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05-26-11, 20:05
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Industry Professional/Moderator
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RE: Odd M16 Bolt
A friend of mine sent me this pic. It came from an original Colt M16 rifle that his agency acquired from the Government cheese program.
The bolt has an MPC marking on it. Anyone seen a bolt like this before? The rings are also rather odd or maybe it's an illusion.
M16 338512 (1) (Medium).jpg
M16 338512 (Medium).jpg
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05-26-11, 20:23
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Broken or manufacturing flaw. Time to get a new bolt.
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05-26-11, 20:26
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It appears to have been made that way if you look closely. I admit it could be a defect, but it's curious nonetheless and I have never seen it before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by USAFCATM
Broken or manufacturing flaw. Time to get a new bolt.
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"Change....one magazine at a time."-Me
"A firearm should be considered a fighting weapon first. Any other use should be considered a bonus." -Me
"If you won't walk out the door with a weapon you fixed, why should someone else be expected to?"-Me
Armorer Instructor for Sionics
www.semperparatusarms.com
Multiple armorer certifications
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05-26-11, 22:25
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Interesting. Do all gas rings move freely? Those look like they need replacing no matter. That does look like purposeful machining on the bolt. Maybe some experimental LMG bolt? That would be neat.
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05-26-11, 22:46
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.
IG,
That might be THE Bolt that started the wive's tale of "make sure your Gas Ring gaps are never lined up?? 
.
Last edited by ucrt; 05-26-11 at 22:57
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05-27-11, 13:10
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I've never seen that but I agree it looks like it was made that way.
I'd put a regular bolt in this gun and set this aside until a definite answer comes.
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05-27-11, 13:33
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Scallops appear symmetrical and machined.
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05-27-11, 16:52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iraqgunz
The rings are also rather odd or maybe it's an illusion.
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Just an observation- the scallops & notch would make the rings easier to remove or install quickly. Slip an end under the tab and screw on. Not that it's needed, just conjecture as to why someone might intentionally scallop and leave the tab.
I'm trying to remember where, but I think I've seen a similar approach used to facilitate installation of split rings in a non-firearms application.
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07-17-11, 21:15
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I've been searching, no hits yet. 
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07-18-11, 05:33
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Contact Dean Caputo, I'd bet my paycheck he can help you out with it. I would put my money on some experimental design for an overgassed shorty gun to bleed gas off to slow down the BGC? i say this as those notches should be lined right up with the BC vent holes during extraction, right? The width of the center part looks almost identical to the distance between the gas vent ports in the bolt carrier.
Last edited by Hootiewho; 07-19-11 at 10:09
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07-19-11, 00:40
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I hadn't even thought to look at the orientation of the cuts to the extractor. 
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07-19-11, 10:08
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I sent Dean Caputo a link to this as well as the pics, so we'll see what he has to say about it.
I almost wonder if that didn't come from an M231 port gun? Did they not at one point drop the ROF on the port guns, maybe this bolt was one of the mods to drop the ROF?
Last edited by Hootiewho; 07-19-11 at 10:23
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09-26-11, 21:16
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Very interesting. Right click, save as.
I'd agree with what has been suggested- looks like a way of dealing with an over-gassed rifle, or reducing the cyclic rate. Those notches would line up with the carrier's vent holes- I'd question how effective they would be, though, since the bolt isn't sealing anything. The gas rings, which are left in place, are what creates the seal.
Still really cool.
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09-27-11, 19:20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lamarbrog
...Those notches would line up with the carrier's vent holes
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I agree. They don't line up with the 'ports' for a M231 bolt carrier, though. Just an observation.
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11-23-12, 13:14
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Any idea what model of rifle this bolt came out of?
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12-03-12, 20:09
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Bolt
Experimental?maybe one slipped through the cracks
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12-03-12, 21:21
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I think it's interesting that the unusual machining on the tail of the bolt is indexed on the same clock position as where there is no locking lug on the front of the bolt. Over the years some armorers machined off the locking lug on the opposite side of the bolt from the extractor, so there would be even pressure on the front of the bolt when it is in full battery. This was done to enhance accuracy. Could this be a bolt out of an old division match rifle?
Let us know what you find out. This is a very interesting discovery.
Last edited by 7 RING; 12-03-12 at 21:23
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12-05-12, 00:30
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Oddly Enough, I think I have seen a bolt just like that.
I was helping the armorer at the Bozeman MT Nat Guard armory once and the armorer was showing me the M-16s they had in a rackl and I remember him showing me the bolts on a couple of guns and he made a big deal about the bolts being different.
At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about, but it very well could have been this. I remember all of the ones they had were old guns, like a 603 model and most had the 3 prong flash hider.
Which also may explain my love for the original M-16s...
Either that or it was SWAT with Robert Urich.
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12-15-12, 19:56
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Personally I would look at reaching out to Reed Knight if you don't find an answer - maybe take the bolt to SHOT show and let him see it at the show; KAC has the world's largest and best AR collection so it would be a natural place to start
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01-24-13, 16:11
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Any updates?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Iraqgunz
This is 2012. The world is going to end this December and people are still trying to debate the merits of piece of shit, cost cutting crap AR's. Really?
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