When it comes to talking about firearms, one thing is certain – they must come with proper rifle mechanics in order to perform well. For example, the bolt carrier group is considered to be the heart of the AR-15.
Therefore, you can’t expect such a powerful rifle to work without a BCG – bolt carrier group. However, do people actually know what a BCG is? As you may know, this piece of the AR-15 is often a misunderstood but critical part of the firearm.
Given its importance, you must know more about the bolt carrier group – after all, you may even have to buy one in the future. So, in today’s article, we’ll talk about everything that needs to be known about the infamous bolt carrier group.
The Breakdown of the Bolt Carrier Group
Naturally, we’ll start with the beginning and introduce you to the components of a BCG. There are seventeen parts that make an AR-15 bolt carrier group:
How Does the Bolt Carrier Group Work?
Obviously, the pieces within a bolt carrier group are nothing without the operations that they have to do in order to ensure the proper functioning of the rifle. In this respect, the bolt carrier group is responsible for the following eight basic operations:
As you can see, there are a lot of things going on when the firearm actually fires a bullet. Therefore, it goes without saying that one or more of the parts mentioned above can malfunction or act a bit weird, so to speak.
Common Bolt Carrier Group Issues
When you consider a firearm with proper rifle mechanics, you also have to take into account the fact that the weapon itself – and its components – have to be inspected and taken care of.
In this respect, you may want to know what could go wrong with some of the components of your weapon’s bolt carrier group.
Keep in mind that the gas keys of the bolt carrier group can come loose. Their screws should be staked in place and, if this process is done correctly, they will take a lot of time to loosen.
However, such a thing can still happen. Loose gas keys result in a poor seal that allows gas to escape. This can, in turn, lead to cycling issues – failure to eject, as well as short-cycling of the bolt.
The gas rings of the bolt carrier group are used to create a seal between the bolt carrier and the bolt. The seal contains the gases and, essentially, drives the entire system.
If any of the gas rings get damaged or worn out to the point where gases can escape, malfunctions similar to those caused by loose gas keys can appear.
The cam pin hole is one of the bolt’s weak points. It comes with the least amount of material that has to withstand the firing and cycling of the BCG. As a result, you can be faced with a split bolt.
When you check the bolt carrier group – or some of its pieces – it is recommended that you take a look at the cam pin hole as well. You should be looking for any signs of excessive wear or fractures.
Naturally, these are only a couple of the issues that a bolt carrier group could experience. This is why you should schedule maintenance for your firearm, as well as for its BCG – still, you shouldn’t run checks on it very often.
The bolt carrier group doesn’t require a regular maintenance schedule. Also, the parts within it can be easily changed when they break or when you feel like it. On top of that, you can also change the BCG entirely.
The Bottom Line
Now, it is safe to say that you really know what the bolt carrier group is. Basically, it is the part of your weapon that helps it shoot bullets – if we may put it that way.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the BCG can really be seen as the heart of any AR-15 – or M16. Obviously, this calls for proper maintenance. Regular maintenance may not be required, but you should be taking a close look at the BCG once in a while – just to be sure th
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to influence the outcome of the 2024…
Before 2011, earmarks were a frequent source of corruption and furthering of personal agendas by…
The Biden administration is creating regulations at an historic pace and it's making everything so…
The U.S. economy is showing signs of stagflation as growth slumps down and prices continue…