Importance of a "matched bolt"?

[Mark21]

I know many custom shops will sell precision uppers with a matched bolt. Maybe Noveske does as well?

My question: what kind of accuracy am I sacrificing by buying a stripped upper and dropping in a standard BCG, like a FA from Bravo Company or LMT? Can there really be that much of a difference in headspace? And if there IS, what can I do to minimize it outside of buying a dozen bolts and measuring each one to find the one with the best tolerances?

This is not for duty nor for match shooting, but for shooting on the range and in carbine courses where I prefer to have better accuracy than not. And before someone says it doesn't matter because my ARs can outshoot me, that's not necessarily the case; hence the question.

[Cameron]

I think it would be difficult to determine exactly what a hand matched bolt provides in increased accuracy over a batch bolt. I think a hand matched bolt makes sense when you couple it with a SS match barrel, as it wouldn't make much sense to incur the expense of the precision barrel and then simply put a sloppy bolt in it.
If, on the other hand, your barrel is a chrome mil spec type set up and you are shooting in carbine classes and for self defense, I do not think you would be able to get any advantage from a hand matched bolt.
FWIW I have both types of setups, a Lothar Walther SS barrel with a hand matched bolt from Daniel Defense and a Colt mil spec barrel with an LMT BCG. While the DD SPR complete upper is more accurate you are talking sub MOA differences, and the bolt contributing maybe 0.1 MOA difference...
For your purposes I would simply put an LMT or Bravo BCG in it.
If you find any LMT BCGs let me know I am after another one...
Cameron

[dbrowne1]

I don't know much about the "precision" guns and what the practice is for those.

For a normal rifle/carbine, I don't think there is any real process to matching a bolt and barrel aside from making sure that you are within the appropriate headspace range. I have a set of gauges (GO, NO GO and FIELD) that I use maybe once a year if I am bored and if a particular bolt and barrel have seen a lot of rounds lately.

[Mark21]

Thanks guys. Very useful!

[C4IGrant]

Originally Posted by Mark21

I know many custom shops will sell precision uppers with a matched bolt. Maybe Noveske does as well?

My question: what kind of accuracy am I sacrificing by buying a stripped upper and dropping in a standard BCG, like a FA from Bravo Company or LMT? Can there really be that much of a difference in headspace? And if there IS, what can I do to minimize it outside of buying a dozen bolts and measuring each one to find the one with the best tolerances?

This is not for duty nor for match shooting, but for shooting on the range and in carbine courses where I prefer to have better accuracy than not. And before someone says it doesn't matter because my ARs can outshoot me, that's not necessarily the case; hence the question.

Noveske does match bolts to their uppers and complete weapons. We also do it with the Noveske barrels that we sell.

We can also do it on LMT or BCM barrels if the customer wants it.


C4

[Ventura]

I bought a BCM upper with an LMT BCG from Grant. That rifle is less than MOA accurate. I'm not sure if he matched them when I ordered, but I'm very happy with what I have.

[jicko]

I know that both my CLE and WOA are....

Originally Posted by Mark21

I know many custom shops will sell precision uppers with a matched bolt. Maybe Noveske does as well?