Chrome/ionbond Bolt Carrier Groups...worth it?

[M&PVolk]

Curious how many of AR owners on THR have swapped out their factory BCG's for aftermarket BCG's, and what the general consensus is on exotic BCG finishes?

Young Manufacturing, Fail Zero, Spikes Tactical all offer some sort of hard chrome or non-lubricant surface treatments. Even BCM offers an ionbond BCG.

Are these things worth the money, or are they more bling/hype than they are worth? Is there really a difference in reliability or accuracy? Is anyone actually running any of these? The price differences between these BCG's and standard mil-spec BCG's is large, so it would be nice to get some legitimate feedback on these things. How would a failzero BCG equipped AR compare to a piston driven system for reliability?

Opinions please!!!

 

[BADUNAME37]

My take on it is, if the OEM works, don't fix it. What you might gain in one area, you may end up suffering in another. I believe it is give-and-take.

Then you also have to consider the money to lay out for one of these exotic BC Groups. Perhaps that same money would be better gaining accuracy in another AR department, like working up loads, experimenting with factory loads, to name a few items.

 

[Jeremy2171]

I put an original chrome BCG in my 601 clone...

 

[Al Thompson]

IMHO, not needed. I'd rather spend the money on ammo.

 

[Onmilo]

Slicker surface of chrome and more modern surface treatments means increased lubricity between bolt carrier and aluminum upper which reduces the possibility of galling between the two surfaces especially when lubrication is minimal.
Easier to clean and clean well verses a standard phosphated carrier means the owner may clean more often and these two factors will increase reliability.

Accuracy increase by using an exotic surface treatment?
Nope.
Accuracy comes from the quality of the barrel and the fitting of the parts, not the surface treatment.

Worth it?
You have to decide that question. Some of my rifles have chrome bolts and carriers and some don't.
I don't feel any less well armed with the unchromed carrier rifles.

 

[Runningman]

Chrome/ionbond Bolt Carrier Groups...worth it?

At one point in the war oven in South East Asia the military M16s used a bolt carrier than was hard chromed on the exterior and on the internal bolt carrier bore.

They soon determined the exterior hard chrome was not necessary. But to this day on M4s they still use a bolt carrier with an internal hard chrome finish on the bolt bore where the rings ride. That should tell you something.