a couple of my ARs and a WMD NiB-X in another. I do like the fact that they are slick a require very little lube and clean up easily. Because of the slick surface, there is reduced friction and, therefore, smoother operation as compared to a standard phosphate coated BCG, but by a small margin. This could provide a reduction in wear, but it would be minimal. A standard BCG that is lubed properly with have very little wear as well, but once the lube has worn off, friction will increase. This is where the NiB coating has the advantage. It will still run slick. I have seen some NiB BCGs where the finish was not holding up, but that all depends on who applied the finish and how the parts were prepped. The ones I have are holding up just fine. The choice to run a NiB, NiB-X, NP3, Melonite, Nitride, hard-chrome, or phosphate coated BCG is all personal preference. You just want to make sure it is a good quality BCG. It does not have to be expensive to be good quality, but sometimes it can be depending on what you want. My AIM NiB BCGs were $99.99 and the WMD NiB-X was $189.99. There is a distinct difference in appearance, but both work well.
For a carrier, it’s probably fine, but NP3 is better for the bolt. I would take np3, phosphate, and hard chrome over nib. Especially for the bolt itself. The nib bolts seem more prone to failure.
If you’re going to run nickel then buy a Sionics NP3 BCG. Most of my BCGs are BCM with a few Colt but I have a couple Sionics and they are good to go. I tried some nickel boron but the finish wears off easily even with the best mfg. I fired thousands of rounds to come to this conclusion. There is guys here far more experienced than I which I’m sure will agree with my findings.
BCM phosphate and Fire Clean. Why use anything else?
I agree wholeheartedly. NiB does offer some improvement over standard phosphate but in my experience the gains are marginal at best. Honestly FireClean on Phosphate will do everything NiB will. For the price and Value the NP3 is a better option. Now if $ doesn’t matter look at Cryptic Coatings CVD/PVD treatments, have personally fired over 10K+ documented rounds I have found that they actually deliver what they advertise.
I think that the people who say their nickel boron BCGs are slick enough to run without lube are making a big mistake because the thought of metal grinding on other metal at fast speeds without lubrication seems like a good way to wear out your parts. While the nickel boron is slick and it runs smooth when the line is starting to wear off, I would never run my rifle completely lube free.
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Bottom line is NiB won’t make a crappy BCG better, and poorly done NiB won’t make a good BCG better. It’s not a simple NiB vs. phosphate question, as it depends more on the BCG in question. A good BCG with a good NiB treatment can have some advantages, just make sure that’s what you’re getting. Otherwise I’d take a quality phosphate BCG over a bottom barrel NiB setup any day.
And I agree NP3 is even better than NiB, but again make sure it’s from a known quality manufacturer.
What is everyone’s thoughts on the AAC BCG? I have a 9" upper waiting to be approved. Just wondering if I should sell it and buy a BCM.
I would say the random shortened life negates any other advantage. It seems nib is too brittle and gets cracks that propagate into the substrate. I only tested one failed bolt, others have had similar failures, and the base bolt was made right according to description.
NP3 > NiB
Otherwise just use a good old fashioned phosphate and your lube of choice.
My Fail Zero BCG did the same thing as shown in the video. I talked to Fail Zero at the time and they said it was normal & the carbon would break free after firing first round. I didn’t like the that and started lubing it. I haven’t had problems since then, but only have about 2000 rds fired using it.
My primary rifle now uses a regular BCM BCG.
I’d say it’s a concern that the manufacturers of NiB products are encouraging people not to use proper lubrication, if that is in fact what they are doing.