Product Areas That Need Addressed?

[coastwatcher42]

There are a ton of AR products out there and many of the newer ideas seem to be solutions for nonexistent problems. This got me to thinking...are there any areas of AR products that have not been adequately addressed by manufacturers? Are there any problems still in search of a satisfactory solution?

[WS6]

There are a ton of AR products out there and many of the newer ideas seem to be solutions for nonexistent problems. This got me to thinking...are there any areas of AR products that have not been adequately addressed by manufacturers? Are there any problems still in search of a satisfactory solution?

I think that there may be a market for an etched reticle RDS. If/when the illumination is overpowered by a WML, it would be very nice, as well as the durability/reliability factor of an optic that will function if a battery dies or a contact corrodes or anything of the sort, but mainly, I think some of the high-powered WML's out today make this a feature that could do some good. The Leupold unit was nice, but could be improved on.

The Rosch SL-1 has filled my needs for a WML that preserves rail-space, yet is functional and useful.
http://www.roschworks.com/

Bolts breaking, gas-rings wearing out, that sort of thing just doesn't seem to be a real-world problem near like it is on "the internet". All these coatings and proprietary bolts and all that jazz have been proven to be snake-oil in the last PiP, where the mil-spec BCG outperformed the other nearly dozen entrants from the likes of LMT, LWRC, etc.

The platform has thousands of rounds BETWEEN MEAN STOPPAGES in testing. To improve on that, you drag the law of unintended consequences into things, and it is VERY EASY to create issues that didn't exist before, without very much impacting (or even negating the fix-attempt) the problem you were trying to fix.

[Iraqgunz]

I disagree with this and I wouldn't read much into the military testing trials. As we have seen it is a debacle much like the uniform program. I have an Ionbonded bolt carrier and and NP3 carrier and they work very well and require very little maintenance.

What I would like to see is a real deal M16 BCG made to the current spec and then Ionbonded or melonited or whatever and then put that into a Colt M4 and see how it performs.

I also wish the military would get into the 21st century and realize that there is in fact shit better than CLP out there.


I think that there may be a market for an etched reticle RDS. If/when the illumination is overpowered by a WML, it would be very nice, as well as the durability/reliability factor of an optic that will function if a battery dies or a contact corrodes or anything of the sort, but mainly, I think some of the high-powered WML's out today make this a feature that could do some good. The Leupold unit was nice, but could be improved on.

The Rosch SL-1 has filled my needs for a WML that preserves rail-space, yet is functional and useful.
http://www.roschworks.com/

Bolts breaking, gas-rings wearing out, that sort of thing just doesn't seem to be a real-world problem near like it is on "the internet". All these coatings and proprietary bolts and all that jazz have been proven to be snake-oil in the last PiP, where the mil-spec BCG outperformed the other nearly dozen entrants from the likes of LMT, LWRC, etc.

The platform has thousands of rounds BETWEEN MEAN STOPPAGES in testing. To improve on that, you drag the law of unintended consequences into things, and it is VERY EASY to create issues that didn't exist before, without very much impacting (or even negating the fix-attempt) the problem you were trying to fix.

[WS6]

I disagree with this and I wouldn't read much into the military testing trials. As we have seen it is a debacle much like the uniform program. I have an Ionbonded bolt carrier and and NP3 carrier and they work very well and require very little maintenance.

What I would like to see is a real deal M16 BCG made to the current spec and then Ionbonded or melonited or whatever and then put that into a Colt M4 and see how it performs.

I also wish the military would get into the 21st century and realize that there is in fact shit better than CLP out there.

As a datapoint, and not that he is the "all knowing", but I did ask Mike Pannone about this (BCG coatings), as he is/was a huge fan of NGA, who used coatings extensively on their rifles. Here is his answer:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=137247

My question is...what's wrong with the "regular" milspec BCG?

[Iraqgunz]

I am sure that you are aware the original M16 BCG's were chromed right? It's pretty much common knowledge that if you have a properly made BCG with a protective finish and proper lubrication not only will you have corrosion resistance and he stated, but you will inhibit the ability for carbon to build up.

I am not saying it's the be all, end all. But, considering how little it costs do it, I don't see why not.


As a datapoint, and not that he is the "all knowing", but I did ask Mike Pannone about this (BCG coatings), as he is/was a huge fan of NGA, who used coatings extensively on their rifles. Here is his answer:
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=137247

My question is...what's wrong with the "regular" milspec BCG?

[CRAMBONE]

I also wish the military would get into the 21st century and realize that there is in fact shit better than CLP out there.

Heresy. Blasphemy. :D
Kidding a side I agree. Why do they keep holding onto it?

[WS6]

I am sure that you are aware the original M16 BCG's were chromed right? It's pretty much common knowledge that if you have a properly made BCG with a protective finish and proper lubrication not only will you have corrosion resistance and he stated, but you will inhibit the ability for carbon to build up.

I am not saying it's the be all, end all. But, considering how little it costs do it, I don't see why not.

I've tried various products and found them to wildly vary by spec. dimensionally, what would you recommend? Why did BCM drop theirs?

[mikeith]

Iirc it wasn't bcm doing it... It was an outside company having them done

[WS6]

Iirc it wasn't bcm doing it... It was an outside company having them done

They dropped the product, and there are plenty of companies that will do that for them. I wondered why they dropped it.

personally, I can't see a benefit to it other than corrosion resistance, but run wet, that shouldn't be an issue I wouldn't think.

[Iraqgunz]

I don't speak for BCM. In my conversation with Paul I was told it was mostly a logistics issue.


They dropped the product, and there are plenty of companies that will do that for them. I wondered why they dropped it.

personally, I can't see a benefit to it other than corrosion resistance, but run wet, that shouldn't be an issue I wouldn't think.

[twm134]

I also wish the military would get into the 21st century and realize that there is in fact shit better than CLP out there.

Multiplied by 1000.

[mastiffhound]

I think that there may be a market for an etched reticle RDS.

Bolts breaking, gas-rings wearing out, that sort of thing just doesn't seem to be a real-world problem near like it is on "the internet". All these coatings and proprietary bolts and all that jazz have been proven to be snake-oil in the last PiP, where the mil-spec BCG outperformed the other nearly dozen entrants from the likes of LMT, LWRC, etc.

The platform has thousands of rounds BETWEEN MEAN STOPPAGES in testing. To improve on that, you drag the law of unintended consequences into things, and it is VERY EASY to create issues that didn't exist before, without very much impacting (or even negating the fix-attempt) the problem you were trying to fix.

I was just thinking about an etched reticle red dot the other day. I found the Leupold and then read some reviews. Unfortunately it seems to be the one thing they make that nobody likes. If they could get it to have the same battery life as an Aimpoint or EO Tech I would buy it. This isn't really AR specific though, as it would work on any rifle.

NiB BCGs have been something I've been looking at and a few companies say they have BCGs with C158 bolts that are coated. I'm still researching and haven't decided if I will get one.

Thanks Iraqgunz, I didn't know the original M16 BCGs were chromed. Is NiB a better option than chrome? Would an Ionbonded or NP3 carrier be a better option than NiB or Chrome?